Elizabeth was indignant at the language of this document, but at this particular time the dangers which were threatening her throne and people were too serious for her to take any steps to alienate the States.  It was her obvious policy to support them in their resistance, and to keep, if possible, Parma’s forces occupied in the Netherlands.  Accordingly Leicester returned to his post, July 1587, but in an altogether wrong spirit.  He knew that he had a strong body of partisans in Utrecht, Friesland and elsewhere, for he had posed as the friend of the people’s rights against the nobles and those burgher-aristocracies in the cities in whose hands all real power rested, and by his attitude in religious matters he had won for himself the support of the Calvinist preachers.  His agents, Deventer in Utrecht, Aysma in Friesland and Sonoy in the North-Quarter, were able men, who could count on the help of the democracy, whom they flattered.  So Leicester came back with the determination to override the opposition of the Estates of Holland and compel their submission to his will.  But he found that he only succeeded in making that opposition more resolute.  His attempts to overthrow the supremacy of the “regents” in Amsterdam, Leyden, Enkhuizen and other towns were complete failures.  Oldenbarneveldt and Maurice were supreme in Holland and Zeeland; and the power of the purse gave to Holland a controlling voice in the States-General.  The position of Leicester was shaken also by his inability to relieve Sluis, which important seaport fell after a long siege into Parma’s hands, August 5.  Its capture was attributed by rumour, which in this case had no foundation, to the treachery of the English governor and garrison.  Moreover it was discovered that for some months secret peace negotiations had been passing between the English government and Parma; and this aroused violent suspicions that the Netherlands were merely being used as pawns in English policy, and alienated from the governor-general the sympathy of the preachers, who had been his strongest supporters.  Humiliated and broken in spirit, Leicester, after many bickerings and recriminations, finally left the Netherlands (December 10), though his formal resignation of his post did not reach the States-General until the following April.  Lord Willoughby was placed in command of the English troops.

The year 1588 was the beginning of a decade full of fate for the Dutch Republic.  The departure of Leicester left the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht weak, divided, torn by factions, without allies, the country to the east of the Yssel and to the south of the Scheldt and the Waal already in the hands of the enemy.  Moreover the armed forces of that enemy were far stronger than their own and under the command of a consummate general.  But this was the year of the Spanish Armada, and Parma’s offensive operations were, by the strictest orders from Madrid, otherwise directed.  And Elizabeth