desiring to obtain, by God's favour, for the Countries, a deliverance
of them from war by the Spaniards and foreigners, with a restitution
of their ancient liberties and government.

Sir Thomas Cecil was sent out at once as governor of Brill, and
Sir Philip Sidney as governor of Flushing, these towns being handed
over to England as guarantees by the Dutch. These two officers,
with bodies of troops to serve as garrisons, took charge of their
respective fortresses in November. Orders were issued for the
raising of an army for service in the Low Countries, and Dudley,
Earl of Leicester, was appointed by the queen to its command.
The decision of the queen was received with enthusiasm in England
as well as in Holland, and although the Earl of Leicester was not
personally popular, volunteers flocked to his standard.

Breakfast at Hedingham Rectory had been set at an earlier hour than
usual on the 6th of December, 1585. There was an unusual stir and
excitement in the village, for young Mr. Francis Vere, cousin of
the Earl of Oxford, lord of Hedingham and of all the surrounding
country, was to start that morning to ride to Colchester, there
to join the Earl of Leicester and his following as a volunteer. As
soon as breakfast was over young Geoffrey and Lionel Vickars, boys
of fourteen and thirteen years old, proceeded to the castle close
by, and there mounted the horses provided for them, and rode with
Francis Vere to Colchester.

Francis, who was at this time twenty-five years old, was accompanied
by his elder brother, John, and his two younger brothers, Robert
and Horace, and by many other friends; and it was a gay train that
cantered down the valley of the Colne to Colchester. That ancient