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"The greatest plagues that human nature fuffers
Are feated here: Wildness and wants innumerable."
THE SEA VOYAGE, act I. fc. III.

Na great horse he called "White Surrey," the blue footcloth embroidered on either fide with the filver Cross-flory, Sir Thomas and his meiny in great state escorted his military guests as far as Buckingham.

The little troop of Yeomanry were yet drawn up in the Court-yard, a moft feemly fight, for the men were all in blue, having the five links of chain worked upon their shoulders; and Davy was a flourishing his banner to and fro luftily, to the amazement of the byeftanders. The troop was indeed a gallant band, having been marshalled by

the Knight himself. William lagged behind; he had more laft words for his mother, and still drawn-out embraces for forlorn Helen and his little ones.

At length the rere-guard fhogged off. You might hear the braying of a trumpet coming up on the breeze, and from the Tower fee ftraggling companies wending Northward. Prefently even the fathers and the fweethearts of William's troopers had gone home, and all was quiet in Chenies but the disturbed dogs and the busy household. Dame Elizabeth felt as a mother feels parting her only fon. But she comforted herself: ""Tis his duty! And the fame Providence is over him in War as in Peace. God be with my boy!" But Helen fate forrowfully on the floor, her pretty Nell coiled on her lap, her hopeful boys, Robin and fmall Tom, playing at foldiers i' the lobby, shouting after a most martial mode; now mocking Grandfather, now with a fpice of Davy's vein. And it was pleasant to see how these children in their play drew the fond woman's thoughts from carking after her sweet William.

By evenfong Sir Thomas returned. He had met his fon by the way. There had been embracings and bleffings. But the Knight enjoined, above all, a careful watching of the

Sir Thomas his Opinion.

103

Earl. "For," faid he, "I much mifdoubt his humours.

Let him watch his health."

And Sir Thomas fpake fadly to his wife concerning the young man whom they both loved: Dame Elizabeth saying, "God grant he be not convertite to these newfangled fancies !"

""Tis to be doubted, Bess," quoth her husband. "They of his complexion, having inconstant entrails, be apt for violent fpiritual motions. They pass from unreasonable fears to immoderate gloom; and fo, having too much faith in their own conceits, have too little hope in God's promises."

"They be an unhappy fort, Thomas! And if Effex's body be rheumatic, he going to a moist, rotten climate, I fear me he shall take thought on't."

""Tis an exampled cafe; for the Cantons and the Palatinate, Holland, the Scottish Lowlands, and those parts of Ireland that be reformed, have all grafped at Master Calvin's scheme; and they be all low, damp, foggy and fwampy places, and the inhabiters given greatly to strong waters therefore; while, in the hard north of Allmagne, and here on our gravelly foil, we hold more generous views

of God, and are something more hopeful of ourselves and

fellow creatures."

"Poor Lord! He hath not that alacrity he was wont!" "No! Nor the frankness was his dearest quality."

"Yet 'tis faid he hath given up thofe evil Court practices."

"God be thanked! His poor wife shall now be happy.” "He spake of her with tears in 's eyes.”

"And of his little ones?"

"Most tenderly."

"Poor Effex!"

"Pray God he shall do well!

"Take heart, Befs! He hath ever been a hero in the field now fhall he bring Rebellion broached upon his fword, William faith."

So Effex journeyed towards the coaft, flowly and painfully. 'Twas a different gait, look you, than when he rode to Plymouth in Don Antonio his affairs: or yet when he was urging on the Gades expedition. But the fame men be not the fame at all times. And the Ague shaketh the very heart out of one. And my Lord knew that he left but three friends i' th' Council; to wit, the Lord Keeper

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Egerton, the most reverend the Archbishop Whitgift, and his uncle Knollys, Mr. Comptroller. Whereas the reft were his vouched adverfaries and moft hollow flatterers. He knew too that Ralegh might now fit on her Grace's pillow an he lifted; and that none from within the Arras would tell him of her Majesty's mind. With these griefs behind him, and an ungracious task afore, what wonder should the fpirit quail?

On the fifteenth day of April, after as rough and dangerous a passage as had been known at that time of year, the Earl arrived in Dublin.

'Twas a fine sunshiny morning, and the air was clear and wholesome after the ftorm, as the little fhip rolled in the fmoother water of the Bay. There, on the left, lie the big hills dipping their giant bodies in the deep blue fea; and, far as the eye could reach fouthward, headland after headland jut, and landwife mountain upon mountain is piled up How beautiful their cloudlike forms! And those two cones fo notable the dim filver-purple colouring, the sparkling rocks-the Azure vault of heaven above, and the calm waters at your feet! On the right, some ten miles from the mainland, meeteth you the promontory of Howth. 'Tis the

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