All this, and more, with great eagerness of expression and gesture, was urged by the Queen, much to the discomfiture of the envoys.  In vain they attempted to modify and to explain.  Their faltering excuses were swept rapidly away upon the current of royal wrath; until at last Elizabeth stormed herself into exhaustion and comparative tranquillity.  She then dismissed them with an assurance that her goodwill towards the States was not diminished, as would be found to be the case, did they not continue to prove themselves unworthy of her favour that a permanent force of five thousand foot and one thousand horse should serve in the Provinces at the Queen’s expense; and that the cities of Flushing and Brill should be placed in her Majesty’s hands until the entire reimbursement of the debt thus incurred by the States.  Elizabeth also—­at last overcoming her reluctance—­agreed that the force necessary to garrison these towns should form an additional contingent, instead of being deducted from the general auxiliary force.

Count Maurice of Nassau had been confirmed by the States of Holland and Zeeland as permanent stadholder of those provinces.  This measure excited some suspicion on the part of Leicester, who, as it was now understood, was the “personage of quality” to be sent to the Netherlands as representative of the Queen’s authority.  “Touching the election of Count Maurice,” said the Earl, “I hope it will be no impairing of the authority heretofore allotted to me, for if it will be, I shall tarry but awhile.”

Nothing, however, could be more frank or chivalrously devoted than the language of Maurice to the Queen.  “Madam, if I have ever had occasion,” he wrote, “to thank God for his benefits, I confess that it was when, receiving in all humility the letters with which it pleased your Majesty to honour me, I learned that the great disaster of my lord and father’s death had not diminished the debonaire affection and favour which it has always pleased your Majesty to manifest to my father’s house.  It has been likewise grateful to me to learn that your Majesty, surrounded by so many great and important affairs, had been pleased to approve the command which the States-General have conferred upon me.  I am indeed grieved that my actions cannot correspond with the ardent desire which I feel to serve your Majesty and these Provinces, for which I hope that my extreme youth will be accepted as an excuse.  And although I find myself feeble enough for the charge thus imposed upon me, yet God will assist my efforts to supply by diligence and sincere intention the defect of the other qualities requisite for my thorough discharge of my duty to the contentment of your Majesty.  To fulfil these obligations, which are growing greater day by day, I trust to prove by my actions that I will never spare either my labour or life.”