But if this taking upon me the name of governor is so evil taken as it hath deserved dishonour, discredit, disfavour, with all griefs that may be laid upon a man, I must receive it as deserved of God and not of my Queen, whom I have reverenced with all humility, and whom I have loved with all fidelity." This was the true way, no doubt, to reach the heart of Elizabeth, and Leicester had always plenty of such shafts in his quiver.

Unfortunately he had delayed too long, and even now he dared not take a direct aim.

He feared to write to the Queen herself, thinking that his so doing, "while she had such conceipts of him, would only trouble her," and he therefore continued to employ the Lord-Treasurer and Mr.Secretary as his mediators.

Thus he committed error upon error.
Meantime, as if there had not been procrastination enough, Davison was loitering at the Brill, detained by wind and weather.

Two days after the letter, just cited, had been despatched to Walsingham, Leicester sent an impatient message to the envoy.