ore fierce and more inveterate.
Undeterred by former failures, Philip was thought to meditate a fresh
invasion either of England or of Ireland, which latter country was
besides in so turbulent a state from the insurrections of native
chieftains, that it had been found necessary to send over sir John
Norris as general of Ulster, with a strong reinforcement of veterans
from the Low Countries. The queen, on her part, was well prepared to
resist and retaliate all attacks. The spirit of the nation was
thoroughly roused; gallant troops and able officers formed in the
Flemish school of glory, or under the banners of the Bourbon hero,
burned with impatience for the signal to revenge the wrongs of their
queen and country on their capital and most detested enemy. Still the
conflict threatened to be an arduous one: Elizabeth felt all its
difficulties; and loth to lose the support of one of her bravest and
most popular captains, she addressed the following letter of recall to
lord Willoughby, who had repaired to Spa ostensibly for the recovery of
his health; really, perhaps, in resentment of some injury inflicted by a
venal and treacherous court, of which his noble nature scorned alike the
intrigues and the servility.

* * * * *

"Good Peregrine,

"We are not a little glad that by your journey you have received such
good fruit of amendment, especially when we consider how great a
vexation it is to a mind devoted to actions of honor, to be restrained
by any indisposition of body from following those courses which, to your
own reputation and our great satisfaction, you have formerly performed.
And therefore we must now (out of our desire of your well-doing)
chiefly enjoin you to an especial care to encrease and continue your
health, which must give life to all your best endeavours; so we next as
seriously recommend to you this consideration, that in these times, when
there is such an appearance that we shall have the trial of our best and
noble subjects, you seem not to affect the satisfaction of your own
private contentation, beyond the attending on that which nature and duty
challengeth from all persons of your quality and profession. For if
unnecessarily, your health of body being recovered, you should elloign
yourself by residence there from those employments whereof we shall have
too good store, you shall not so much amend the state of your body, as
haply you shall call in question the reputatio