Wilkes, very anxious as to the effect of the letter, both upon public feeling in England and upon his own position as English councillor, waited immediately upon Count Maurice, President van der Myle, and upon Villiers the clergyman, and implored their interposition to prevent the transmission of the epistle. They promised to make an effort to delay its despatch or to mitigate its tone. A fortnight afterwards, however, Wilkes learned with dismay, that the document (the leading passages of which will be given hereafter) had been sent to its destination. Meantime, a consultation of civilians and of the family council of Count Maurice was held, and it was determined that the Count should assume the title of Prince more formally than he had hitherto done, in order that the actual head of the Nassaus might be superior in rank to Leicester or to any man who could be sent from England. Maurice was also appointed by the States, provisionally, governor-general, with Hohenlo for his lieutenant-general. That formidable personage, now fully restored to health, made himself very busy in securing towns and garrisons for the party of Holland, and in cashiering all functionaries suspected of English tendencies. Especially he became most intimate with Count Moeurs, stadholder of Utrecht--the hatred of which individual and his wife towards Leicester and the English nation; springing originally from the unfortunate babble of Otheman, had grown more intense than ever,--"banquetting and feasting" with him all day long, and concocting a scheme; by which, for certain considerations, the province of Utrecht was to be annexed to Holland under the perpetual stadholderate of Prince Maurice. ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: Defect of enjoying the flattery, of his inferiors in station The sapling was to become the tree CHAPTER XIV. 1587 Leicester in England--Trial of the Queen of Scots--Fearful Perplexity at the English Court--Infatuation and Obstinacy of the Queen--Netherland Envoys in England--Queen's bitter Invective against them--Amazement of the Envoys--They consult with her chief Councillors--Remarks of Burghley and Davison--Fourth of February Letter from the States--Its severe Language towards Leicester-- Painful Position of the Envoys at Court--Queen's Parsimony towards Leicester.