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HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS
From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce—1609
By John Lothrop Motley
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 52
History of the United Netherlands, 1587
Leicester in England—Trial of the Queen of Scots—Fearful
Perplexity at the English Court—Infatuation and Obstinacy of the
Queen—Netherland Envoys in England—Queen's bitter Invective
against them—Amazement of the Envoys—They consult with her chief
Councillors—Remarks of Burghley and Davison—Fourth of February
Letter from the States—Its severe Language towards Leicester—
Painful Position of the Envoys at Court—Queen's Parsimony towards
Leicester.
The scene shifts, for a brief interval, to England. Leicester hadreached the court late in November. Those "blessed beams," under whoseshade he was wont to find so much "refreshment and nutrition," had againfallen with full radiance upon him. "Never since I was born," said he,"did I receive a more gracious welcome."—[Leicester to 'Wilkes, 4 Dec.1587. (S. P. Office MS)]—Alas, there was not so much benignity for thestarving English soldiers, nor for the Provinces, which were fast growingdesperate; but although their cause was so intimately connected with the"great cause," which then occupied Elizabeth, almost to the exclusion ofother matter, it was, perhaps, not wonderful, although unfortunate, thatfor a time the Netherlands should be neglected.
The "daughter of debate" had at last brought herself, it was supposed,within the letter of the law, and now began those odious scenes ofhypocrisy on the part of Elizabeth, that frightful comedy—moremelancholy even than the solemn tragedy which it preceded and followed—which must ever remain the darkest passage in the history of the Queen.
It is unnecessary, in these pages, to make more than a passing allusionto the condemnation and death of the Queen of Scots. Who doubts herparticipation in the Babington conspiracy? Who doubts that she was thecentre of one endless conspiracy by Spain and Rome against the throne andlife of Elizabeth? Who doubts that her long imprisonment in England wasa violation of all law, all justice, all humanity? Who doubts that thefineing, whipping, torturing, hanging, embowelling of men, women, andchildren, guilty of no other crime than adhesion to the Catholic faith,had assisted the Pope and Philip, and their band of English, Scotch, andIrish conspirators, to shake Elizabeth's throne and endanger her life?Who doubts that; had the English sovereign been capable of conceiving thegreat thought of religious toleration, her reign would have been moreglorious than, it was, the cause of Protestantism and freedom moretriumphant, the name of Elizabeth Tudor dearer to human hearts? Whodoubts that there were many enlightened and noble spirits among herProtestant subjects who lifted up their voices, over and over again, inparliament and out of it, to denounce that wicked persecution exercisedupon their innocent Catholic brethren, which was fast converting loyalEnglishmen, against their will, into traitors and conspirators? Yet whodoubts that it would have required, at exactly that moment, and in themidst of that crisis; more elevation of soul than could fa