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."

When it was found that the important town of Flushing was required as