History United Netherlands, Volume 42, 1585


CHAPTER VI., Part 1.

Policy of England--Diplomatic Coquetry--Dutch Envoys in England--
Conference of Ortel and Walsingham--Interview with Leicester--
Private Audience of the Queen--Letters of the States--General--
Ill Effects of Gilpin's Despatch--Close Bargaining of the Queen and
States--Guarantees required by England--England's comparative
Weakness--The English characterised--Paul Hentzner--The Envoys in
London--Their Characters--Olden-Barneveldt described--Reception at
Greenwich--Speech of Menin--Reply of the Queen--Memorial of the
Envoys--Discussions with the Ministers--Second Speech of the Queen
--Third Speech of the Queen

England as we have seen--had carefully watched the negotiations between
France and the Netherlands. Although she had--upon the whole, for that
intriguing age--been loyal in her bearing towards both parties, she was
perhaps not entirely displeased with the result. As her cherished
triumvirate was out of the question, it was quite obvious that, now or
never, she must come forward to prevent the Provinces from falling back
into the hands of Spain. The future was plainly enough foreshadowed, and
it was already probable, in case of a prolonged resistance on the part of
Holland, that Philip would undertake the reduction of his rebellious
subjects by a preliminary conquest of England. It was therefore quite
certain that the expense and danger of assisting the Netherlands must
devolve upon herself, but, at the same time it was a consolation that her
powerful next-door neighbour was not to be made still more powerful by
the annexation to his own dominion of those important territories.