e Ridolfi conspiracy, the most dangerous which she had ever had to
encounter. The only Protestant fighting power left on the sea which
could be entirely depended on was in the privateer fleet, sailing, most
of them, under a commission from the Prince of Orange.

This fleet was the strangest phenomenon in naval history. It was half
Dutch, half English, with a flavour of Huguenot, and was commanded by a
Flemish noble, Count de la Mark. Its head-quarters were in the Downs or
Dover Roads, where it could watch the narrow seas, and seize every
Spanish ship that passed which was not too strong to be meddled with.
The cargoes taken were openly sold in Dover market. If the Spanish
ambassador is to be believed in a complaint which he addressed to Cecil,
Spanish gentlemen taken prisoners were set up to public auction there
for the ransom which they would fetch, and were disposed of for one
hundred pounds each. If Alva sent cruisers from Antwerp to burn them
out, they retreated under the guns of Dover Castle. Roving squadrons of
them flew down to the Spanish coasts, pillaged churches, carried off
church plate, and the captains drank success to piracy at their banquets
out of chalices. The Spanish merchants at last estimated the property
destroyed at three million ducats, and they said that if their flag
could no longer protect them, they must decline to make further
contracts for the supply of the Netherlands army.

It was life or death to Elizabeth. The Ridolfi plot, an elaborate and
far-reaching conspiracy to give her crown to Mary Stuart and to make
away with heresy, was all but complete. The Pope and Philip had
approved; Alva was to invade; the Duke of Norfolk was to head an
insurrection in the Eastern Counties. Never had she been in greater
danger. Elizabeth was herself to be murdered. The intention was known,
but the particulars of the conspiracy had been kept so secret that she
had not evidence enough to take measures to protect herself. The
privateers at Dover were a sort of protection; they would at least make
Alva's crossing more difficult; but the most pressing exigency was the
discovery of the details of the treason. Nothing was to be gained by
concession; the only salvation was in daring.

At Antwerp there was a certain Doctor Story, maintained by Alva there to
keep a watch on English heretics. Story had been a persecutor under
Mary, and had defended heretic burning in Elizabeth's first Parliament.
He had refused the