Early on, the only thing Burleigh and Elizabeth never
could seem to agree on was the issue of marriage. Burleigh believed
that marriage, and the production of an heir, was absolutely essential
future of the kingdom. But Elizabeth simply used his earnestness
in the matter to her advantage: she would direct foreign delegations
to Burleigh, and, after talking to him, many suitors and their
representatives believed Elizabeth eager--even desperate--to marry.
This helped Elizabeth keep her suitors in pursuit of their impossible goals.
Like Elizabeth, Burleigh valued caution and prudence. However,
he did not have the same obsessive fear of decisive action that
often paralyzed Elizabeth, and he sometimes argued with her over
the necessity for action, such a when he advocated sending an army
and aid to help in the overthrow of Mary of Guise. Burleigh never
could quite come to grips with the situation between Elizabeth and
Leicester, since he detested the man and yet remained devoted to the
Queen. Still, Burleigh was always horrified by Elizabeth's scandalous
and indecent conduct with Leicester. Studious and serious, Burleigh
was one of the few men who had a purely professional relationship
with Elizabeth; she directed no flirtation directed towards Burleigh.
In 1571 he entered into retirement, which, despite a lifetime
of hard work and service to the Queen, he managed to enjoy. Of
his time as Elizabeth's advisor, Burleigh said, "My service hath
been but a piece of my duty, and my vocation has been too great
a reward."
Walsingham and Elizabeth also disagreed on several substantial issues.
A fanatical Protestant, Walsingham disagreed with Elizabeth's
policy of mildness and conciliation towards English Catholics.
While Elizabeth wanted England to stay free of entangling European
alliances that could drag the nation into war, Walsingham fervently
believed that England had a religious duty to make alliances with
Europe's Protestant powers and fight a crusade against Catholic
nations like Spain. Furthermore, Walsingham argued from the beginning
of his tenure that if English Protestantism was to be protected,
Mary Queen of Scots would have to die, in contrast with Elizabeth's
hesitancy and tendency to wait. Walsingham worked so tirelessly
that he often drove himself into illness.
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