A new Council of State was created which, as previously agreed, included two Englishmen.

On February 4, 1586, Leicester's government was solemnly inaugurated in the presence of Maurice of Nassau and the States-General, and he accepted the title of "Excellency." Elizabeth on hearing this was very angry and even threatened to recall Leicester, and she sent Lord Heneage to express both to the States-General and the governor-general her grave displeasure at what had taken place.

She bade Leicester restrict himself to the functions that she had assigned to him, and it was not until July that she was sufficiently appeased to allow him to be addressed as "Excellency." All this was galling to Leicester's pride and ambition, and did not tend to improve his relations with the States.

An English governor would in any case have had a difficult task, and Leicester had neither tact nor capacity as a statesman, and no pretensions as a military leader.

He possessed no knowledge of the institutions of the country or the character of the people, and was ignorant of the Dutch language.