Burghley.—­“That is quite true.”

Croft.—­“My servant subsequently returned to the Provinces in order to learn what the Prince might have said on the subject.”

Bodman (with immense politeness, but very decidedly).—­“Pardon me, Mr. Comptroller; but, in this matter, I must speak the truth, even if the honour and life of my father were on the issue.  I declare that your servant Norris came to me, directly commissioned for that purpose by yourself, and informed me from you, and upon your authority, that if I would solicit the Prince of Parma to send a secret agent to England, a peace would be at once negotiated.  Your servant entreated me to go to his Highness at Brussels.  I refused, but agreed to consider the proposition.  After the lapse of several days, the servant returned to make further enquiries.  I told him that the Prince had come to no decision.  Norris continued to press the matter.  I excused myself.  He then solicited and obtained from me a letter of introduction to De Loo, the secretary of his Highness.  Armed with this, he went to Brussels and had an interview—­as I found, four days later—­with the Prince.  In consequence of the representations of Norris, those of Signor Grafigni, and those by way of Antwerp, his Highness determined to send me to England.”

Burghley to Croft.—­“Did you order your servant to speak with Andrea de Loo?”

Croft.—­“I cannot deny it.”

Burghley.—­“The fellow seems to have travelled a good way out of his commission.  His master sends him to buy horses, and he commences a peace-negotiation between two kingdoms.  It would be well he were chastised.  As regards the Antwerp matter, too, we have had many letters, and I have, seen one from the Seigneur de Champagny, the same effect as that of all the rest.”

Walsingham.—­“I see not to what end his Highness of Parma has sent Mr. Bodman hither.  The Prince avows that he hath no commission from Spain.”

Bodman.—­“His Highness was anxious to know what was her Majesty’s pleasure.  So soon as that should be known, the Prince could obtain ample authority.  He would never have proceeded so far without meaning a good end.”

Walsingham.—­“Very like.  I dare say that his Highness will obtain the commission.  Meantime, as Prince of Parma, he writes these letters, and assists his sovereign perhaps more than he doth ourselves.”

Here the interview terminated.  A few days later, Bodman had another conversation with Burghley and Cobham.  Reluctantly, at their urgent request, he set down in writing all that he had said concerning his mission.

The Lord Treasurer said that the Queen and her counsellors were “ready to embrace peace when it was treated of sincerely.”  Meantime the Queen had learned that the Prince had been sending letters to the cautionary towns in Holland and Zeeland, stating that her Majesty was about to surrender them to the King of Spain.  These were tricks to make mischief, and were very detrimental to the Queen.