KNIGHTHOOD
315
Court. During the space of one year,' says John Drake, while this deponent remained in England, one part said the queen ought to return the treasure to the King of Spain and others that they should send the person of With one exception all his great Captain Francis.' friends were more or less under a cloud and his opponents in the ascendant. As a counter-move against the danger which threatened from Spain, the queen was once more coquetting with France and displaying a serious intention of marrying the Duke of Alen9on. The match was Sussex, Crofts and Burghley were intensely unpopular. almost all who had a word to say for it. At the outset of the negotiations Walsingham had been ordered out of the queen's presence for insisting too strongly on the Protes tant and popular view. Leicester was sulking, and Lord Bedford's daughter had been placed under arrest -for Sir "William Wynter* chattering unwisely on the subject. too, was in disgrace for having let the Spaniards get to Ireland, and had been ordered peremptorily to resume the station on the Kerry coast which at the approach of *
1
winter he had
left
There only remained
without orders.
Hatton
at Elizabeth's ear, and thus did Drake reap the fruit of his policy in connecting him so conspicuously with his immortal ship. Sir Christopher
In November, Smerwick, the place on the Irish coast where the Spaniards had entrenched themselves, fell, and the invaders were annihilated. Although it was found that the King of Spain had nothing officially to do with them, the loss of the argument for Drake's protection made no difference to the queen. It is clear she was resolved to stand by him at any cost. The queen,' wrote Mendoza after the new year's festivities, shows extraordinary favour to Drake and never fails to speak to him when she She goes out in public, conversing with him a long time. says that she will knight him on the day she goes to see his ship,' and a week later The queen often has him in her cabinet often, indeed, walking with him in the Humours were afloat that he was to be speedily garden.' '
'
*
:
;