The estate of the Earl of ESSEX being best known to myself, doth require my travail for a time in his causes; but my burden cannot be great when every man putteth to his helping hand. Her Majesty hath bestowed upon the young Earl, his Marriage and all his father's Rules in Wales; and promiseth the remission of his debt. The Lords do generally favour and further him: some for the trust reposed, some for love to the father, others for affinity with the child, and some for other causes. And all these lords that wish well to the children; and I suppose all the best sort of the English lords besides; do expect what will become of the treaty between Master PHILIP and my Lady PENELOPE.
Truly, my Lord, I must say to your Lordship, as I have said to my Lord of LEICESTER and Master PHILIP, the breaking off from this match, if the default be on your parts [i.e. LEICESTER'S, Sir H. SIDNEY'S and PHILIP SIDNEY'S], will turn to more dishonour than can be repaired with any other marriage in England. And I protest unto your Lordship, I do not think that there is at this day so strong a man in England of friends as the little Earl of ESSEX; nor any man more lamented than his father, since the death of King EDWARD [VI].
[The rest of the letter is about other business.]
From this it would appear that, for some insuperable objection, the SIDNEYS had not closed with a contemplated match between the two families.
There then occurs, thirty months later, the following passage in a letter from SIDNEY to LANGUET on the 1st of March 1578 [i.e. 1579]:—
But I wonder, my very dear HUBERT, what has come into your mind that, when I have not as yet done anything worthy of me, you would have me bound in the chains of matrimony; and yet without pointing out any individual lady, but rather seeming to extol the state itself, which however you have not as yet sanctioned by your own example. Respecting her, of whom I readily acknowledge how unworthy I am, I have written you my reasons long since, briefly indeed, but yet as well as I was able.
At this present time, indeed, I believe you have entertained some other notion, which I earnestly entreat you to acquaint me with, whatever it may be; for everything that comes
