record, Humphrey Gilbert was not among those contemptuously termed "this sort." Probably as a reward for his devotion to his Queen at the expense of his country, Elizabeth issued Letters Patent on June 15, 1571, appointing him "Surveyor for seven years for executing the statutes, for the maintenance of artillery, horses, armour, and weapons, and the suppression of unlawful games, by which archery was greatly decayed." This appointment was renewed in 1575, also for a term of seven years.

The statutes referred to principally are 33 Henry VII, Caps. 5 and 9, and 4 and 5 Philip and Mary, Cap. 2. By them were decreed the arms, armour, and horses each squire, knight and noble, according to his degree, was to maintain for the service of the Crown. These Acts apparently were more "honoured in the breach than in the observance," and it was determined to stir up the defaulters. Sir Humphrey was made General Surveyor, and six commissioners were appointed to assist him. Offenders against the laws were, however, to be permitted to compound their offences on payment of a fine, and of these fines Gilbert was to receive "one moiety and one-fifth of the other moiety," or three-fifths of the whole. We have no indication whether this office was genuine or merely a means by which Humphrey Gilbert could fill his purse, after the manner of similar patents showered upon Ralegh and other of Elizabeth's courtiers; nor have we any knowledge how he performed his duties.

During the years 1571-72, Sir Humphrey was interested with Sir Thomas Smyth, Lord Burleigh, and the Earl of Leicester in some experiments made by one Meadley, who declared he could turn iron into copper by means of vitriol. Strype gives us an account of the transaction in his Life of Sir Thomas Smyth,1 and some

1 Sir Thomas Smyth was selected by Elizabeth for the post of Principal Secretary of State in succession to Lord Burleigh when he was advanced to the Lord Chancellorship.

correspondence between Meadley and Lord Burleigh, preserved at the Record Office, fills in some details. Alchemy had not yet grown into the science of chemistry, and the transmutation of metals was firmly believed in. It nevertheless gives one somewhat of a shock to find these four men, leaders of thought in their day, so able and wise in many things, so easily duped by a common cheat.

Sir Thomas Smyth seems to have been the leader in the matter, and to have induced first Gilbert and then the others, to join him. Strype thus describes the four partners. "Sir Thomas Smythe," he says, "had a very busy active mind and a philosophical head," Lord Burleigh had also "a philosophical genius," Sir Humphrey Gilbert was “a learned knight and of a projecting head," and the Earl of Leicester "was very forward in offering iron and lead" to be transmuted.

Meadley first changed iron into copper at Sir Thomas Smyth's house in London, but the process proved too expensive; he declared, however, that if he could find in England the "primum ens vitrioli," the cost would be very much less. Sir Thomas and Sir Humphrey furnished him with £100, and leased some property from Lady Mountjoy at £300 per annum, which would supply, Meadley declared, the necessary ingredients. Sir Thomas was now sent Ambassador to France, and the chief conduct of the affair devolved on Sir Humphrey. Presumably he either suspected Meadley of being an impostor, or perhaps thought he was concealing from them the knowledge he really possessed. Anyhow they immediately fell out. We don't know what Sir Humphrey said of Meadley, but Meadley wrote to Lord Burleigh in most virtuous indignation against Gilbert. He accused Smyth and Gilbert of sending a man to spy upon him, and to have taken Lady Mountjoy's house in their own name, excluding his. He complained that his name had been "scorched with ill report," and declares that he was ready to repay all the

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money he had received and "so cleanse his hands of such pytche." He said, Sir Humphrey "loketh to have attendance of me in things yt my nature can nott and wyll nott permitt," that "he regardeth neither word nor bonde," and that "if he offered violence he would do so at his perill." He then concludes by offering to let Burleigh into his secret and to make for him 100 tons of perfect copper per annum. Another letter declares that he is still encountering "Mr. Gilbert's malice and foul policy," but offers, if his own name is included in the patent, and Gilbert's excluded, to proceed at once to work on Leicester's and Burleigh's soil.

The patent he referred to was to incorporate into "The Society of the New Art," Burleigh, Smyth, Leicester, and Gilbert, to whom was granted the privilege of making copper and quicksilver by way of transmutation. Her Majesty was to receive two per cent. of the proceeds.

Gilbert now departed on his campaign to the Low Countries, but when Smyth came back, he was still so convinced of the possibility of the transaction that he made peace with Meadley and set him to work again, but the only result was a crop of debts. Smyth and Gilbert lost over £400 in the transaction. How this august company finally became disillusionized and dissolved partnership is not related. Strype says, "I make no doubt that Sir Thomas smarted in his purse for his chymical covetousness, and Gilbert seems to have been impoverished by it, while Meadley was beggared, for I find him two years after made prisoner for debt."

CHAPTER VI

THE CAMPAIGN IN THE LOW COUNTRIES

SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT began his military career fighting with the Huguenots against the Catholic party in Normandy in 1562; and we now find him employed ten years later fighting on behalf of the Protestants in the Netherlands against their Spanish oppressors. The Spanish yoke had borne heavily upon the Low Countries, and at this period they appeared to be reduced to a condition of utter hopelessness. Rebellion seemed out of the question.

Margaret of Parma, who governed in the Netherlands on behalf of her brother, Philip II, had ruled the unhappy country with a rod of iron. Among other ordinances, intended to quench the burning zeal of the Protestant Reformers, she gave orders that all heretics were to be slain, whether they had given in their allegiance or not; and Alva, who had just succeeded her, continued this career of butchery, and openly boasted that, by his orders, he had done to death no less than 18,600 Protestants. William the Silent had been driven to exile, and the few who still had the hardihood to defy Spain, like the rebelling West Countrymen in Mary's reign, took to the sea and carried on an irregular warfare against the Spanish shipping. They were known as "Sea Gueux," or "water beggars," and conducted their operations largely from English ports, having the open sympathy of the people, and the connivance, if nothing more, of the Court.

In January 1572, the Spanish Ambassador waited upon Elizabeth, and made formal complaint against the support and assistance given to these patriot pirates by the English. It suited Elizabeth's policy at the time to

stand well with Spain, and she accordingly issued a proclamation commanding all Netherlanders, suspected of hostile designs against Spain, at once to leave England, and ordering that all ships of war belonging to them then harbouring in English ports should be seized and confiscated. An additional reason for this edict was that the Easterling merchants complained that their trade was being interfered with by the Sea Gueux.

It so happened that one of the most able of Dutch sea rovers, William Van der Merk, then lay in Dover with several ships. Being warned in time, he slipped away, and driven to desperation, made a descent upon the town of Brill, thus carrying out an intention which had been contemplated for some time. The townspeople fled in dismay, and the "water beggars" took possession of the town, venting their enmity upon the Catholic priests and churches only. In a few days most of the townspeople returned and threw in their lot with their assailants. The revolt spread rapidly; Flushing and nearly all the other chief cities followed the example of Brill, and made a desperate effort to throw off the yoke of Spain. They invited William of Orange to return and assume the Government, and urgently appealed for help to the Protestant Queen of England.

Elizabeth, whose policy was to "run with the hare and hunt with the hounds," desired to encourage the revolt without coming to an open breach with Spain. By the Treaty of Blois, April 19, 1572, France and England agreed surreptitiously to assist the Netherlanders. Bands of Englishmen were therefore encouraged to go to their aid. Just at this time there was quite an outburst of military enthusiasm in London. All through the winter large numbers of recruits had mustered weekly for training in martial exercises. On May Day they paraded before the Queen at Greenwich, "where," says Stow, "they showed many warlike feats, but were hindered by the weather."

Whether it was in the enthusiasm for their newly