The Earl of Leicester was appointed to command the succours sent by the
Queen to Holland. The States, to express their gratitude to England,
declared him Governor and Captain-General of the United Provinces. No
sooner did he see himself invested with this great power, than he began
under-hand to form projects destructive of the liberty of the country he
came to defend: it has been said, he designed to make himself Sovereign
of the Provinces of which he was only Governor. He soon became odious to
every one; and after a campaign, in which he performed no considerable
exploit, returned to England to take measures for facilitating the
execution of his ambitious designs.

The States, who had no longer any confidence in him, gave, in 1587, the
command of their own army to Count Maurice of Nassau, son of the Prince
of Orange. He was then only eighteen: but he quickly justified by many
signal successes the hopes they had conceived of him. The Earl of
Leicester, returning to Holland, resolved to employ force to accomplish
his design of making himself Sovereign: he wanted to get possession of
several places at once; but his scheme for surprizing Leyden being
seasonably discovered, all correspondence between the States and him was
entirely broken off. The Queen recalled him, and sent in his room Lord
Willoughby, who was to command only the English. The States thereupon
appointed Count Maurice of Nassau Captain-General: the Grand Pensionary
Barnevelt, who had distinguished himself by his firmness in opposing
Leicester, contributed greatly to this nomination.

FOOTNOTES:

[23] Ann. Grotii L. 4. p. 81.