darkness.  Woe to Buckhurst, and Norris, and Wilkes, and all others who consorted with his enemies.  Let them flee from the wrath to come!  And truly they were only too anxious to do so, for they knew that Leicester’s hatred was poisonous.  “He is not so facile to forget as ready to revenge,” said poor Wilkes, with neat alliteration.  “My very heavy and mighty adversary will disgrace and undo me.

“It sufficeth,” continued Leicester, “that her Majesty both find my dealings well enough, and so, I trust will graciously use me.  As for the reconciliations and love-days you have made there, truly I have liked well of it; for you did sow me your disposition therein before, and I allowed of it, and I had received letters both from Count Maurice and Hohenlo of their humility and kindness, but now in your last letters you say they have uttered the cause of their mislike towards me, which you forbear to write of, looking so speedily for my return.”

But the Earl knew well enough what the secret was, for had it not been specially confided by the judicious Bartholomew to Atye, who had incontinently told his master?  “This pretense that I should kill Hohenlo,” cried Leicester, “is a matter properly foisted in to bring me to choler.  I will not suffer it to rest, thus.  Its authors shall be duly and severely punished.  And albeit I see well enough the plot of this wicked device, yet shall it not work the effect the devisers have done it for.  No, my Lord, he is a villain and a false lying knave whosoever he be, and of what, nation soever that hath forged this device.  Count Hohenlo doth know I never gave him cause to fear me so much.  There were ways and means offered me to have quitted him of the country if I had so liked.  This new monstrous villany which is now found out I do hate and detest, as I would look for the right judgment of God to fall upon myself, if I had but once imagined it.  All this makes good proof of Wilkes’s good dealing with me, that hath heard of so vile and villainous a reproach of me, and never gave me knowledge.  But I trust your Lordship shall receive her Majesty’s order for this, as for a matter that toucheth herself in honour, and me her poor servant and minister, as dearly as any matter can do; and I will so take it and use it to the uttermost.”

We have seen how anxiously Buckhurst had striven to do his duty upon a most difficult mission.  Was it unnatural that so fine a nature as his should be disheartened, at reaping nothing but sneers and contumely from the haughty sovereign he served, and from the insolent favourite who controlled her councils?  “I beseech your Lordship,” he said to Burghley, “keep one ear for me, and do not hastily condemn me before you hear mine answer.  For if I ever did or shall do any acceptable service to her Majesty, it was in, the stay and appeasing of these countries, ever ready at my coming to have cast off all good respect towards us, and to have entered even into some desperate cause.  In the meantime I am hardly thought of by her Majesty, and in her opinion condemned before mine answer be understood.  Therefore I beseech you to help me to return, and not thus to lose her Majesty’s favour for my good desert, wasting here my mind, body, my wits, wealth, and all; with continual toils, taxes, and troubles, more than I am able to endure.”