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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
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 45
History United Netherlands, Volume 45, 1586
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, Leicesterremained greatly embarrassed and anxious in Holland. He had sown thewind more extensively than he had dreamed of when accepting thegovernment, and he was now awaiting, with much trepidation, the usualharvest: And we have seen that it was rapidly ripening. Meantime, thegood which he had really effected in the Provinces by the course he hadtaken was likely to be neutralized by the sinister rumours as to hisimpending disgrace, while the enemy was proportionally encouraged."I understand credibly," he said, "that the Prince of Parma feels himselfin great jollity that her Majesty doth rather mislike than allow of ourdoings here, which; if it be true, let her be sure her own sweet selfshall first smart."
Moreover; the English troops were, as we have seen, mere shoeless,shivering, starving vagabonds. The Earl had generously advanced verylarge sums of money from his own pocket to relieve their necessity. TheStates, on the other hand, had voluntarily increased the monthlycontribution of 200,000 florins, to which their contract with Elizabethobliged them, and were more disposed than ever they had been since thedeath of Orange to proceed vigorously and harmoniously against the commonenemy of Christendom. Under such circumstances it may well be imaginedthat there was cause on Leicester's part for deep mortification at thetragical turn which the Queen's temper seemed to be taking.
"I know not," he said, "how her Majesty doth mean to dispose of me.It hath grieved me more than I can express that for faithful and goodservice she should so deeply conceive against me. God knows with whatmind I have served her Highness, and perhaps some others might havefailed. Yet she is neither tied one jot by covenant or promise by me inany way, nor at one groat the more charges, but myself two or threethousand pounds sterling more than now is like to be well spent. I willdesire no partial speech in my favour. If my doings be ill for herMajesty and the realm, let me feel the smart of it. The cause is nowwell forward; let not her majesty suffer it to quai