great armies of pewter soldiers; these were the occupations of his leisure-hours.  Yet he was hardly suspected of bearing within him the germs of the great military commander.  “Small desire hath Count Maurice to follow the wars,” said one who fancied himself an acute observer at exactly this epoch.  “And whereas it might be supposed that in respect to his birth and place, he would affect the chief military command in these countries, it is found by experience had of his humour, that there is no chance of his entering into competition with the others.”  A modest young man, who could bide his time—­but who, meanwhile, under the guidance of his elders, was doing his best, both in field and cabinet, to learn the great lessons of the age—­he had already enjoyed much solid practical instruction, under such a desperate fighter as Hohenlo, and under so profound a statesman as Barneveld.  For at this epoch Olden-Barneveld was the preceptor, almost the political patron of Maurice, and Maurice, the official head of the Holland party, was the declared opponent of the democratic-Calvinist organization.  It is not necessary, at this early moment, to foreshadow the changes which time was to bring.  Meantime it would be seen, perhaps ere long, whether or no, it would be his humour to follow the wars.  As to his prudent and dignified deportment there was little doubt.  “Count Maurice behaveth himself very discreetly all this while,” wrote one, who did not love him, to Leicester, who loved him less:  “He cometh every day to the council, keeping no company with Count Hollock, nor with any of them all, and never drinks himself full with any of them, as they do every day among themselves.”

Certainly the most profitable intercourse that Maurice could enjoy with Hohenlo was upon the battle-field.  In winter-quarters, that hard-fighting, hard-drinking, and most turbulent chieftain, was not the best Mentor for a youth whose destiny pointed him out as the leader of a free commonwealth.  After the campaigns were over—­if they ever could be over—­the Count and other nobles from the same country were too apt to indulge in those mighty potations, which were rather characteristic of their nation and the age.

“Since your Excellency’s departure,” wrote Leicester’s secretary, “there hath been among the Dutch Counts nothing but dancing and drinking, to the grief of all this people; which foresee that there can come no good of it.  Specially Count Hollock, who hath been drunk almost a fortnight together.”

Leicester had rendered himself unpopular with the States-General, and with all the leading politicians and generals; yet, at that moment, he had deeply mortgaged his English estates in order to raise funds to expend in the Netherland cause.  Thirty thousand pounds sterling—­according to his own statement—­he was already out of pocket, and, unless the Queen would advance him the means to redeem his property; his broad lands were to be brought to the hammer.