And so was the unfortunate Davison ground into finest dust between the upper and lower millstones of royal wrath and loyal subserviency.

Meantime the other special envoy had made his appearance in the Netherlands; the other go-between between the incensed Queen and the backsliding favourite.  It has already been made sufficiently obvious, by the sketch given of his instructions, that his mission was a delicate one.  In obedience to those instructions, Heneage accordingly made his appearance before the council, and, in Leicester’s presence, delivered to them the severe and biting reprimand which Elizabeth had chosen to inflict upon the States and upon the governor.  The envoy performed his ungracious task as daintily, as he could, and after preliminary consultation with Leicester; but the proud Earl was deeply mortified.”  The fourteenth day of this month of March,” said he, “Sir Thomas Heneage delivered a very sharp letter from her Majesty to the council of estate, besides his message—­myself being, present, for so was her Majesty’s pleasure, as he said, and I do think he did but as he was commanded.  How great a grief it must be to an honest heart and a true, faithful servant, before his own face, to a company of very wise and grave counsellors, who had conceived a marvellous opinion before of my credit with her Majesty, to be charged now with a manifest and wilful contempt!  Matter enough to have broken any man’s heart, that looked rather for thanks, as God doth know I did when I first heard of Mr. Heneage’s arrival—­I must say to your Lordship, for discharge of my duty, I can be no fit man to serve here—­my disgrace is too great—­protesting to you that since that day I cannot find it in my heart to come into that place, where, by my own sufferings torn, I was made to be thought so lewd a person.”

He then comforted himself—­as he had a right to do—­with the reflection that this disgrace inflicted was more than he deserved, and that such would be the opinion of those by whom he was surrounded.

“Albeit one thing,” he said, “did greatly comfort me, that they all best knew the wrong was great I had, and that her Majesty was very wrongfully informed of the state of my cause.  I doubt not but they can and will discharge me, howsoever they shall satisfy her Majesty.  And as I would rather wish for death than justly to deserve her displeasure; so, good my Lord, this disgrace not coming for any ill service to her, pray procure me a speedy resolution, that I may go hide me and pray for her.  My heart is broken, though thus far I can quiet myself, that I know I have done her Majesty as faithful and good service in these countries as ever she had done her since she was Queen of England . . . . .  Under correction, my good Lord, I have had Halifax law—­to be condemned first and inquired upon after.  I pray God that no man find this measure that I have done, and deserved no worse.”

He defended himself—­as Davison had already defended him—­upon the necessities of the case.