History of the United Netherlands, 1587b | Page 7

yes," replied Menyn.
"But," continued Burghley, still running through the pages of the
document, and here and there demanding an explanation of an obscure
passage or two, "you are now proposing to her Majesty to send 10,000
foot and 2000 horse, and to lend L60,000. This is altogether monstrous
and excessive. Nobody will ever dare even to speak to her Majesty on
the subject. When you first came in 1585, you asked for 12,000 men,
but you were fully authorized to accept 6000. No doubt that is the case
now."
"On that occasion," answered Menyn, "our main purpose was to induce
her Majesty to accept the sovereignty, or at least the perpetual
protection of our country. Failing in that we broached the third point,
and not being able to get 12,000 soldiers we compounded for 5000, the
agreement being subject to ratification by our principals. We gave
ample security in shape of the mortgaged cities. But experience has
shown us that these forces and this succour are insufficient. We have
therefore been sent to beg her Majesty to make up the contingent to the

amount originally requested."
"But we are obliged to increase the garrisons in the cautionary towns,"
said one of the English councillors, "as 800 men in a city like Flushing
are very little."
"Pardon me," replied Valck, "the burghers are not enemies but friends
to her Majesty and to the English nation. They are her dutiful subjects
like all the inhabitants of the Netherlands."
"It is quite true," said Burghley, after having made some critical
remarks upon the military system of the Provinces, "and a very
common adage, 'quod tunc tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet,'
but, nevertheless, this war principally concerns you. Therefore you are
bound to do your utmost to meet its expenses in your own country,
quite as much as a man who means to build a house is expected to
provide the stone and timber himself. But the States have not done their
best. They have not at the appointed time come forward with their
extraordinary contributions for the last campaign. "How many men," he
asked, "are required for garrisons in all the fortresses and cities, and for
the field?"
"But," interposed Lord Hunsden, "not half so many men are needed in
the garrisons; for the burghers ought to be able to defend their own
cities. Moreover it is probable that your ordinary contributions might
be continued and doubled and even tripled."
"And on the whole," observed the Lord Admiral, "don't you think that
the putting an army in the field might be dispensed with for this year?
Her Majesty at present must get together and equip a fleet of war
vessels against the King of Spain, which will be an excessively large
pennyworth, besides the assistance which she gives her neighbours."
"Yes, indeed," said Secretary Davison, "it would be difficult to
exaggerate the enormous expense which her Majesty must encounter
this year for defending and liberating her own kingdoms against the
King of Spain. That monarch is making great naval preparations, and is
treating all Englishmen in the most hostile manner. We are on the brink
of declared war with Spain, with the French King, who is arresting all
English persons and property within his kingdom, and with Scotland,
all which countries are understood to have made a league together on
account of the Queen of Scotland, whom it will be absolutely necessary
to put to death in order to preserve the life of her Majesty, and are

about to make war upon England. This matter then will cost us, the
current year, at least eight hundred thousand pounds sterling.
Nevertheless her Majesty is sure to assist you so far as her means allow;
and I, for my part, will do my best to keep her Majesty well disposed to
your cause, even as I have ever done, as you well know."
Thus spoke poor Davison, but a few days before the fatal 8th of
February, little dreaming that the day for his influencing the disposition
of her Majesty would soon be gone, and that he was himself to be
crushed for ever by the blow which was about to destroy the captive
Queen. The political combinations resulting from the tragedy were not
to be exactly as he foretold, but there is little doubt that in him the
Netherlands, and Leicester, and the Queen of England, were to lose an
honest, diligent, and faithful friend.
"Well, gentlemen," said the Lord-Treasurer, after a few more questions
concerning the financial abilities of the States had been asked and
answered, "it is getting late into the evening, and time for you all to get
back to London. Let me request you, as soon as may be, to draw up
some articles in writing, to which we