For it hath already appeared, by some speeches past between our ambassador there and Des Pruneaux, that you are had in some jealousy as a hinderer of this French course, and at work for her Majesty to have some entrance and partage in that country.

Nevertheless our ambassador; by his answer, hath satisfied them to think the contrary." They must have been easily satisfied, if they knew as much of the dealings of her Majesty's government as the reader already knows.

To inspire doubt of the French, to insinuate the probability of their not "keeping touch and covenant," to represent their rule as "cumbersome and perilous," was wholesome conduct enough towards the Netherlanders--and still more so, had it been accompanied with frank offers of assistance--but it was certainly somewhat to "hinder the courses of the French." But in truth all parties were engaged for a season in a round game of deception, in which nobody was deceived.
Walsingham was impatient, almost indignant at this puerility.

"Your doings, no doubt of it," he wrote to Davison, "are observed by the French faction, and therefore you cannot proceed so closely but it will be espied.

Howsoever it be, seeing direction groweth from hence, we cannot but blame ourselves, if the effects thereof do not fall out to our liking." That sagacious statesman was too well informed, and too much accustomed to penetrate the designs of his antagonists, to expect anything from the present intrigues.
To loiter thus, when mortal blows should be struck, was to give the Spanish government exactly that of which it was always most gluttonous--time; and the Netherlanders had none of it to spare.