spoils. She meant, too, that Drake and his brave crew should not go
unrewarded. Drake himself should have ten thousand pounds at least.

Her action was eminently characteristic of her. On the score of real
justice there was no doubt at all how matters stood between herself and
Philip, who had tried to dethrone and kill her.

The _Pelican_ lay still at Plymouth with the bullion and jewels
untouched. She directed that it should be landed and scheduled. She
trusted the business to Edmund Tremayne, of Sydenham, a neighbouring
magistrate, on whom she could depend. She told him not to be too
inquisitive, and she allowed Drake to go back and arrange the cargo
before the examination was made. Let me now read you a letter from
Tremayne himself to Sir Francis Walsingham:--

'To give you some understanding how I have proceeded with Mr. Drake: I
have at no time entered into the account to know more of the value of
the treasure than he made me acquainted with; and to say truth I
persuaded him to impart to me no more than need, for so I saw him
commanded in her Majesty's behalf that he should reveal the certainty to
no man living. I have only taken notice of so much as he _has_ revealed,
and the same I have seen to be weighed, registered, and packed. And to
observe her Majesty's commands for the ten thousand pounds, we agreed he
should take it out of the portion that was landed secretly, and to
remove the same out of the place before my son Henry and I should come
to the weighing and registering of what was left; and so it was done,
and no creature living by me made privy to it but himself; and myself no
privier to it than as you may perceive by this.

'I see nothing to charge Mr. Drake further than he is inclined to charge
himself, and withal I must say he is inclined to advance the value to be
delivered to her Majesty, and seeking in general to recompense all men
that have been in the case dealers with him. As I dare take an oath, he
will rather diminish his own portion than leave any of them unsatisfied.
And for his mariners and followers I have seen here as eye-witness, and
have heard with my ears, such certain signs of goodwill as I cannot yet
see that any of them will leave his company. The whole course of his
voyage hath showed him to be of great valour; but my hap has been to see
some particulars, and namely in this discharge of his company, as doth
assure me that he is a man of great government, and that by the rules of