History of the United Netherlands, 1587b | Page 2

Mary, or to relax in the severity of her legislation towards
English Papists?
Yet, although a display of sublime virtue, such as the world has rarely
seen, was not to be expected, it was reasonable to look for honest and
royal dealing, from a great sovereign, brought at last face to face with a
great event. The "great cause" demanded, a great, straightforward blow.
It was obvious, however, that it would be difficult, in the midst of the
tragedy and the comedy, for the Netherland business to come fairly
before her Majesty. "Touching the Low Country causes," said Leicester;
"very little is done yet, by reason of the continued business we have
had about the Queen of Scots' matters. All the speech I have had with
her Majesty hitherto touching those causes hath been but private."--
[Leicester to Wilkes, 4 Des 1586. (S. P. Office MS.)]--Walsingham,
longing for retirement, not only on account of his infinite grief for the
death of Sir Philip Sidney, "which hath been the cause;" he said, "that I
have ever since betaken myself into solitariness, and withdrawn; from
public affairs," but also by reason of the perverseness an difficulty
manifested in the gravest affairs by the sovereign he so faithfully
served, sent information, that, notwithstanding the arrival of some of
the States' deputies, Leicester was persuading her Majesty to proceed
first in the great cause. "Certain principal persons, chosen as
committees," he said, "of both Houses are sent as humble suitors, to her
Majesty to desire that she would be pleased to give order for the
execution of the Scottish Queen. Her Majesty made answer that she
was loath to proceed in so violent a course against the said Queen; as
the taking away of her life, and therefore prayed them to think of some
other way which might be for her own and their safety. They replied,
no other way but her execution. Her Majesty, though she yielded no
answer to this their latter reply, is contented to give order that the
proclamation be published, and so also it is hoped that she, will be
moved by this, their earnest instance to proceed to the thorough ending
of the cause."
And so the cause went slowly on to its thorough ending. And when "no
other way" could be thought of but to take Mary's life, and when "no
other way of taking that life could be devised," at Elizabeth's
suggestion, except by public execution, when none of the gentlemen

"of the association," nor Paulet, nor Drury--how skilfully soever their
"pulses had been felt" by Elizabeth's command--would commit
assassination to serve a Queen who was capable of punishing them
afterwards for the murder, the great cause came to its inevitable
conclusion, and Mary Stuart was executed by command of Elizabeth
Tudor. The world may continue to differ as to the necessity of the
execution but it has long since pronounced a unanimous verdict as to
the respective display of royal dignity by the two Queens upon that
great occasion.
During this interval the Netherland matter, almost as vital to England as
the execution of Mary, was comparatively neglected. It was not
absolutely in abeyance, but the condition of the Queen's mind coloured
every state-affair with its tragic hues. Elizabeth, harassed, anxious,
dreaming dreams, and enacting a horrible masquerade, was in the worst
possible temper to be approached by the envoys. She was furious with
the Netherlanders for having maltreated her favourite. She was still
more furious because their war was costing so much money. Her
disposition became so uncertain, her temper so ungovernable, as to
drive her counsellors to their wit's ends. Burghley confessed himself
"weary of his miserable life," and protested "that the only desire he had
in the world was to be delivered from the ungrateful burthen of service,
which her Majesty laid upon him so very heavily." Walsingham wished
himself "well established in Basle." The Queen set them all together by
the ears. She wrangled spitefully over the sum-totals from the
Netherlands; she worried Leicester, she scolded Burghley for defending
Leicester, and Leicester abused Burghley for taking part against him.
The Lord-Treasurer, overcome with "grief which pierced both his body
and his heart," battled his way--as best he could--through the throng of
dangers which beset the path of England in that great crisis. It was most
obvious to every statesman in the realm that this was not the time--
when the gauntlet had been thrown full in the face of Philip and Sixtus
and all Catholicism, by the condemnation of Mary--to leave the
Netherland cause "at random," and these outer bulwarks of her own
kingdom insufficiently protected.
"Your Majesty will hear," wrote Parma to Philip, "of the disastrous,
lamentable, and pitiful end of the, poor Queen of Scots. Although for
her it will