1587.

PAINFUL POSITION OF THE ENVOYS AT COURT.

211

him to return, she added, but she was now resolved that he should never set foot in the Provinces again."1

Here the Earl, who was present, exclaimed-beating himself on the breast-" a tali officio libera nos, Domine !"2

But the States, undaunted by these explosions of wrath, replied that it had ever been their custom, when their laws and liberties were invaded, to speak their mind boldly to kings and governors, and to procure redress of their grievances, as became free men.3

During that whole spring the Queen was at daggers drawn with all her leading counsellors, mainly in regard to that great question of questions-the relations of England with the Netherlands and Spain. Walsingham-who felt it madness. to dream of peace, and who believed it the soundest policy to deal with Parma and his veterans upon the soil of Flanders, with the forces of the republic for allies, rather than to await his arrival in London-was driven almost to frenzy by what he deemed the Queen's perverseness.

"Our sharp words continue," said the Secretary, "which doth greatly disquiet her Majesty, and discomfort her poor servants that attend her. The Lord-Treasurer remaineth still in disgrace, and, behind my back, her Majesty giveth out very hard speeches of myself, which I the rather credit, for that I find, in dealing with her, I am nothing gracious; and if her Majesty could be otherwise served, I know I should not be used. . . Her Majesty doth wholly lend herself to devise some further means to disgrace her poor council, in respect whereof she neglecteth all other causes. The discord between her Majesty and her council hindereth the necessary consultations that were to be destined for the preventing of the manifold perils that hang over this realm.

Sir

with her, which hath been accepted in so evil part as he is resolved to retire for a time. I assure you I find every man weary of attendance here. I would to God I

could find as good resolution in her Majesty to proceed in a princely course in relieving the United Provinces, as I find an honorable disposition in your Lordship to employ yourself in their service."1

The Lord-Treasurer was much puzzled, very wretched, but philosophically resigned. "Why her Majesty useth me thus strangely, I know not," he observed. "To some she saith that she meant not I should have gone from the court; to some she saith, she may not admit me, nor give me contentment. I shall dispose myself to enjoy God's favour, and shall do nothing to deserve her disfavour. And if I be suffered to be a stranger to her affairs, I shall have a quieter life.""

66

Leicester, after the first burst of his anger was over, was willing to return to the Provinces. He protested that he had a greater affection for the Netherland people-not for the governing powers-even than he felt for the people of England."3 "There is nothing sticks in my stomach," he said, 'but the good-will of that poor afflicted people, for whom, I take God to record, I could be content to lose any limb I have to do them good." But he was crippled with debt, and the Queen resolutely refused to lend him a few thousand pounds, without which he could not stir. Walsingham in vain did battle with her parsimony, representing how urgently and vividly the necessity of his return had been depicted by all her ministers in both countries, and how much it imported to her own safety and service. But she was obdurate. "She would rather," he said bitterly to Leicester, "hazard the increase of confusion there-which may put the whole country in peril-than supply your want. The like course she holdeth in the rest of her causes, which maketh me to wish myself

1 Walsingham to Leicester, 3 April, 1587. Same to same, 10 April, 1587. (Brit. Mus. Galba, C. xi. 315-319.)

Burghley to Leicester, 16 April,

1587. (Brit. Mus. Galba, C. xi. 333.) Bor, II. xxii. 950-952.

8

4 Leicester to Walsingham, 16 April, 1587. (S. P. Office MS.)

QUEEN'S PARSIMONY TOWARDS LEICESTER.

from the helm.' At last she agreed to advance him ten thousand pounds, but on so severe conditions, that the Earl declared himself heart-broken again, and protested that he would neither accept the money, nor ever set foot in the Netherlands. "Let Norris stay there," he said in a fury; "he will do admirably, no doubt. Only let it not be supposed that I can be there also. Not for one hundred thousand pounds would I be in that country with him.”2

Meantime it was agreed that Lord Buckhurst should be sent forth on what Wilkes termed a mission of expostulation,

and a very ill-timed one. This new envoy was to inquire into the causes of the discontent, and to do his best to remove them as if any man in England or in Holland doubted as to the causes, or as to the best means of removing them; or as if it were not absolutely certain that delay was the very worst specific that could be adopted—delay-which the Netherland statesmen, as well as the Queen's wisest counsellors, most deprecated, which Alexander and Philip most desired, and by indulging in which her Majesty was most directly playing into her adversary's hand. Elizabeth was preparing to put cards upon the table against an antagonist whose game was close, whose honesty was always to be suspected, and who was a consummate master in what was then considered diplomatic sleight of hand. So Lord Buckhurst was to go forth to expostulate at the Hague, while transports were loading in Cadiz and Lisbon, reiters levying in Germany, pikemen and musketeers in Spain and Italy, for a purpose concerning which Walsingham and Barneveld had for a long time felt little doubt.

Meantime Lord Leicester went to Bath to drink the waters, and after he had drunk the waters, the Queen, ever anxious for his health, was resolved that he should not lose the benefit of those salubrious draughts by travelling too soon, or by plunging anew into the fountains of bitterness which flowed perennially in the Netherlands."

1587.

BUCKHURST SENT TO THE NETHERLANDS.

215

CHAPTER XV.

Buckhurst sent to the Netherlands - Alarming State of Affairs on his Arrival -His Efforts to conciliate-Democratic Theories of Wilkes-Sophistry of the Argument— Dispute between Wilkes and Barneveld-Religious Tolerance by the States-Their Constitutional Theory-Deventer's bad Counsels to Leicester - Their pernicious Effect - Real and supposed Plots against Hohenlo - Mutual Suspicion and Distrust Buckhurst seeks to restore good Feeling-The Queen angry and vindictive-She censures Buckhurst's Course Leicester's Wrath at Hohenlo's Charges of a Plot by the Earl to murder him-Buckhurst's eloquent Appeals to the Queen-Her perplexing and contradictory Orders - Despair of Wilkes Leicester announces his Return-His Instructions-Letter to Junius Barneveld denounces him in the States.

WE return to the Netherlands. If ever proof were afforded of the influence of individual character on the destiny of nations and of the world, it certainly was seen in the year 1587. We have lifted the curtain of the secret councilchamber at Greenwich, We have seen all Elizabeth's advisers anxious to arouse her from her fatal credulity, from her almost as fatal parsimony. We have seen Leicester anxious to return, despite all fancied indignities, Walsingham eager to expedite the enterprise, and the Queen remaining obdurate, while month after month of precious time was melting away.

In the Netherlands, meantime, discord and confusion had been increasing every day; and the first great cause of such a dangerous condition of affairs was the absence of the governor. In this all parties agreed. The Leicestrians, the anti-Leicestrians, the Holland party, the Utrecht party, the English counsellors, the English generals, in private letter, in solemn act, all warned the Queen against the lamentable effects resulting from Leicester's inopportune departure and prolonged absence.1

On the first outbreak of indignation after the Deventer affair, Prince Maurice was placed at the head of the general government, with the violent Hohenlo as his lieutenant.2 The 2 Wagenaar, viii. 204.

1

1 Documents in Bor, III. xxiii. 76-80.