Leicester resigned his, commission by an instrument dated 17/27 December, which, however, never reached the Netherlands till April of the following year.

From that time forth the government of the republic maintained the same forms which the assembly had claimed for it in the long controversy with the governor-general, and which have been sufficiently described.
Meantime the negotiations for a treaty, no longer secret, continued.

The Queen; infatuated as ever, still believed in the sincerity of Farnese, while that astute personage and his master were steadily maturing their schemes.

A matrimonial alliance was secretly projected between the King of Scots and Philip's daughter, the Infants Isabella, with the consent of the Pope and the whole college of cardinals; and James, by the whole force of the Holy League, was to be placed upon the throne of Elizabeth.
In the case of his death, without issue, Philip was to succeed quietly to the crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Nothing could be simpler or more rational, and accordingly these arrangements were the table-talk at Rome, and met with general approbation.
Communications to this effect; coming straight from the Colonna palace, were thought sufficiently circumstantial to be transmitted to the English government.