She was apprised of the injuries which Philip
had done her, by his intrigues with the malecontents in England and
Ireland:[*] she foresaw the danger which she must incur from a total
prevalence of the Catholics in the Low Countries: and the maritime
situation of those provinces, as well as their command over the great
rivers, was an inviting circumstance to a nation like the English, who
were beginning to cultivate commerce and naval power.

* Digges, p. 73.

But this princess, though magnanimous, had never entertained the
ambition of making conquests, or gaining new acquisitions; and the whole
purpose of her vigilant and active politics was to maintain, by the most
frugal and cautious expedients, the tranquillity of her own dominions.
An open war with the Spanish monarchy was the apparent consequence of
her accepting the dominion of these provinces; and after taking the
inhabitants under her protection, she could never afterwards in honor
abandon them, but, however desperate their defence might become, she
must embrace it, even further than her convenience or interests
would permit. For these reasons, she refused, in positive terms, the
sovereignty proffered her; but told the ambassadors, that, in return for
the good will which the prince of Orange and the states had shown
her, she would endeavor to mediate an agreement for them, on the most
reasonable terms that could be obtained.[*]

* Camden, p. 453, 454.

She sent accordingly Sir Henry Cobham to Philip; and represented to him
the danger which he would incur of losing entirely the Low Countries, if
France could obtain the least interval from her intestine disorders, and
find leisure to offer her protection to those mutinous and discontented
provinces. Philip seemed to take this remonstrance in good part; but no
accord ensued, and war in the Netherlands continued with the same rage
and violence as before.

It was an accident that delivered the Hollanders from their present
desperate situation. Requesens, the governor, dying suddenly, the
Spanish troops, discontented for want of pay, and licentious for want
of a proper authority to command them, broke into a furious mutiny, and
threw every thing into confusion. They sacked and pillaged the cities of
Maestricht and Antwerp, and executed great slaughter on the inhabitants:
they threatened the other cities with a like fate: and all the
provinces, excepting Luxembourg, united for mutual defence against thei