When the fall of Antwerp was certain, the Queen sent Davison, who had been for a brief period in England, back again to his post.  “We have learned,” she said in the letter which she sent by that envoy; “with very great regret of the surrender of Antwerp.  Fearing lest some apprehension should take possession of the people’s mind in consequence, and that some dangerous change might ensue, we send you our faithful and well-beloved Davison to represent to you how much we have your affairs at heart, and to say that we are determined to forget nothing that may be necessary to your preservation.  Assure yourselves that we shall never fail to accomplish all that he may promise you in our behalf.”

Yet, notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the thorough discussion that had taken place of the whole matter, and the enormous loss which had resulted from the money-saving insanity upon both sides, even then the busy devil of petty economy was not quite exorcised.  Several precious weeks were wasted in renewed chafferings.  The Queen was willing that the permanent force should now be raised to five thousand foot and one thousand horse—­the additional sixteen, hundred men being taken from the Antwerp relieving-force—­but she insisted that the garrisons for the cautionary towns should be squeezed out of this general contingent.  The States, on the contrary, were determined to screw these garrisons out of her grip, as an additional subsidy.  Each party complained with reason of the other’s closeness.  No doubt the states were shrewd bargainers, but it would have been difficult for the sharpest Hollander that ever sent a cargo of herrings to Cadiz, to force open Elizabeth’s beautiful hand when she chose to shut it close.  Walsingham and Leicester were alternately driven to despair by the covetousness of the one party or the other.

It was still uncertain what “personage of quality” was to go to the Netherlands in the Queen’s name, to help govern the country.  Leicester had professed his readiness to risk his life, estates, and reputation, in the cause, and the States particularly desired his appointment.  “The name of your Excellency is so very agreeable to this people,” said they in a letter to the Earl, “as to give promise of a brief and happy end to this grievous and almost immortal war.”  The Queen was, or affected to be, still undecided as to the appointment.  While waiting week after week for the ratifications of the treaty from Holland, affairs were looking gloomy at home, and her Majesty was growing very uncertain in her temper.

“I see not her Majesty disposed to use the service of the Earl of Leicester,” wrote Walsingham.  “I suppose the lot of government will light on Lord Gray.  I would to God the ability of his purse were answerable to his sufficiency otherwise.”  This was certainly a most essential deficiency on the part of Lord Gray, and it will soon be seen that the personage of quality to be selected as chief in