Thus with the tremendous opposition formed to his government in the States-General, the incessant bickerings with the Norrises, the peculations of the treasurer, the secret negotiations with Spain, and the impossibility of obtaining money from home for himself or for his starving little army, the Earl was in anything but a comfortable position.  He was severely censured in England; but he doubted, with much reason, whether there were many who would take his office, and spend twenty thousand pounds sterling out of their own pockets, as he had done.  The Earl was generous and brave as man could be, full of wit, quick of apprehension; but inordinately vain, arrogant, and withal easily led by designing persons.  He stood up manfully for the cause in which he was embarked, and was most strenuous in his demands for money.  “Personally he cared,” he said, “not sixpence for his post; but would give five thousand sixpences, and six thousand shillings beside, to be rid of it;” but it was contrary to his dignity to “stand bucking with the States” for his salary.  “Is it reason,” he asked, “that I, being sent from so great a prince as our sovereign is, must come to strangers to beg my entertainment:  If they are to pay me, why is there no remembrance made of it by her Majesty’s letters, or some of the lords?”

The Earl and those around him perpetually and vehemently urged upon the Queen to reconsider her decision, and accept the sovereignty of the Provinces at once.  There was no other remedy for the distracted state of the country—­no other safeguard for England.  The Netherland people anxiously, eagerly desired it.  Her Majesty was adored by all the inhabitants, who would gladly hang the fellows called the States.  Lord North was of this opinion—­so was Cavendish.  Leicester had always held it.  “Sure I am,” he said, “there is but one way for our safety, and that is, that her Majesty may take that upon her which I fear she will not.”  Thomas Wilkes, who now made his appearance on the scene, held the same language.  This distinguished civilian had been sent by the Queen, early in August, to look into the state of Netherland affairs.  Leicester having expressly urged the importance of selecting as wise a politician as could be found—­because the best man in England would hardly be found a match for the dullards and drunkards, as it was the fashion there to call the Dutch statesmen—­had selected Wilkes.  After fulfilling this important special mission, he was immediately afterwards to return to the Netherlands as English member of the state-council, at forty shillings a-day, in the place of “little Hal Killigrew,” whom Leicester pronounced a “quicker and stouter fellow” than he had at first taken him for, although he had always thought well of him.  The other English counsellor, Dr. Bartholomew Clerk, was to remain, and the Earl declared that he too, whom he had formerly undervalued, and thought to have “little stuff in him,” was now “increasing greatly in understanding.”