Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/438

 422 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. penses of war were usually undercalculated, and thou- sands often grew to tens of thousands. Not wholly trusting St Aldegonde, Elizabeth sent over a favourite of her own, Sir Edward Dyer, to learn the real condition to which the States were reduced. Dyer reported that ' the cause was panting, and all but dead.' It was not yet utterly desperate, but the moments were running away. Sir William Wade returned from Spain while the Queen was hesitating, with news that Philip would not see him, and she allowed Dyer to tell the Prince of Orange that her fleet should unite at once with that of Holland to hold the seas against Spain, and that she would listen to proposals for the joint defence of the two countries. 1 Many a shift of purpose lay yet between resolution and performance ; but Orange, sanguine always, believed that his long-cherished hopes were at last about to be realized. A hearty alliance with England, a bold de- fiance of Pope, Spain, and devil, had been his dream for fifteen years. France might then be sent to the winds. He ' blessed God that He had opened the eyes of the Queen.' He undertook to keep twenty good ships in the Channel, besides defending his own waters. Holland, Zealand, and Utrecht, he said, now that their spirits were revived, would alone maintain 12,000 men, 2 and if 1 ' Sa M Ie trouve necessaire pour obvier aux forces de'mer du Roy d'Espagne, joindre forces avec celles de ces Pays semblablement par mer. ' Sa Ma desire avoir 1'advis de Sou Excellence a ce qui est le plus expedient de faire proceder en mu- tuelle defense.' Articles presented to the Prince of Orange by Mr Dyer, March 3 13 : MSS. Holland. a Answer of the Prince of Orange: Ibid.