366 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 60. After all her gracious promises, St Aldegonde and his companions were sent away with an answer in writing that she would neither assist the States herself nor per- mit them to seek help from France. Her own agents had been entertained always at the public cost in Hol- land. The emissaries of the Prince of Orange were made to pay their own expenses, and were hustled out of the country with threats and insults. As much surprised as mortified, they returned to the Hague. Long as they had experienced the vacilla- tions of the strange woman whose friendship they had sought so humbly, the suddenness of the last change bewildered them. 1 Burghley sent them word that their re- jection was no act of his, that their cause should never want such support as he could command. It was hinted 'that her Majesty's answer was but a manner of connivance, which was necessary for the season ; ' but they went away in profound indignation ; March. 1 ' The poor men were in a mar- vellous passion for the answer they had received, which they had the less expected at her Majesty's hands, whom they had always accounted gracious and no tyrant. They had deserved well, and were therefore unworthy of this uncourteous dealing and rejection, and thought it very hard if they being free men should he forbidden to seek aid to preserve their lives. It would bring them by despair to fear no evil, that they could not hope for any good. It would have sufficed, they said, with- out this aggravation, that they had spent here so much time, and con- sumed great sums of money, that might have been better employed. They had come over at her Majesty's invitation, and were sent away, not only without thanks, but threatened also if they did not yield their own throats to be cut.' Wm. Herle to Burghley, March 23, 1576 : MSS Flanders.
