announced. This was no less
than a plan for humbling the house of Austria, and establishing a more
perfect balance of power in Europe by uniting into one state the
seventeen Flemish provinces. It was an idea, as Sully declared to her,
which had previously occurred to Henry himself; and the coincidence was
flattering to both; but various obstacles were found likely to retard
its execution till a period to which Elizabeth could scarcely look
forward. One advantage, however, was gained to the queen of England by
the interview;--the testimony of this celebrated statesman, recorded in
his own memoirs, to the solidity of her judgement and the enlargement of
her views; and his distinct avowal that she was in all respects worthy
of the high estimation which she had for more than forty years enjoyed
by common consent of all the politicians of Europe.

Ireland was still a source to Elizabeth of anxiety and embarrassment. In
order to sustain the expenses of the war, she suffered herself to be
prevailed on to issue base money for the pay of the troops;--a
mortifying circumstance, after the high credit which she had gained by
that restoration of the coin to its original standard which was one of
the first acts of her reign. Montjoy in the meantime was struggling with
vigor and progressive success against the disorders of the country. With
the assistance of sir George Carew president of Munster, and other able
commanders, he was gradually reducing the inferior rebels and cutting
off the supplies of Tyrone himself: but the courage of this insurgent
was still supported by the hope of aids from Spain; and during this
summer two bodies of Spanish troops, one of four thousand, the other of
two thousand men, made good their landing. The larger number, under
Aquila, took possession of Kinsale; the smaller, under Ocampo, was
joined by Tyrone and other rebels with all their forces. The appearance
of affairs was alarming, since the catholic Irish every where welcomed
the Spaniards as deliverers and brethren: but Montjoy, after blockading
Aquila in Kinsale, marched boldly to attack Ocampo and his Irish allies;
gave them a complete defeat, in which the Spanish general was made
prisoner and Tyrone compelled to fly into Ulster; and afterwards
returning to the siege of Kinsale, compelled Aquila to capitulate on
condition of a safe conveyance to their own country for himself and all
the Spanish troops in the island.

The state of the queen's mind