Nor were the storms so thoroughly overblown but that there were not daily indications of returning foul weather.  Accordingly—­after a conference with Vavasour—­Burghley, and Walsingham had an interview with the Queen, in which the Lord Treasurer used bold and strong language.  He protested to her that he was bound, both by his duty to himself and his oath as her councillor, to declare that the course she was holding to Lord Leicester was most dangerous to her own honour, interest and safety.  If she intended to continue in this line of conduct, he begged to resign his office of Lord Treasurer; wishing; before God and man, to wash his bands of the shame and peril which he saw could not be avoided.  The Queen, astonished at the audacity of Burghley’s attitude and language, hardly knew whether to chide him for his presumption or to listen to his arguments.  She did both.  She taxed him with insolence in daring to address her so roundly, and then finding he was speaking even in ‘amaritudine animae’ and out of a clear conscience, she became calm again, and intimated a disposition to qualify her anger against the absent Earl.

Next day, to their sorrow, the two councillors found that the Queen had again changed her mind—­“as one that had been by some adverse counsel seduced.”  She expressed the opinion that affairs would do well enough in the Netherlands, even though Leicester were displaced.  A conference followed between Walsingham, Hatton, and Burghley, and then the three went again to her Majesty.  They assured her that if she did not take immediate steps to satisfy the States and the people of the Provinces, she would lose those countries and her own honour at the same time; and that then they would prove a source of danger to her instead of protection and glory.  At this she was greatly troubled, and agreed to do anything they might advise consistently with her honour.  It was then agreed that Leicester should be continued in the government which he had accepted until the matter should be further considered, and letters to that effect were at once written.  Then came messenger from Sir Thomas Heneage, bringing despatchesfrom that envoy, and a second and most secret one from the Earl himself.  Burghley took the precious letter which the favourite had addressed to his royal mistress, and had occasion to observe its magical effect.  Walsingham and the Lord Treasurer had been right in so earnestly remonstrating with him on his previous silence.

“She read your letter,” said Burghley, “and, in very truth, I found her princely heart touched with favourable interpretation of your actions; affirming them to be only offensive to her, in that she was not made privy to them; not now misliking that you had the authority.”