1578.] THE SPANISH TREATY. 427 them forty thousand. She would lend twenty thousand more, and she would lend the rest if they could not raise it among themselves. This was her last word. She would help them no further. 1 Burghley shielded her with such excuses as he could invent, still nursing their hopes that she would interfere if Casimir failed them. She sent the twenty thousand pounds. She undertook to endorse the bonds of the States for an ad- ditional forty thousand, exacting promise of repayment both of the principal and interest of the rest of her debt ; while Leicester, who had laboured with her in vain, poured out his personal disappointment to Davison.
- He had neither face nor countenance/ he said, 'to
write to the Prince, his expectation being so greatly deceived ; ' ' the irresolution had been dreadful, the conclusion miserable ; ' and ' God/ he thought, could alone now help England by miracle, seeing the apparent ordinary courses so overslipt. 2 1 Instructions to Mr Rogers sent to the States and to Duke Casimir, March 9 : MSS. Holland. 2 Leicester to Davison, March 9, 1578: MSS. Ibid
