God forbid he should have charge of men that knoweth so little, as I dare pronounce that he doth." Yet the critical knight was a professional--campaigner, whose opinions were entitled to respect; and the more so, it would seem, because they did not materially vary from those which Leicester himself was in the habit of expressing.

And these interior scenes of discord, tumult, parsimony, want of organization, and unsatisfactory mustering of troops, were occurring on the very Saturday and Sunday when the Armada lay in sight of Dover cliffs, and when the approach of the Spaniards on the Dover road might at any moment be expected.
Leicester's jealous and overbearing temper itself was also proving a formidable obstacle to a wholesome system of defence.

He was already displeased with the amount of authority entrusted to Lord Hunsdon, disposed to think his own rights invaded; and desirous that the Lord Chamberlain should accept office under himself.

He wished saving clauses as to his own authority inserted in Hunsdon's patent.

"Either it must be so, or I shall have wrong," said he, "if he absolutely command where my patent doth give me power.