Ratcliffe See it be done; for, to be lenient to the

conquered, we must be ftrict upon ourselves. Our few against the enemy's many cannot ftand without due order."

A packet from England, and with letters! How joyful be they of Dublin who have friends beyond the Channel! Marchaunts of Bristol, Staplers of Chester, nay, Chapmen of London and York. Your advices and esteemed favours here be received and admitted! Some ftray Lord o'the Pale may, haply, have a greeting from one of the elder stock in the old country-fome Member of the Privy Council, get his fecret cyphers from the Secretary o'the Sifter Ifle.

The officers of the army enquired for their briefs. Effex found fome from the Queen herself, their Lordships of the Council, his agent Reynolds, his Countess. William had fome from home.

Read out four or five letters coming to yourself by one post-how different they be ! Open as many more writ to divers perfons, you would hardly think fuch variety was in human nature. To fee Sir William Cheney's packet and the Earl of Effex's! Each read his own; yet presently

they changed hands, and fat down together to talk over

their affairs.

The fum of William's was this:

-That Sir Thomas was in

health, and had much gloried in the foray of the Feathers, and would duly celebrate the young Knight's triumph when time should ferve; that Dame Elizabeth fent her bleffing; that a meffenger from Llanfrey had brought two Welch ponies, leaving one at Chenies for little Robin, and carrying on the other to the Viscount Hereford, in London; that little Tom had stamped angrily, being fhent for tilting at wicked Haman, feasting with Ahafuerus and Queen Efther, in the tapestry in the lobby; that pretty Nell had cut a tooth; that there had come from London by a carrier fome learned books, and, amongst them, a most pleasaunt and excellent conceited comedie of Sir John Falstaff and the Merrie Wives of Windfor. The fond wife was particular

in this, copying out the whole title, knowing how it would

please her sweet William.

And now for the letters my Lord received.

From her Grace" For the matter of Southampton, it is strange to us that his continuance or displacing fhould work fo great an alteration, either in yourself, valueing our

commandments as you ought, or in the difpofition of our army, when all the commanders cannot be ignorant that we not only not allowed of your defire, but did expressly forbid it, and he being fuch an one whofe experience can be of no great use. It is therefore strange to us, that you will dare thus to value your own pleasing in things unneceffary, thinking, by your private arguments, to carry for your own glory a matter wherein our pleasure to the contrary is made notorious.”

You fee her Grace had not forgiven my Lord Southampton for marrying whom he lifted; and, as Mistress Vernon was Effex's kinfwoman, my Lord, favouring of his friend, came in for a share of the Royal anger.

Then were there letters from the Council in the fame ftrain with the Queen's, more covertly modeft, but as peremptory every whit.

Yet Reynolds wrote that in Paris it was spoken how the Secretary Cecyl had faid my Lord wrought miracles in Ireland, having fettled and distributed an army of fixteen thousand foot and one thousand three hundred horse, and accommodated them with neceffaries, in a country full of mifery and disorder, in so short a time. For that the season,

not yet ferving for the Ulfter expedition, my Lord had, within twenty days of his landing, marched into Manfter, and had returned early in July, having wholly and effectually conquered and garrisoned the whole South of the kingdom. No note of displeasure in that secret letter, as you see.

And Effex was fore vexed in spirit, and his heart revolted from this charge, wherein all that he could do still left the Queen diffatisfied, the Council captious and exceptive, and himself without the means of carrying out those plans which he well knew were for the public good. And he fretted over these things, brooding on his grief, taking thought without hope-miferably. Neither could William comfort him, nor Southampton, nor any other. And after a while he gave way to his paffion in this letter to the Queen, after which he got him to horfe, and, riding rapidly by the seafhore day by day, regained his heart:

"From a mind delighting in forrow-from fpirits wasted with paffion—from a heart torn in pieces with care, grief, and travel—from a man that hateth himself, and all things elfe that keep him alive, what fervice can your Majesty expect, fince any fervice paft deferves no more than

banishment and proscription, to the curfedeft of all Islands ? It is your rebels' pride and fuccefs must give me leave to ransom myself out of this hateful prison, out of my loathed body, which, if it happen fo, your Majefty fhall have no cause to mislike the fashion of my death, fince the course of my life could never please you.

"Happy he could finish forth his fate
In fome unhaunted defart, moft obfcure
From all fociety, from love and hate

Of worldly folk; then should he fleep fecure ;
Then wake again, and yield God ever praise:
Content with hips, and haws, and brambleberry ;
In contemplation paffing out his days,

And change of holy thoughts to make him merry,
Who, when he dies, his tomb may be a bush,
Where harmless Robin dwells with gentle Thrush.

"Your Majesty's exiled Servant, R. Essex.”