Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/258

 ment of Elizabeth's intentions and designs’ in the Netherlands (Cal. Simancas MSS. 1568–79, pp. 550, 558; Lansd. MS. 982, f. 201). He was to represent that the queen's efforts had been always directed towards keeping the Netherlands loyal to Philip, but that the only remedy was conciliation and the recall of Don John of Austria. If Philip adopted these recommendations, Elizabeth would join with him in putting down the rebels; but if not, she would not be able to refrain from helping them. Wilkes was received with more consideration than might have been expected, but the only reply he got was that Mendoza, the new ambassador to England, would bring Philip's answer. Wilkes returned by way of France, reaching England on 16 Feb. 1577–8 ( ‘Diary’ in Camden Miscellany, iv. 35; Cal. State Papers, Venetian, 1558–80, No. 698, Dom. Addenda, 1564–77, pp. 532–3). On 4 April he was sent to Don John to offer Elizabeth's mediation between him and the Netherlands and advocate a cessation of hostilities; in case of refusal he was to threaten that she would give all the aid in her power to the insurgents. On the way he conferred at Antwerp with the Prince of Orange and the council of state. Don John refused the proffered mediation, and on 29 April Wilkes returned (ib.; Cal. Simancas MSS. 1568–79, pp. 573, 579).

For the next seven years Wilkes was occupied in matters of domestic policy. In January 1578–9 an agreement was made between the four clerks of the privy council by which each clerk should only be in attendance for six months in the year, Wilkes's months being May–August and November–December. In October 1581 he was employed in examining prisoners in the Tower, and in March 1581–2, as a reward for his services, the queen induced the warden and fellows of Winchester College to grant her, in Wilkes's behalf, a lease of the parsonage and rectory of Downton, Wiltshire; they reluctantly agreed to this singular proposal on condition that it was not made a precedent (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1581–90, p. 47;, Modern Wilts, vol. iii. ‘Downton,’ pp. 32–5). Wilkes appointed as his vicar his cousin, Dr. William Wilkes (d. 1637), fellow of Merton College, and afterwards chaplain to James I, and author of ‘Obedience, or Ecclesiastical Union’ (London, 1605, 8vo), and of ‘A Second Memento for Magistrates’ (London, 1608, 8vo) (see, Athenæ, ii. 46–7; , Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; , Mem. of Merton, pp. 270–2; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1591–4, p. 189). In November 1583 he was staying with Sir Thomas Lucy at Charlecote inquiring into the conspiracy of Somerville, Arden, and Hall, and on 25 Oct. 1584 he was returned to parliament for Downton.

In July 1586 Wilkes was sent to report on the state of the Netherlands. Leicester had urged the selection of as wise a politician as could be found for this important mission, and on 7 Aug. he wrote: ‘Wylkes hath exceedingly wisely and wel behaved himself. Her majestie doth not know what a iewel she hath of him. I would I suffered a great payne I had such a one to join with all here’ (Leycester Corresp. pp. 360, 383). Wilkes returned to England early in September, but he was immediately selected to succeed Henry Killigrew as English member of the council of state of the Netherlands (ib. p. 432; Acts P. C. 1586–7, p. 239; his instructions are in Cotton. MS. Galba cx. 79, and Addit. MS. 14028, f. 66). ‘Always ready to follow the camp and to face the guns and drums with equanimity, and endowed beside with keen political insight, he was more competent than most men to unravel the confused skein of Netherland politics’ (, United Netherlands, ii. 90). He was strongly in favour of breaking entirely with Spain and of Elizabeth's acceptance of the sovereignty of the Netherlands; a ‘Discourse’ which he wrote in August 1587 against the proposed treaty with Philip, urging that ‘the true policy of England is to maintain the independence of the United Provinces,’ is extant in the record office (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1581–1590, p. 439). But he came into collision with Barneveld by saving the life of ‘the violent democrat and Calvinist’ Reingault, and by maintaining Leicester's authority as governor (, ii. 107 n., 221–5). Leicester ill requited this service; he quarrelled with all his subordinates, Buckhurst, Sir John Norris, and others, and his enmity to Wilkes was especially bitter because Wilkes had made a very candid exposure of Leicester's mistakes and intrigues in his reports to the English government. In consequence Leicester circulated malicious reports to the effect that Wilkes had spoken evil of Burghley and Davison. The suspicious proceedings of Sir William Stanley (1548–1630) [q. v.] and Rowland Yorke [q. v.], Elizabeth's parsimony, her support of Leicester in his most foolish acts, and the hatred of Leicester, determined Wilkes to leave the Netherlands with Sir John Norris in July 1587. On their arrival in England Norris was forbidden the queen's presence, and Wilkes