zabeth would not in ten years have paid
four millions.

*** Winwood, vol. i. p. 29, 54.

Though that prince was extremely frugal, and after the peace of Vervins
was continually amassing treasure, the queen never could, by the most
pressing importunities, prevail on him to make payment of those sums
which she had so generously advanced him during his greatest distresses.
One payment of twenty thousand crowns, and another of fifty thousand,
were all she could obtain, by the strongest representations she could
make of the difficulties to which the rebellion in Ireland had reduced
her.[*] The queen expended on the wars with Spain, between the years
1589 and 1593, the sum of one million three hundred thousand pounds,
besides the pittance of a double subsidy, amounting to two hundred and
eighty thousand pounds, granted her by parliament.[**] In the year 1599,
she spent six hundred thousand pounds in six months on the service of
Ireland.[***] Sir Robert Cecil affirmed, that in ten years Ireland cost
her three millions four hundred thousand pounds.[****] She gave the earl
of Essex a present of thirty thousand pounds upon his departure for the
government of that kingdom.[v] Lord Burleigh computed, that the value of
the gifts conferred on that favorite amounted to three hundred thousand
pounds; a sum which, though probably exaggerated, is a proof of her
strong affection towards him. It was a common saying during this reign,
"The queen pays bountifully, though she rewards sparingly."[v*]

It is difficult to compute exactly the queen's ordinary revenue, but it
certainly fell much short of five hundred thousand pounds a year.[v**]
In the year 1590, she raised the customs from fourteen thousand pounds
a year to fifty thousand, and obliged Sir Thomas Smith, who had farmed
them, to refund some of his former profits.[v***]

* Winwood, vol. i. p. 117--195.

** D'Ewes, p. 483.

*** Camden, p. 167.

**** Appendix to the Earl of Essex's Apology.

v Birch's Memoirs, vol. ii.

v* Nanton's Regalia, chap. 1.

v** Franklyn, in his Annals, (p. 9,) says that the profit of
the kingdom, besides wards and the duchy of Lancaster,
(which amounted to about one hundred and twenty thousand
pounds,) was one hundred and eighty-eight thousand one
hundred and ninety-seven pounds: the crown lands seem to be
comprehended in this computation.

v*** Camden, p. 558. This accou