ed that the account which Aveline had given of him was
too correct. After the day of my arrival, I saw both him and Aveline
only for a short time in the evenings, being engaged in the
counting-house from an early hour in the morning till late every day.
There was a large amount of work to be done, and as Sir Thomas and
Master Clough never spared themselves, so they required us, their
inferiors, to labour with a like assiduity.

The state of the country was also becoming every day more and more
disordered. It is only surprising that this had not occurred at an
earlier period. Antwerp itself suffered, as well as other places.
Bands of ruffians went about the streets at night, attacking any unarmed
persons they met, and sometimes breaking into houses, when they carried
off whatever they could lay hands on, and had generally decamped before
the arrival of the watch or guard. At length the robbers so increased
in numbers, that the ordinary watch of the town could do nothing to
oppose them.

The persecutions continued as fierce as ever, the Inquisitor, Titelmann,
daily citing before him persons of all ranks and callings, men and
women, and compelling them by force to say whatever it pleased him.
Often he did so in revenge for words which they were accused of having
uttered against him, although he always used the pretext of heresy. The
Government of the Regent--the Duchess of Parma--was also employed in
ruining the country, edicts being passed to prohibit the importation of
cloth and wool from England. Shortly after this, another edict was
passed, prohibiting the importation of any merchandise or goods of any
sort from England; while no Flemish goods were allowed to be exported on
board English ships.

I was one evening seated at my desk at work, when the porter told me a
stranger wished to see me. I went down, and as the light fell on my
visitor's features, I recognised Captain Rover, who had rendered us such
essential service on board the _Diamond_.

I put out my hand and shook his warmly.

"I have come to have a few words with you, Master Verner," he said, "and
it maybe better that they should be in private."

I led him into the room where Sir Thomas was accustomed to receive
casual visitors, and where what was said could not be overheard.

"I have come on a matter of no little importance," he said.

"A great danger threatens your friend and patron, Sir Thomas Gresham.
In my last passage from England, I bro