History of the United Netherlands, 1603-1604



CHAPTER XLI.

Death of Queen Elizabeth--Condition of Spain--Legations to James I.
--Union of England and Scotland--Characteristics of the new monarch
--The English Court and Government--Piratical practices of the
English--Audience of the States' envoy with king James--Queen
Elizabeth's scheme far remodelling Europe--Ambassador extraordinary
from Henry IV. to James--De Rosny's strictures on the English
people--Private interview of De Rosny with the States' envoy--De
Rosny's audience of the king--Objects of his mission--Insinuations
of the Duke of Northumberland--Invitation of the embassy to
Greenwich--Promise of James to protect the Netherlands against
Spain--Misgivings of Barneveld--Conference at Arundel House--Its
unsatisfactory termination--Contempt of De Rosny for the English
counsellors--Political aspect of Europe--De Rosny's disclosure to
the king of the secret object of his mission--Agreement of James to
the proposals of De Rosny--Ratification of the treaty of alliance--
Return of De Rosny and suite to France--Arrival of the Spanish
ambassador.

On the 24th of March, 1603, Queen Elizabeth died at Richmond, having
nearly completed her seventieth year. The two halves of the little
island of Britain were at last politically adjoined to each other by the
personal union of the two crowns.

A foreigner, son of the woman executed by Elizabeth, succeeded to