great obligation to take them ‘seriously in hand.’  He declined sending fill powers for treating; but in order to make use of the same arts employed by the English, he preferred that Alexander should not undeceive them, but desired him to express, as out of his own head; to the negotiators, his astonishment that while they were holding such language they should commit such actions.  Even their want of prudence in thus provoking the King; when their strength was compared to his, should be spoken of by Farnese as—­wonderful, and he was to express the opinion that his Majesty would think him much wanting in circumspection, should he go on negotiating while they were playing such tricks.  “You must show yourself very sensitive, about this event,” continued Philip, “and you must give them to understand that I am quite as angry as you.  You must try to draw from them some offer of satisfaction—­however false it will be in reality—­such as a proposal to recall the fleet, or an, assertion that the deeds of Drake in Cadiz were without the knowledge and contrary to the will of the Queen, and that she very much regrets them, or something of that sort.”

It has already been shown that Farnese was very successful in eliciting from the Queen, through the mouth of Lord’ Burghley, as ample a disavowal and repudiation of Sir Francis Drake as the King could possibly desire.  Whether it would have the desired effect—­of allaying the wrath of Philip; might have been better foretold, could the letter, with which we are now occupied, have been laid upon the Greenwich council-board.

“When you have got, such a disavowal,” continued his Majesty, “you are to act as if entirely taken in and imposed upon by them, and, pretending to believe everything they tell you, you must renew the negotiations, proceed to name commissioners, and propose a meeting upon neutral territory.  As for powers; say that you, as my governor-general, will entrust them to your deputies, in regard to the Netherlands.  For all other matters, say that you have had full powers for many months, but that you cannot exhibit them until conditions worthy of my acceptance have been offered.—­Say this only for the sake of appearance.  This is the true way to take them in, and so the peace-commissioners may meet.  But to you only do I declare that my intention is that this shall never lead to any result, whatever conditions maybe offered by them.  On the contrary, all this is done—­just as they do—­to deceive them, and to cool them in their preparations for defence, by inducing them to believe that such preparations will be unnecessary.  You are well aware that the reverse of all this is the truth, and that on our part there is to be no slackness, but the greatest diligence in our efforts for the invasion of England, for which we have already made the most abundant provision in men, ships, and money, of which you are well aware.”

Is it strange that the Queen of England was deceived?  Is it matter of surprise, censure, or shame, that no English statesman was astute enough or base enough to contend with such diplomacy, which seemed inspired only by the very father of lies?