Page. His Excellency the Spanish Ambassador.
Queen (startled and confused). God’s death, Leicester! I thought as much. Here he comes to demand it. You must retire into my private room (with decision) I’ll face it out, Robin! (exit Leicester. To the Page) Admit his Excellency. (Exit Page.) I must play my cards with skilful hand. By flattery or menace—to draw from him his policy. (Enter Ambassador. The Queen bounds from the sofa to meet him with affected friendliness.) Don Bernardino de Mendoza! I am always glad to see you—in your private character. But are you now come as a King-at-Arms to declare war?
Mendoza. No! No! My instructions from my master are, to cultivate peace—But from your Majesty’s preparations, I should imagine that you meant war, on a large scale. Your fleet at Chatham! and the noise of fife and drum throughout the land.
Queen (interrupting). ’Tis only the commission of array for training—Though England keeps on foot no armies, she is always armed—Her freemen are her soldiers. In times of danger, she gets ready; I don’t intend to be caught sleeping. What are those mighty naval preparations for at Cadiz? Six thousand additional seamen!
Ambassador. Of that—not having the gift of inspiration! I can give your Majesty no information. My master finds no fault with you, but your ministers encourage, and aid rebellion against his authority in the Low Countries, and English Corsairs, not content with robbing his merchantmen in the channel, have now extended their ravages to the Indies and the Pacific. The notorious Drake is, even now, returned with enormous booty. He is cherished and feted, as if the exploits of a robber were some great national triumph. His Majesty expects that you will not only order immediate restitution, but punish the offender as he deserves.
Queen. Tush! Tush! Your master cannot be serious. If so, he must either be a fool, or think me one. If my ships should invade the possessions of the King of Spain, the act could not be considered Piracy—It would be war. Now your complaint shows that the nations are at peace, and therefore that the acts are not my acts. He has been a King of England, and knows well, that the laws of England do not extend to the Pacific—Hey! Hey! Our courts have neither authority to try, nor means to punish offences committed in the other hemisphere.
Ambassador (with haste). Drake is now in England with the booty.
Queen. Well! Drake has committed no offence against the laws of his country. What exclusive right has your master, the King of Spain, to the Indies, the whole continent of America, and the wide Pacific?
Ambassador (with much earnestness). The Pope who, as Vicar of Christ, has authority over the whole earth, has given the Indies and the Pacific, to Spain.
Queen (laughing outright). Did Charles the fifth owe his empire to the Pope, when he sent his army to imprison His Holiness and seize the possessions of the church? Hey! Will his son Philip acknowledge that he now owes them to the Pope? I trow not! Let the Pope only interfere with Philip’s dominions—We should soon hear of another Spanish army marching upon Rome, and probably Don Bernardino de Mendoza in command of it, to make the Pope a second time prisoner, and shut him up in his Castle of St. Angelo. That is the way Philip would acknowledge his authority over the earth; and that you would show your faith in it. Ha! Ha! Ha! (Laughter, in which Mendoza cannot help joining. The Queen walks about, exulting in her triumph).