The ascendency of Barneveld was the less wholesome, therefore, and it might have been better had the stadholder manifested more resolution.  But Maurice had not a resolute character.  Thorough soldier as he was, he was singularly vacillating, at times almost infirm of purpose, but never before in his career had this want of decision manifested itself in so striking a manner.

Accordingly the States-General, or in other words John of Olden-Barneveld proposed to invade Flanders, and lay siege, to Nieuport.  The States-General were sovereign, and Maurice bowed to their authority.  After the matter had been entirely decided upon the state-council was consulted, and the state-council attempted no opposition to the project.  The preparations were made with matchless energy and extraordinary secrecy.  Lewis William, who meanwhile was to defend the eastern frontier of the republic against any possible attack, sent all the troops that it was possible to spare; but he sent, them with a heavy heart.  His forebodings were dismal.  It seemed to him that all was about to be staked upon a single cast of the dice.  Moreover it was painful to him while the terrible game, was playing to be merely a looker on and a prophet of evil from a distance, forbidden to contribute by his personal skill and experience to a fortunate result.  Hohenlo too was appointed to protect the southern border, and was excluded from, all participation in the great expedition.

As to the enemy, such rumors as might came to them from day to day of mysterious military, preparations on the part of the rebels only served to excite suspicion in others directions.  The archduke was uneasy in, regard to the Rhine and the Gueldrian; quarter, but never dreamt of a hostile descent upon the Flemish coast.

Meantime, on the 19th June Maurice of Nassau made his appearance at Castle Rammekens, not far from Flushing, at the mouth of the Scheld, to superintend the great movement.  So large a fleet as was there assembled had never before been seen or heard of in Christendom.  Of war-ships, transports, and flat-bottomed barges there were at least thirteen hundred.  Many eye-witnesses, who counted however with their imaginations, declared that there were in all at least three thousand vessels, and the statement has been reproduced by grave and trustworthy chroniclers.  As the number of troops to be embarked upon the enterprise certainly did not exceed fourteen thousand, this would have been an allowance of one vessel to every five soldiers, besides the army munitions and provisions—­a hardly reasonable arrangement.