History of the United Netherlands, 1586c | Page 4

in England, not because they
suspected the Earl, but in order to counteract the calumnies of his chief
advisers. They had urged the agent to bring the imprisonment of Paul
Buys before her Majesty, but for that transaction Leicester boldly
disclaimed all responsibility.
It was agreed between the Earl and the deputies that, during his absence,
the whole government, civil and military, should devolve upon the
state- council, and that Sir John Norris should remain in command of
the English forces.
Two days afterwards Leicester, who knew very well that a legation was
about to proceed to England, without any previous concurrence on his
part, summoned a committee of the States-General, together with
Barneveld, into the state-council. Counsellor Wilkes on his behalf then
made a speech, in which he observed that more ample communications
on the part of the States were to be expected. They had in previous
colloquies touched upon comparatively unimportant matters, but he
now begged to be informed why these commissioners were proceeding
to England, and what was the nature of their instructions. Why did not
they formally offer the sovereignty of the Provinces to the Queen
without conditions? That step had already been taken by Utrecht.
The deputies conferred apart for a little while, and then replied that the

proposition made by Utrecht was notoriously factious, illegal, and
altogether futile. Without the sanction of all the United States, of what
value was the declaration of Utrecht? Moreover the charter of that
province had been recklessly violated, its government overthrown, and
its leading citizens banished. The action of the Province under such
circumstances was not deserving of comment; but should it appear that
her Majesty was desirous of assuming the sovereignty of the Provinces
upon reasonable conditions, the States of Holland and of Zeeland
would not be found backward in the business.
Leicester proposed that Prince Maurice of Nassau should go with him
to England, as nominal chief of the embassy, and some of the deputies
favoured the suggestion. It was however, vigorously and successfully
opposed by Barneveld, who urged that to leave the country without a
head in such a dangerous position of affairs, would be an act of
madness. Leicester was much annoyed when informed of this decision.
He was suspected of a design, during his absence, of converting
Maurice entirely to his own way of thinking. If unsuccessful, it was
believed by the Advocate and by many others that the Earl would cause
the young Prince to be detained in England as long as Philip William,
his brother, had been kept in Spain. He observed peevishly that he
knew how it had all been brought about.
Words, of course, and handsome compliments were exchanged
between the Governor and the States-General on his departure. He
protested that he had never pursued any private ends during his
administration, but had ever sought to promote the good of the country
and the glory of the Queen, and that he had spent three hundred
thousand florins of his own money in the brief period of his residence
there.
The Advocate, on part of the States, assured him that they were all
aware that in the friendship of England lay their only chance of
salvation, but that united action was the sole means by which that
salvation could be effected, and the one which had enabled the late
Prince of Orange to maintain a contest unequalled by anything recorded
in history. There was also much disquisition on the subject of

finance--the Advocate observing that the States now raised as much in
a month as the Provinces in the time of the Emperor used to levy in a
year--and expressed the hope that the Queen would increase her
contingent to ten thousand foot, and two thousand horse. He repudiated,
in the name of the States-General and his own, the possibility of
peace-negotiations; deprecated any allusion to the subject as fatal to
their religion, their liberty, their very existence, and equally disastrous
to England and to Protestantism, and implored the Earl, therefore, to
use all his influence in opposition to any pacific overtures to or from
Spain.
On the 24th November, acts were drawn up and signed by the Earl,
according to which the supreme government of the United Netherlands
was formally committed to the state-council during his absence.
Decrees were to be pronounced in the name of his Excellency, and
countersigned by Maurice of Nassau.
On the following day, Leicester, being somewhat indisposed, requested
a deputation of the States-General to wait upon him in his own house.
This was done, and a formal and affectionate farewell was then read to
him by his secretary, Mr. Atye. It was responded to in complimentary
fashion by Advocate Barneveld, who again took occasion at this
parting interview to impress upon the governor the utter impossibility,