year of an unpleasant character with that power. At the request of the
Spanish envoy, the foremost Netherland rebels, in number about fifty,
including by name the Prince of Orange, the Counts of Berg and Culemburg,
with Saint Aldegonde, Boisot, Junius, and others, had been formally
forbidden by Queen Elizabeth to enter her realm. The Prince had, in
consequence, sent Aldegonde and Junius on a secret mission to France,
and the Queen; jealous and anxious, had thereupon sent Daniel Rogers
secretly to the Prince. At the same tine she had sent an envoy to the
Grand Commander, counselling, conciliatory measures; and promising to
send a special mission to Spain with the offer of her mediation, but it
was suspected by those most in the confidence of the Spanish government
at Brussels, that there was a great deal of deception in these
proceedings. A truce for six months having now been established between
the Duc d'Alencon and his brother, it was supposed, that an alliance
between France and England, and perhaps between Alencon and Elizabeth,
was on the carpet, and that a kingdom of the Netherlands was to be the
wedding present of the bride to her husband. These fantasies derived
additional color from the fact that, while the Queen was expressing the
most amicable intentions towards Spain, and the greatest jealousy of
France, the English residents at Antwerp and other cities of the
Netherlands, had received private instructions to sell out their property
as fast as possible, and to retire from the country. On the whole, there
was little prospect either of a final answer, or of substantial
assistance from the Queen.

The envoys to England were Advocate Buis and Doctor Francis Maalzon,
nominated by the estates, and Saint Aldegonde, chief of the mission,
appointed by the Prince. They arrived in England at Christmas-tide.
Having represented to the Queen the result of the Breda negotiations,
they stated that the Prince and the estates, in despair of a secure