History of the United Netherlands, 1585 part 5 | Page 2

consideration
General Norris, commander of the forces that had been despatched to
the relief of Antwerp.

A most accomplished officer, sprung of a house renowned for its
romantic valour, Sir John was the second of the six sons of Lord Norris
of Rycot, all soldiers of high reputation, "chickens of Mars," as an old
writer expressed himself. "Such a bunch of brethren for eminent
achievement," said he, "was never seen. So great their states and
stomachs that they often jostled with others." Elizabeth called their
mother, "her own crow;" and the darkness of her hair and visage was
thought not unbecoming to her martial issue, by whom it had been
inherited. Daughter of Lord Williams of Tame, who had been keeper of
the Tower in the time of Elizabeth's imprisonment, she had been
affectionate and serviceable to the Princess in the hour of her distress,
and had been rewarded with her favour in the days of her grandeur. We
shall often meet this crow-black Norris, and his younger brother Sir
Edward--the most daring soldiers of their time, posters of sea and
land--wherever the buffeting was closest, or adventure the wildest on
ship-board or shore, for they were men who combined much of the
knight-errantry of a vanishing age with the more practical and
expansive spirit of adventure that characterized the new epoch.
Nor was he a stranger in the Netherlands. "The gentleman to whom we
have committed the government of the forces going to the relief of
Antwerp," said Elizabeth, "has already given you such proofs of his
affection by the good services he has rendered you, that without
recommendation on our part, he should stand already recommended.
Nevertheless, in respect for his quality, the house from which he is
descended, and the valour which he has manifested in your own
country, we desire to tell you that we hold him dear, and that he
deserves also to be dear to you."
When the fall of Antwerp was certain, the Queen sent Davison, who
had been for a brief period in England, back again to his post. "We
have learned," she said in the letter which she sent by that envoy; "with
very great regret of the surrender of Antwerp. Fearing lest some
apprehension should take possession of the people's mind in
consequence, and that some dangerous change might ensue, we send
you our faithful and well-beloved Davison to represent to you how
much we have your affairs at heart, and to say that we are determined
to forget nothing that may be necessary to your preservation. Assure
yourselves that we shall never fail to accomplish all that he may

promise you in our behalf."
Yet, notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the thorough
discussion that had taken place of the whole matter, and the enormous
loss which had resulted from the money-saving insanity upon both
sides, even then the busy devil of petty economy was not quite
exorcised. Several precious weeks were wasted in renewed chafferings.
The Queen was willing that the permanent force should now be raised
to five thousand foot and one thousand horse--the additional sixteen,
hundred men being taken from the Antwerp relieving-force--but she
insisted that the garrisons for the cautionary towns should be squeezed
out of this general contingent. The States, on the contrary, were
determined to screw these garrisons out of her grip, as an additional
subsidy. Each party complained with reason of the other's closeness.
No doubt the states were shrewd bargainers, but it would have been
difficult for the sharpest Hollander that ever sent a cargo of herrings to
Cadiz, to force open Elizabeth's beautiful hand when she chose to shut
it close. Walsingham and Leicester were alternately driven to despair
by the covetousness of the one party or the other.
It was still uncertain what "personage of quality" was to go to the
Netherlands in the Queen's name, to help govern the country. Leicester
had professed his readiness to risk his life, estates, and reputation, in
the cause, and the States particularly desired his appointment. "The
name of your Excellency is so very agreeable to this people," said they
in a letter to the Earl, "as to give promise of a brief and happy end to
this grievous and almost immortal war." The Queen was, or affected to
be, still undecided as to the appointment. While waiting week after
week for the ratifications of the treaty from Holland, affairs were
looking gloomy at home, and her Majesty was growing very uncertain
in her temper.
"I see not her Majesty disposed to use the service of the Earl of
Leicester," wrote Walsingham. "I suppose the lot of government will
light on Lord Gray. I would to God the ability of his purse were
answerable to his sufficiency otherwise." This was certainly a most
essential