Sir Walter wished to be himself the bearer of the comforting despatches to Leicester, on the ground that he had been represented as an “ill instrument against him,” and in order that he might justify himself against the charge, with his own lips.  The Queen, however, while professing to make use of Shirley as the messenger, bade Walsingham declare to the Earl, upon her honour, that Raleigh had done good offices for him, and that, in the time of her anger, he had been as earnest in his defence as the best friend could be.  It would have been—­singular, indeed, had it been otherwise.  “Your Lordship,” said Sir Walter, “doth well understand my affection toward Spain, and how I have consumed the best part of my fortune, hating the tyrannous prosperity of that state.  It were strange and monstrous that I should now become an enemy to my country and conscience.  All that I have desired at your Lordship’s hands is that you will evermore deal directly with me in all matters —­of suspect doubleness, and so ever esteem me as you shall find me deserving good or bad.  In the mean time, let no poetical scribe work your Lordship by any device to doubt that I am a hollow or cold servant to the action.”

It was now agreed that letters should be drawn, up authorizing Leicester to continue in the office which he held, until the state-council should devise some modification in his commission.  As it seemed, however, very improbable that the board would devise anything of the kind, Burghley expressed the belief that the country was like to continue in the Earl’s government without any change whatever.  The Lord Treasurer was also of opinion that the Queen’s letters to Leicester would convey as much comfort as he had received discomfort; although he admitted that there was a great difference:  The former letters he knew had deeply wounded his heart, while the new ones could not suddenly sink so low as the wound.

The despatch to the States-General was benignant, elaborate, slightly diffuse.  The Queen’s letter to ‘sweet Robin’ was caressing, but argumentative.

“It is always thought,” said she, “in the opinion of the world, a hard bargain when both parties are losers, and so doth fall out in the case between us two.  You, as we hear, are greatly grieved in respect of the great displeasure you find we have conceived against you.  We are no less grieved that a subject of ours of that quality that you are, a creature of our own, and one that hath always received an extraordinary portion of our favour above all our subjects, even from the beginning of our reign, should deal so carelessly, not to say contemptuously, as to give the world just cause to think that we are had in contempt by him that ought most to respect and reverence us, which, we do assure you, hath wrought as great grief in us as anyone thing that ever happened unto us.