And with these rather ominous insinuations the envoy concluded for the time his narrative.

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HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS

From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year’s Truce—­1609

By John Lothrop Motley

History United Netherlands, Volume 45, 1586

CHAPTER VII., Part 2.

Leicester’s Letters to his Friends—­Paltry Conduct of the Earl to Davison—­He excuses himself at Davison’s Expense—­His Letter to Burghley—­Effect of the Queen’s Letters to the States—­Suspicion and Discontent in Holland—­States excuse their Conduct to the Queen—­ Leicester discredited in Holland—­Evil Consequences to Holland and England—­Magic:  Effect of a Letter from Leicester—­The Queen appeased—­Her Letters to the States and the Earl—­She permits the granted Authority——­Unhappy Results of the Queen’s Course—­Her variable Moods—­She attempts to deceive Walsingham—­Her Injustice to Heneage—­His Perplexity and Distress—­Humiliating Position of Leicester—­His melancholy Letters to the Queen—­He receives a little Consolation—­And writes more cheerfully—­The Queen is more benignant—­The States less contented than the Earl—­His Quarrels with them begin.

While these storms were blowing and “overblowing” in England, Leicester remained greatly embarrassed and anxious in Holland.  He had sown the wind more extensively than he had dreamed of when accepting the government, and he was now awaiting, with much trepidation, the usual harvest:  And we have seen that it was rapidly ripening.  Meantime, the good which he had really effected in the Provinces by the course he had taken was likely to be neutralized by the sinister rumours as to his impending disgrace, while the enemy was proportionally encouraged.  “I understand credibly,” he said, “that the Prince of Parma feels himself in great jollity that her Majesty doth rather mislike than allow of our doings here, which; if it be true, let her be sure her own sweet self shall first smart.”

Moreover; the English troops were, as we have seen, mere shoeless, shivering, starving vagabonds.  The Earl had generously advanced very large sums of money from his own pocket to relieve their necessity.  The States, on the other hand, had voluntarily increased the monthly contribution of 200,000 florins, to which their contract with Elizabeth obliged them, and were more disposed than ever they had been since the death of Orange to proceed vigorously and harmoniously against the common enemy of Christendom.  Under such circumstances it may well be imagined that there was cause on Leicester’s part for deep mortification at the tragical turn which the Queen’s temper seemed to be taking.