he hath of the estate on this side, I may assure you will employ himself most willingly. I shall not fail to write to him of the matter with all the recommendations I can, as also I shall do in any way that shall be needful. But you must take choice men for managing the affair with Mendoza and others out of the realm, of some faithful and very secret both in wisdom and personage, unto whom only you must commit yourselves, to the end things may be kept the more secret, which, for your own security, I commend to yourself. If your messenger bring you back again sure promise and sufficient assurance of the succours which you demand, then thereafter (but not sooner, as it would be in vain) take diligent order that all those on your part make, secretly as they can, provision of armour, fit horses, and ready money, wherewith to hold themselves in readiness to march so soon as it shall be signified to you by the chief and principal of every shire, reserving to the principals the knowledge of the ground of the enterprise. It shall be enough at the beginning to give it out to the rest that the said provisions are made only for the fortifying of yourselves, in case of need, against the Puritans of this realm, the principal whereof, having the chief forces thereof in the Low Countries, as you may let the report go disguised, do seek the ruin and overthrow on their return home of the Catholics, and to usurp the crown, not only against me and all other lawful pretenders thereto, but against their own Queen that now is, if she will not altogether submit herself to their government. These pretexts may serve to found and establish among all associations or confederations what is done only for your preservation and defence, as well in religion as lands, lives, and goods, against the oppression and attempts of the said Puritans, without directly giving or writing out anything against the Queen, but rather showing yourselves willing to maintain her and her lawful heirs after her, not naming me. The affairs being thus prepared and forces in readiness both within and without the realm, then _shall it be time to set the gentlemen on work, taking good order upon the accomplishment of their design_. I may be suddenly transported out of this place, and meet without tarrying for the arrival of the foreign aid which thus must be hastened with all diligence, _now for that there can be no certain day appointed for the accomplishment of the said gentlemen's design, to the end others may be in readiness to take me from hence. I would that the said gentlemen had always about them, or at least at court, divers and sundry scout men, furnished with good and speedy horses, as soon as the design shall be executed, to come with all diligence to advise me thereof, and those who shall be appointed for my transporting; to the end that immediately after they may be at the place of my abode, before my keeper can have notice of the execution of the said design, or at the least before he