Will Swyfte's exploits against the forces of Philip of Spain have made him a national hero, lauded from Carlisle to Kent. Yet his associates can barely disguise their incredulity - what is the point of a spy whose face and name is known across Europe? But Swyfte's public image is a carefully-crafted façade, which deflects attention from his real work - and the true reason why Walsingham's spy network was established.