They had asked for twelve thousand soldiers and sixty thousand pounds, and had received a volley of abuse.

Over and over again, through many months, the Queen fell into a paroxysm of rage when even an allusion was made to the loan of fifty or sixty thousand pounds; and even had she promised the money, it would have given but little satisfaction.

As Count Moeurs observed, he would rather see one English rose-noble than a hundred royal promises.

So the Hollanders and Zeelanders--not fearing Leicester's influence within their little morsel of a territory--were concentrating their means of resistance upon their own soil, intending to resist Spain, and, if necessary, England, in their last ditch, and with the last drop of their blood.
While such was the condition of affairs, Lord Buckhurst landed at Flushing--four months after the departure of Leicester--on the 24th March, having been tossing three days and nights at sea in a great storm, "miserably sick and in great danger of drowning." Sir William Russell, governor of Flushing, informed him of the progress making by Prince Maurice in virtue of his new authority.

He told him that the Zeeland regiment, vacant by Sidney's death, and which the Queen wished bestowed upon Russell himself, had been given to Count Solms; a circumstance which was very sure to exite her Majesty's ire; but that the greater number, and those of the better sort; disliked the alteration of government, and relied entirely upon the Queen.