He unquestionably neglected his duty.  Week after week he remained, at Ostend, sneering at the French and quaffing huge draughts in honour of Queen Elizabeth.  At last, after much time had elapsed, he agreed to victual Antwerp if he could be furnished with thirty krom-stevens,—­a peculiar kind of vessel, not to be found in Zeeland.  The krom-stevens were sent to him from Holland.  Then, hearing that his negligence had been censured by the States-General, he became more obstinate than ever, and went up and down proclaiming that if people made themselves disagreeable to him he would do that which should make all the women and children in the Netherlands shriek and tremble.  What this nameless horror was to be he never divulged, but meantime he went down to Middelburg, and swore that not a boat-load of corn should go up to Antwerp until two members of the magistracy, whom he considered unpleasant, had been dismissed from their office.  Wearied with all this bluster, and imbued with grave suspicion as to his motives, the States at last rose upon their High Admiral and threw him into prison.  He was accused of many high crimes and misdemeanours, and, it was thought, would be tried for his life.  He was suspected and even openly accused of having been tampered with by Spain, but there was at any rate a deficiency of proof.

“Treslong is apprehended,” wrote Davison to Burghley, “and, is charged to have been the cause that the fleet passed not up to Antwerp.  He is suspected to have otherwise forgotten himself, but whether justly or not will appear by his trial.  Meantime he is kept in the common prison of Middelburg, a treatment which it is thought they would not offer him if they had not somewhat of importance against him.”

He was subsequently released at the intercession of Queen Elizabeth, and passed some time in England.  He was afterwards put upon trial, but no accuser appearing to sustain the charges against him, he was eventually released.  He never received a command in the navy again, but the very rich sinecures of Grand Falconer and Chief Forester of Holland were bestowed upon him, and he appears to have ended his days in peace and plenty.

He was succeeded in the post of Admiral of Holland and Zeeland by Justinus de Nassau, natural son of William the Silent, a young man of much promise but of little experience.

General Count Hohenlo, too, lieutenant for young Maurice, and virtual commander-in-chief of the States’ forces, was apt to give much trouble.  A German noble, of ancient descent and princely rank; brave to temerity, making a jest of danger; and riding into a foray as if to a merry-making; often furiously intoxicated, and always turbulent and uncertain; a handsome, dissipated cavalier, with long curls floating over his shoulders, an imposing aristocratic face, and a graceful, athletic figure, he needed some cool brain and steady hand to guide him—­valuable as he was to fulfil any daring project but was hardly willing to accept the authority of a burgomaster.  While the young Maurice yet needed tutelage, while “the sapling was growing into the tree,” Hohenlo was a dangerous chieftain and a most disorderly lieutenant.