History of the United Netherlands, 1585 part 5 | Page 7

which her hand was
locked. Walsingham, stealthy enough when an advantage was to be
gained by subtlety, was manful and determined in his dealings with his
friends; and he had more than once been offended with Elizabeth's
want of frankness in these transactions.
"I find you grieved, and not without cause," he wrote to Davison, "in
respect to the over thwart proceedings as well there as here. The
disorders in those countries would be easily redressed if we could take
a thoroughly resolute course here--a matter that men may rather pray
for than hope for. It is very doubtful whether the action now in hand
will be accompanied by very hard success, unless they of the country
there may be drawn to bear the greatest part of the burden of the wars."
And now the great favourite of all had received the appointment which
he coveted. The Earl of Leicester was to be Commander-in-Chief of her
Majesty's forces in the Netherlands, and representative of her authority
in those countries, whatever that office might prove to be. The nature of
his post was anomalous from the beginning. It was environed with
difficulties, not the least irritating of which proceeded from the

captious spirit of the Queen. The Earl was to proceed in great pomp to
Holland, but the pomp was to be prepared mainly at his own expense.
Besides the auxiliary forces that had been shipped during the latter
period of the year, Leicester was raising a force of lancers, from four to
eight hundred in number; but to pay for that levy he was forced to
mortgage his own property, while the Queen not only refused to
advance ready money, but declined endorsing his bills.
It must be confessed that the Earl's courtship of Elizabeth was anything
at that moment but a gentle dalliance. In those thorny regions of
finance were no beds of asphodel or amaranthine bowers. There was no
talk but of troopers, saltpetre, and sulphur, of books of assurance, and
bills of exchange; and the aspect of Elizabeth, when the budget was
under discussion, must effectually have neutralized for the time any
very tender sentiment. The sharpness with which she clipped
Leicester's authority, when authority was indispensable to his dignity,
and the heavy demands upon his resources that were the result of her
avarice, were obstacles more than enough to the calm fruition of his
triumphs. He had succeeded, in appearance at least, in the great object
of his ambition, this appointment to the Netherlands; but the
appointment was no sinecure, and least of all a promising pecuniary
speculation. Elizabeth had told the envoys, with reason, that she was
not sending forth that man--whom she loved as a brother--in order that
he might make himself rich. On the contrary, the Earl seemed likely to
make himself comparatively poor before he got to the Provinces, while
his political power, at the moment, did not seem of more hopeful
growth.
Leicester had been determined and consistent in this great enterprize
from the beginning. He felt intensely the importance of the crisis. He
saw that the time had come for swift and uncompromising action, and
the impatience with which he bore the fetters imposed upon him may
be easily conceived.
"The cause is such," he wrote to Walsingham, "that I had as lief be
dead as be in the case I shall be in if this restraint hold for taking the
oath there, or if some more authority be not granted than I see her
Majesty would I should have. I trust you all will hold hard for this, or
else banish me England withal. I have sent you the books to be signed
by her Majesty. I beseech you return them with all haste, for I get no

money till they be under seal."
But her Majesty would not put them under her seal, much to the
favourite's discomfiture.
"Your letter yieldeth but cold answer," he wrote, two days afterwards.
"Above all things yet that her Majesty doth stick at, I marvel most at
her refusal to sign my book of assurance; for there passeth nothing in
the earth against her profit by that act, nor any good to me but to satisfy
the creditors, who were more scrupulous than needs. I did complain to
her of those who did refuse to lend me money, and she was greatly
offended with them. But if her Majesty were to stay this, if I were half
seas over, I must of necessity come back again, for I may not go
without money. I beseech, if the matter be refused by her, bestow a post
on me to Harwich. I lie this night at Sir John Peters', and but for this
doubt I had been to-morrow at Harwich. I pray God make you all