Church of the rebellious Provinces, perhaps something might be done with them; but, on the whole, he was inclined to think that they had been influenced by knavish and deceitful motives from the beginning.  He enjoined it upon Parma, therefore, to proceed with equal knavery—­taking care, however, not to injure his reputation—­and to enter into negotiations wherever occasion might serve, in order to put the English off their guard and to keep back the reinforcements so imperatively required by Leicester.

And the reinforcements were indeed kept back.  Had Burghley and Croft been in the pay of Philip ii. they could hardly have served him better than they had been doing by the course pursued.  Here then is the explanation of the shortcomings of the English government towards Leicester and the States during the memorable spring and summer of 1586.  No money, no soldiers, when most important operations in the field were required.  The first general of the age was to be opposed by a man who had certainly never gained many laurels as a military chieftain, but who was brave and confident, and who, had he been faithfully supported by the government which sent him to the Netherlands, would have had his antagonist at a great disadvantage.  Alexander had scarcely eight thousand effective men.  Famine, pestilence, poverty, mutiny, beset and almost paralyzed him.  Language could not exaggerate the absolute destitution of the country.  Only miracles could save the King’s cause, as Farnese repeatedly observed.  A sharp vigorous campaign, heartily carried on against him by Leicester and Hohenlo, with plenty of troops and money at command, would have brought the heroic champion of Catholicism to the ground.  He was hemmed in upon all sides; he was cut off from the sea; he stood as it were in a narrowing circle, surrounded by increasing dangers.  His own veterans, maddened by misery, stung by their King’s ingratitude, naked, starving, ferocious, were turning against him.  Mucio, like his evil genius, was spiriting away his supplies just as they were reaching his hands; a threatening tempest seemed rolling up from France; the whole population of the Provinces which he had “reconciled”—­a million of paupers—­were crying to him for bread; great commercial cities, suddenly blasted and converted into dens of thieves and beggars, were cursing the royal author of their ruin, and uttering wild threats against his vicegerent; there seemed, in truth, nothing left for Alexander but to plunge headlong into destruction, when, lo!  Mr. Comptroller Croft, advancing out of the clouds, like a propitious divinity, disguised in the garb of a foe—­and the scene was changed.

The feeble old man, with his shufing, horse-trucking servant, ex-spy of Monsieur, had accomplished more work for Philip and Alexander than many regiments of Spaniards and Walloons could have done.  The arm of Leicester was paralyzed upon the very threshold of success.  The picture of these palace-intrigues has been presented with minute elaboration, because, however petty and barren in appearance, they were in reality prolific of grave results.  A series of victories by Parma was substituted for the possible triumphs of Elizabeth and the States.