garrisons for such cautionary towns as should be agreed upon; this was
considered, by the States, the minimum. The Queen held out for giving
only four thousand foot and four hundred horse, and for deducting the
garrisons even from this slender force. As guarantee for the expense
thus to be incurred, she required that Flushing and Brill should be
placed in her hands. Moreover the position of Antwerp complicated the
negotiation. Elizabeth, fully sensible of the importance of preserving
that great capital, offered four thousand soldiers to serve until that
city should be relieved, requiring repayment within three months after
the object should have been accomplished. As special guarantee for such
repayment she required Sluys and Ostend. This was sharp bargaining,
but, at any rate, the envoys knew that the Queen, though cavilling to
the ninth-part of a hair, was no trifler, and that she meant to perform
whatever she should promise.

There was another exchange of speeches at the Palace of Nonesuch, on the
5th August; and the position of affairs and the respective attitudes of
the Queen and envoys were plainly characterized by the language then
employed.

After an exordium about the cruelty of the Spanish tyranny and the
enormous expense entailed by the war upon the Netherlands, Menin, who,
as usual, was the spokesman, alluded to the difficulty which the States
at last felt in maintaining themselves.

"Five thousand foot and one thousand horse," he said, "over and above the
maintenance of garrisons in the towns to be pledged as security to your
Majesty, seemed the very least amount of succour that would be probably
obtained from your royal bounty. Considering the great demonstrations
of affection and promises of support, made as well by your Majesty's own