retourner
habiter ceste terre, promettant a tous ses
serviteurs que s'il peult estre une fois en
Espaigne qu'il n'en sortira plus a si maulvaise
occasion, etc....--Le Protonotaire de Noailles a M.
de Noailles: _Ambassades_, vol. v. p. 136.]

Before the meeting of parliament, a letter was published, addressed to
the Lords of the Council, by a certain John Bradford.[490] The writer
accounted for his knowledge of the secrets which he had to tell, by
saying that he had lived in the household of one of the Spanish
noblemen who were in attendance on Philip; that he had learnt the
language unknown to his master, and had thus overheard unguarded
conversations. He had read letters addressed to Philip, and letters
written by him and by his confidential friends; and he was able to
say, as a thing heard with his own ears, and seen with his own eyes,
that the "Spaniards minded nothing less than the subversion of the
English commonwealth." In fact, he repeated the rumours of the summer,
only more circumstantially, and with fuller details. Under pretence of
improving the fortifications, Philip intended to obtain command of the
principal harbours and ports; he would lay cannon on the land side,
and gradually bring in Spanish troops, the queen playing into his
hands; and as soon as peace could be made with France, he would have
the command of the fleet and the sea, and could do what he
pleased.[491]

[Footnote 490: Not the martyr; he had been
despatched by Bonner among the victims of the
summer; but a person otherwise-known.]

[Footnote 491: "Ye will say, How could this fellow
know their counsel?--I was chamberlain to one of
the privy council, and with all diligence gave
myself to write and read Spanish, which thing once
obtained I kept secret from my master and my
fellow-servants, because I might be trusted in my
master's closet or study, where I might read such
writing as I saw daily brought into the council
chamber."--John Bradford to the Lords of the
Council: Strype's _Memorials of the Reformation_.]

{p.221} "I saw," the writer continued, "letters sent from the
emperor, wherein was containe