"Monsieur de Gryze repaireth presently," he wrote to Davison, "to try if
he can induce the States to send their deputies hither, furnished with
more ample instructions than they had to treat with the French King,
considering that her Majesty carryeth another manner of princely
disposition than that sovereign. Meanwhile, for that she doubteth lest
in this hard estate of their affairs, and the distrust they have
conceived to be relieved from hence, they should from despair throw
themselves into the course of Spain, her pleasure therefore is--though by
Burnham I sent you directions to put them in comfort of relief, only as
of yourself--that you shall now, as it were, in her name, if you see
cause sufficient, assure some of the aptest instruments that you shall
make choice of for that purpose, that her Majesty, rather than that they
should perish, will be content to take them under her protection."

He added that it was indispensable for the States, upon their part, to
offer "such sufficient cautions and assurances as she might in reason
demand."

Matters were so well managed that by the 22nd April the States-General
addressed a letter to the Queen, in which they notified her, that the
desired deputation was on the point of setting forth. "Recognizing,"
they said, "that there is no prince or potentate to whom they are more
obliged than they are to your Majesty, we are about to request you very
humbly to accept the sovereignty of these Provinces, and the people of
the same for your very humble vassals and subjects." They added that,
as the necessity of the case was great, they hoped the Queen would send,
so soon as might be, a force of four or five thousand men for the purpose
of relieving the siege of Antwerp.