1572.] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 67 the danger to England was scarcely less foan from the Ridolfi conspiracy ; but his threats were wasted words. Elizabeth was capable of letting Maitland know secretly that he need not regard them. In Burghley's presence she could be argued into reason ; when he left her she fell back under the persuasions of Leicester and the poisonous household clique, the nest of the traitors male and female who were for ever busy undermining her wiser judgment and thwarting the influence of her ministers. In February Thomas Randolph was called February. out of his retirement and sent down to Edin- burgh to attempt a composition. He found the Regent in the last stage of exasperation, complaining that Mur- ray had been ruined by Elizabeth's falsehood, and that now he himself ' was finding nothing but words/ of which he had already had too much. At this moment Alva w r as coming to a resolution to strike in. The battle of Lepanto in October, and the splendid victory of Don John of Austria, had revived the spirits of the Spaniards, and gave Philip leisure to employ his arms elsewhere. Seton had completed his arrangements for the landing of the troops at Aberdeen, and was hasten- ing home with money and instructions to prepare for their reception, when the vessel in which he was cross- ing the Channel was driven by a storm into Harwich. Seton, to lose no time, passed through England disguised as a sailor, taking the money with him. The ship was to follow as soon as the weather moderated, and believ- ing that no suspicion could attach to her, he left hie
