With  regard  to  the  conspiracy  against  the  Queen,  he  reports  that
up  to  the  time  of  his  leaving,  none  of  the  prisoners  had  been
executed,  because  as  they  were  about  to  execute  them  they
discovered  two  more.  One  hundred  persons  are  in  prison,  and
Babington  had  confessed  that  he  had  reached  the  Queen's  carriage
with  a  pistol  for  the  purpose  of  killing  her,  but  that  his  heart  had
failed  him.  It  is  reported  that  they  have  discovered  another
conspiracy,  arising  out  of  the  first  one,  namely,  a  plan  formed  by
all  the  Catholic  London  apprentices,  who  were  to  rise  and  kill  the
heretics,  which  would  have  been  an  easy  thing  to  do  if  they  had
known  how  to  conduct  such  an  affair.  Thirty  or  forty  apprentices
had  been  arrested,  when,  on  the  following  day,  some  threatening
papers  against  the  justices  were  found  posted  on  the  Lord  Mayor's
door.  With  this  the  persecution  of  the  apprentices  was  stopped,
and  no  further  search  was  made.  He  (Pardin)  reports  with  regard
to  Don  Antonio's  affairs,  that  the  Queen  is  willing  to  pay  his  debts
and  give  him  a  good  pension.  She  makes  much  of  him,  and
Drake  visits  him  constantly.  The  time  of  Drake's  departure  was
uncertain,  but  it  was  said  that  20  or  25  ships  were  being  fitted  out
for  him  to  return  to  the  Indies.
Pardin  brings  letters  from  Don  Antonio  to  the  King  and  Queen-
mother,  asking  them  whether  they  will  promise  to  help  him  to  go
to  Portugal,  when  they  have  made  peace.  Villeroy  has  received
him  very  well,  and  give  him  hopes  of  aid.
