History of the United Netherlands, 1585 part 4

History of the United
Netherlands, 1585 part 4

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Title: History of the United Netherlands, 1585
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4842] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 2,
2002]

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY
UNITED NETHERLANDS, 1585 ***

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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 42
History United Netherlands, Volume 42, 1585
CHAPTER VI
., Part 1.
Policy of England--Diplomatic Coquetry--Dutch Envoys in England--
Conference of Ortel and Walsingham--Interview with Leicester--
Private Audience of the Queen--Letters of the States--General-- Ill
Effects of Gilpin's Despatch--Close Bargaining of the Queen and
States--Guarantees required by England--England's comparative
Weakness--The English characterised--Paul Hentzner--The Envoys in
London--Their Characters--Olden-Barneveldt described--Reception at
Greenwich--Speech of Menin--Reply of the Queen--Memorial of the
Envoys--Discussions with the Ministers--Second Speech of the Queen
--Third Speech of the Queen
England as we have seen--had carefully watched the negotiations
between France and the Netherlands. Although she had--upon the

whole, for that intriguing age--been loyal in her bearing towards both
parties, she was perhaps not entirely displeased with the result. As her
cherished triumvirate was out of the question, it was quite obvious that,
now or never, she must come forward to prevent the Provinces from
falling back into the hands of Spain. The future was plainly enough
foreshadowed, and it was already probable, in case of a prolonged
resistance on the part of Holland, that Philip would undertake the
reduction of his rebellious subjects by a preliminary conquest of
England. It was therefore quite certain that the expense and danger of
assisting the Netherlands must devolve upon herself, but, at the same
time it was a consolation that her powerful next-door neighbour was
not to be made still more powerful by the annexation to his own
dominion of those important territories.
Accordingly, so soon as the deputies in France had received their
definite and somewhat ignominious repulse from Henry III. and his
mother, the English government lost no time in intimating to the States
that they were not to be left without an ally. Queen Elizabeth was
however resolutely averse from assuming that sovereignty which she
was not unwilling to see offered for her acceptance; and her accredited
envoy at the Hague, besides other more secret agents, were as busily
employed in the spring of 1585--as Des Pruneaux had been the
previous winter on the part of France--to bring about an application, by
solemn embassy, for her assistance.
There was, however, a difference of view, from the outset, between the
leading politicians of the Netherlands and the English Queen. The
Hollanders were extremely desirous of becoming her subjects; for the
United States, although they had already formed themselves into an
independent republic, were quite ignorant of their latent powers. The
leading personages of the country--those who were soon to become the
foremost statesmen of the new commonwealth--were already shrinking
from the anarchy which was deemed inseparable from a non-regal form
of government, and were seeking protection for and against the people
under a foreign sceptre. On the other hand, they were indisposed to
mortgage large and important fortified towns, such as Flushing, Brill,
and others, for the repayment of the subsidies which Elizabeth might be
induced to advance. They preferred to pay in sovereignty rather than in
money. The Queen, on the contrary, preferred money to sovereignty,

and was not at