of whom you have fo freely, and to your injury, ferved, help you to a cure?

But at this juncture cometh Philofopher Cuffe from England, bearing letters from her Majesty. These were confequent on my Lord's defpatches, of which you know the fubftance. Her Grace not expreffeth herself perfpicuously; but 'tis evident she understandeth the matter in hand after her own humour; and 'tis as certain she is as little pleased to wit:

Having

"Right trufty and well-beloved Coufin. fufficiently declared unto you, before this time, how little the manner of your proceedings hath answered with our direction, or the world's expectation, we are doubtful what to prescribe you at any time, or what to build upon your writing to us in any thing; for we have clearly discovered of late, what you have ever to this hour poffeffed us with, namely—Expectation that you would proceed as we have directed you; but your actions always fhew the contrary, though carried in fuch fort as we were fure to have no time to countermand them." Then followeth her Grace's estimate of the men supplied for this action, wherein she fetteth down all dead, revolted, fick, efcaped, not to

VOL. III.

M

fay thofe left in garrifon throughout the whole kingdom, as present with the General, eighteen thousand foot and one thousand three hundred horse, she put it at, whereas four thoufand was the outfide compliment. Then fhe went over again the Munster campaign, and the Offaley business, and the calamity in the Curlews. Oh, fhe rang the changes on the charges of these wars! "But it is true, and we have often faid it, we were ever won to expence by little and little, and by representations of great refolutions in generalities, till they came to particular execution." Again she stated roundly, "Your own proceedings beget your difficulties;" taunting him with this fcruple: "Have we not great cause to think that your purpose is not to end the war, when yourself have often told us that all the petty undertakings in Leix, Munster, and Connaught, are but lofs of time, confumption of treasure and people, until Tyr Oen himself be first beaten, on whom all the reft depends?" Anon did fhe wave a fierce threat at that Council of War who had fet forth fuch a catalogue of impertinent challenges and needlefs comparisons. And, there being rumour of the Spaniard coming, she concluded with an injunction on his allegiance, that my Lord fhould not dare to quit his

charge, nor pass his word for O'Nial's pardon, without her

Royal warrant had.

There were times Effex would have fat down patiently to

anfwer, feriatim, this precious letter. This was no fuch day.

"That which in mean men be entitled patience,

Is pale cold cowardice in noble breafts."

Loyalty trembled in her feat. The Earl was chafed in the matter of Southampton, and for that his Marshal (Sir Christopher Blount) had not been suffered to fit i' the Privy Council, at the charges her Grace had brought against him. Now was he incenfed. Reynolds, too, wrote that the Mastership of the Wards (a coveted office) had been given to Sir R. Cecyl, and my Lord's indignation burned within him. Tormented in body, vexed in mind, evilly holpen of the physician, as ufual, and unfit to qualify his jealousy with wholesome thought, he began to caft himself into dark clouds and troublesome ftorms; revolving in his mind designs of returning into England (like his banished namefake Hereford) with felect bands, fo to reduce his adverfaries into his power by armed hand, being perfuaded that many would fide with him, partly out of love, partly out of defire of innovation. For in his heart he thought

that the Queen favoured him truly; but that, furrounded by his enemies, who, for their bafer motives, were his enemies, she was urged or perfuaded, deceived or frightened into diftrusting him. That Elizabeth was ever "Semper eadem ;" but that the Secretary and his pack were "Semper iidem."

But when Effex spake to his true friends-to William, to Southampton, to his stepfather Blount-they heartily condemned the project, deterring him from this attempt as wicked, bloody, hateful, dangerous. Yet to England would my Lord return, remembering how Leicester had effectually come back to her Grace's feet, albeit forbidden. And William hurried across, ordering pofts. My Lord returning to Dublin, fwore in his Grace Archbishop Loftus and Sir George Carew, Lords Juftices, and passed the army over to the Earl of Ormonde.

Then with a quick fail (for in thofe feas the wind bloweth mostly from the west) reaching Parkgate, took horse the Earl, my Lord Southampton, my Lord Dunkellin, Sir Christopher St. Lawrence, Sir Henry Danvers, Sir Henry Docwray, Squire Beronfaw, and our Hampshire Efquire, riding hard for London.

"The doubt of future foes,
Exiles my prefent joy;

And wit me warnes to fhun fuch fnares

As threaten mine annoy.

"For falfehood now doth flow,

And fubjects' faith doth ebbe :
Which would not be, if reafon ruled
Or wifdome wove the webbe.

"But clowdes of joyes untried
Do cloake afpiring mindes;

Which turn to raine of late repent,
By courfe of changed windes."

A DITTY OF HER MAJies OWNE MAKING.

REL. A. E. P. II. 215.

Na glorious September morning, the hot fun glittering on the vanes and weathercocks of

steeple and turret-lazy old Thames rolling on

as was his wont to meet a fresh bath in the coming tide,