do'ft, man?" to which he, in a filly vein (his mind still

hammering on the season)———

"I'd fain fee your Lordship," quoth he, " triumphing over your enemies, like S. Michael i' the painted cloth yonder, an I might live to it; for there be fome here crooked enow for the Devil's tail in a pageaunt."

And there was a merry laugh, and a fly joke, for the fool's bolt maketh a whirr; and none can answer a fool but according to his folly. In his own element the jester hath the vantage of the wife man, as your small crab pulled the big fox under water i' the fable.

And Effex was in high spirits, eating freely, as was his wont, but talking more than was ufual with him, having William and his friends befide him. And the officers of the Court who, of use, dined at my Lord's table, asked of Ireland, and of their progress through those parts, and of the people; and the Earl fhewed them of thofe matters liefly, speaking of the true nobleness and hospitality of fome to wit, the great Earl of Ormonde, and the Lord Le Poer of Curraghmore; and the Earls of Kildare and Clan Richard; and how they and the higher fort equalled in civility our English gentles, furpaffing them often in wit

:

and capability. And then my Lord craved notice for the Lord Dunkellin, whom, he faid, was of descent from Charlemagne, and for the valiant Sir Chriftopher, whose sword was yet restless in its scabbard.

But the Queen's Grace was ferved in a privy chamber, over against the hall; and, as was the manner, her food was upon the board, carved, tasted, and then with great state and found of trumpets by the Yeomen of the Guard carried within. And the Captain, Sir Walter Ralegh, stood behind the chair, half armed, having a breast and back plate of polished steel, chafed and enamelled; his hat low, broad, and jauntily fet; his doublet sleeves and short breeches, puffed and truffed in the extremest fashion, of a pale grafs green; his nether focks reaching half way up the thigh, white, the Tudor colours. He is in favour and in hopes.

Her Majesty was filent, not to fay choleric; grudging at her meat. The mutton was over-roast, the pullets had been ill fattened, too much spice here, too few herbs there this and that dish were some way or other spoiled. The butter in the pasty was rancid: the faffron in the warden pie was mouldy. Here and there the cooks had

Cooks their Mifchiefs.

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failed in their care and duty. Such things have taken place time out o' mind in other than royal kitchens.

And, dinner being now over, Effex's friends, finding him content, leave him; following their own pleasure. William rode off for Chenies. Sir Thomas mufed that he had eaten at the table of a Tudor fovereign: but let that pafs.

And my Lord was very cheerful; fhaking hands with men of lower condition, fmiling and laughing anon, as few had seen him for a while past. And meeting Rowland White, welcoming him, asketh after Sir Robert Sidney: fending his hearty commendations, and a word that he would be fain to content fo honourable a gentleman.

Anon cometh a change. The fmall cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, rifeth on the horizon. It waxeth. The heavens be black. A great ftorm is toward!

Her Grace had been disturbed that morning ere fhe had broken faft: fhe had had hot arguments-angry motions: he had to await her dinner half-an-hour at the leaft. Unwonted events had stirred her humours. The meat ill cooked had been worse difgefted. You fhall note it in the anxious afpect of the royal countenance, her

Where

pinched mouth, her coloured nose, her dull eye. And the infinuation of Ralegh, dropped promifcuously on the ear, and the measured remonftrance of Cecyl, had been better carried into the royal mind than her food into the royal blood and fhe fed on the unwholesome counfel. fore the spirit of the Queen turned from confidence to diftrust, from fatisfaction to fufpicion: and the form of her countenance changed towards the Earl of Effex, otherwife than it had ever been before; and she allowed of a Council to be holden, enjoyning my Lord at his peril to attend it, and to anfwer on interrogatories.

So the Council met that very afternoon, giving my Lord no while to reft. And, though there were few Lords present, Master Secretary wrote haftily to London for fuch others (of his party) as would speed. Effex was content; holding it but just that my Lords, who had appointed and directed him in that exploit, should now receive account of his proceedings. So, nothing loath, he opened himself to them after his wont; laying bare his very thoughts, and telling them fuch things as had been inconvenient in the writing. Thus, fatisfied of the Queen's good-will toward him, 'confcious of his own integrity, and believing that such

"Mens Confcia recti."

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meritorious actions would be taken in good part by the major fort of their Lordships, he brought to the board even his notes and memoranda, offering them fairly to their cenfure.

Oh, 'tis a fad thing in this bitter world that plain dealing should entice men to fufpect that fomething lies behind! That there should be fo few who will not circumvent the fimple heart! Thus the Earl's sense of honesty of purpose obfcured from his forefight the fact that a very different view might be taken of his conduct; that even his best friends might fairly question the expedience of his acts; and that matters, though in themselves but trifling, might affume graver proportions when accumulated. Had Effex held himself on the defenfive; awaiting the proof of every charge; answering strictly and no more to each question as it came-his enemies would have had no hold against him; his friends could have supported him; the Queen would have been fatisfied, and carping fpirits filenced or confounded. It was the very effence of my Lord's character to bring forward no defence whatever. For what had he wrongly done? Why should he contemplate those hostile charges who was confcious of no mifdoings? But thus he laid