“As to the other point, you say that your powers are not extensive enough to allow your acceptance of the offer I make you.  Nevertheless, if I am not mistaken, I have remarked in passing—­for princes look very close to words—­that you would be content if I would give you money in place of men, and that your powers speak only of demanding a certain proportion of infantry and another of cavalry.  I believe this would be, as you say, an equivalent, ‘secundum quod’.  But I say this only because you govern yourselves so precisely by the measure of your instructions.  Nevertheless I don’t wish to contest these points with you.  For very often ’dum Romae disputatur Saguntum perit.’  Nevertheless, it would be well for you to decide; and, in any event, I do not think it good that you should all take your departure, but that, on the contrary, you should leave some of your number here.  Otherwise it would at once be said that all was broken off, and that I had chosen to nothing for you; and with this the bad would comfort themselves, and the good would be much discouraged.

“Touching the last point of your demand—­according to which you desire a personage of quality—­I know, gentlemen, that you do not always agree very well among yourselves, and that it would be good for you to have some one to effect such agreement.  For this reason I have always intended, so soon as we should have made our treaty, to send a lord of name and authority to reside with you, to assist you in governing, and to aid, with his advice, in the better direction of your affairs.

“Would to God that Antwerp were relieved!  Certainly I should be very glad, and very well content to lose all that I am now expending if that city could be saved.  I hope, nevertheless, if it can hold out six weeks longer, that we shall see something good.  Already the two thousand men of General Norris have crossed, or are crossing, every day by companies.  I will hasten the rest as much as possible; and I assure you, gentlemen, that I will spare no diligence.  Nevertheless you may, if you choose, retire with my council, and see if together you can come to some good conclusion.”

Thus spoke Elizabeth, like the wise, courageous, and very parsimonious princess that she was.  Alas, it was too true, that Saguntum was perishing while the higgling went on at Rome.  Had those two thousand under Sir John Norris and the rest of the four thousand but gone a few weeks earlier, how much happier might have been the result!

Nevertheless, it was thought in England that Antwerp would still hold out; and, meantime, a treaty for its relief, in combination with another for permanent assistance to the Provinces, was agreed upon between the envoys and the lords of council.

On the 12th August, Menin presented himself at Nonesuch at the head of his colleagues, and, in a formal speech, announced the arrangement which had thus been entered into, subject to the approval of the States.  Again Elizabeth, whose “tongue,” in the homely phrase of the Netherlanders, “was wonderfully well hung,” replied with energy and ready eloquence.