Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/532

 KEIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 56. misdoings in the Spanish main was drawn out in full, with an assurance that if the expedition failed, they should be sure of employment in the Spanish service. 1 This prodigious ' practice' was thus entirely suc- cessful. The English Government learnt the particulars of the danger which lay before them and were able to prepare for it prepare for it in part with finances furnished by Philip himself; Hawkins held himself in readiness to join Alva as soon as he should sail, intend- ing to sink him in mid- channel. Philip paid the money for which Fitzwilliam asked, some forty or fifty thousand pounds, through his agents in England. He made Hawkins himself a grandee of Spain, and sent him, through Fitzwilliain's hands, his patent of nobility. One more communication from Sir John to Cecil contains all that requires to be told further. SIR JOHN HAWKINS TO LORD BURGHLEY. ' Plymouth, September 4. ' My very good Lord, It may please your Honour to be advertised that Fitzwilliam is returned from the Court of Spain, where his message was acceptably re- ceived both by the King himself, the Duke of Feria, and others of the privy council. His dispatch and answer was with great expedition, and great counten- 1 The documents relating to these negotiations are very numerous, and with the exception of the letters which passed between Hawkins and Burghley, are all at Simancas. The Spanish historians, knowing only their own archives, have supposed that Hawkins was really acting in good faith with Philip. The King did not care to leave on record an accoun of the trick by which he hud been taken in.