us Cadiz expedition, that an
armada, of Spain might not be so invincible as men imagined.

Yet when the conqueror returned from his great foray, he received no
laurels. His sovereign met him, not with smiles, but with frowns and cold
rebukes. He had done his duty, and helped to save her endangered throne,
but Elizabeth was now the dear friend of Alexander Farnese, and in
amicable correspondence with his royal master. This "little" beginning on
the coast of Spain might not seem to his Catholic Majesty a matter to be
thankful for, nor be likely to further a pacification, and so Elizabeth
hastened to disavow her Plymouth captain.'

["True it is, and I avow it on my faith, her Majesty did send a ship
expressly before he went to Cadiz with a message by letters charging
Sir Francis Drake not to show any act of hostility, which messenger
by contrary winds could never come to the place where he was, but
was constrained to come home, and hearing of Sir F. Drake's actions,
her Majesty commanded the party that returned to have been punished,
but that he acquitted himself by the oaths of himself and all his
company. And so unwitting yea unwilling to her Majesty those
actions were committed by Sir F. Drake, for the which her Majesty is
as yet greatly offended with him." Burghley to Andreas de Loo, 18
July, 1587. Flanders Correspondence.' (S. P. Office MS.)]

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

The blaze of a hundred and fifty burning vessels
We were sold by their negligence who are now angry with us

CHAPTER XVII. 1587

Secret Treaty between Queen and Parma--Excitement and Alarm in the
States--Religious Persecution in England--Queen's Sincerity toward
Spain--Language and Letters of Parma--Negotiations of De Loo--
English Commissioners appointed--Parma's affectionate Letter to the
Queen--Philip at his Writing-Table--His Plots with Parma against
England--Parma's secret Letters to the King--Philip's Letters to
Parma Wonderful Duplicity of Philip--His sanguine Views as to
England--He is reluctant to hear of the Obstacles--and imagines
Parma in England--But Alexander's Difficulties are great--He
denounces Philip's wild Schemes--Walsingham aware of the Spanish
Plot--which the States well understand--Leicester's great
Unpopularity--The Queen warned against Treating--Leicester's Schemes
against Barneveld--Leicestrian Conspiracy at Leyden--The Plot to