But that Parry having an intent to kill the queene, made the way of his accesse, by betraying of others, and in appeaching of the priests of his owne correspondency, and thereby had accesse to conferre with the queene, as oftentimes privat and familiar discourse with Walsingham, will not be the quere of the mystery for the Secretary might have had an end of a further discovery, and maturity of the treason but that after the queene knew Parryes intent, why she would then admit him to private discourse, and Walsingham to suffer him, considering the conditions of all the designes, and to permit him to goe where and whither he listed, and onely under the secrecy of a darke sentinell, set over him was a peece of reach and hazard, beyond my apprehension: I must againe professe that I have read many of his letters, for they are commonly sent to my Lord of Leicester, and of Burleigh, out of France, containing many fine passages, and secrets, yet if I might have been beholding to his cyphers, they would have told pretty tales of the times, but I must now close him up, and ranke him amongst the togati: yet chiefe of those that layd the foundations of the French and Dutch warres, which was another peece of his finenesse of the times, with one observation more, that he was one of the greatest alwaies of the Austerian imbracements, for both himselfe, and Stafford

that preceded him, might well have beene compared to him in the gospel, that sowed his tares in the night; so did they their seedes in division, in the darke, and as it is a likely report, that they father on him at his returne, the queene speaking to him with some sensibility of the Spanish designes on France: Madam, he answered, I beseech you be content, and feare not, the Spaniards have a great appetite and an excellent digestion, but I have fitted him with a bone for these 20 yeares, that your Majesty should have noe cause to doubt him, provided that if the fire chance to shake, which I have kindled, you will be ruled by me, and cast in some of your fewell which will revive the flame.

H

Lord Willoughby.

My Lord Willoughby* was one of the Queenes first sword-men, he was of the ancient extract of the Bartewes but more enobled by his mother, who was Duchess of Suffolk, he was a great Mr. of the art Military, and was sent Generall into France, and commanded the second army of five, the Queene had sent thither, in ayde of the French I have heard it spoken, that had he not slighted the court, but applyed himselfe to the Queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of her grace, and it was his saying, and it did him no good, that

* In 1586, Lord Willoughby was Governor of Bergen-op-zoom, and very active in preventing the Spaniards from succouring the besieged towns, with ammunition, provisions, &c. In the action before Zutphen, where Sir Philip Sidney was mortally wounded, Lord Willoughby was in the heat of the engagement, and unhorsed a Cornet of horse, who was taken prisoner, while attempting to convey provisions into the town.