Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/524

 510 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 56. splendid seaman, and a person of station and property. Encouraged by the ease with which the ambassador was taken in, but perhaps disappointed at the little which he had learnt, Sir John, next, contrived the more daring step of applying immediately to Philip. He sent George Fitzwilliam, who seemingly was one of his officers, to Madrid, to tell the King that his master was one of the many Englishmen who were broken- hearted at the progress of heresy ; to say that, as a faithful son of Holy Church, he was waiting for the time when the Queen would be overthrown, and the crown pass to its rightful owner, the Queen of Scots ; and that he himself, with his friends in the navy, were ready to do their part in bringing about that happy c onsummation. The King, to whom Hawkins's reputation had long been terribly familiar, who could never read his name in a despatch without scoring opposite to it a note of dismay, who had heard of him only in connection with negro-hunting, sacked towns, and plundered churches, was more astonished then Don Guerau at an overture so utterly unlooked for. One of the pirate race, Thomas Stukely, had indeed already come over to him. Stukely was Sir John's cousin, and so far the thing was not utterly incredible ; but his instinct told him to distrust the advances of Hawkins. He asked Fitzwilliam whe- ther his master was acquainted with the Queen of Scots ? Fitzwilliam was obliged to say that he was not. ahora, viendo que se salen con todo sinque nadie los contradiga.' Don Guerau to Cayas, March 25, 1571.