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Guard, and with Master Secretary, my Lord's friends began to cast about for hopes of favour; arguing on this wife That the Queen, being a Princess born to clemency and placability, in her wisdom knew that Mercy is the establishment of a Throne. That she could and would have pity, and withal be wife. That she would not, by irritating fo great a man, drive him to defperation. That she would by no means have him perish, because he might be of use to the Commonwealth. That she had hitherto directed all her actions to the rule of justice. Earl's amendment, not his ruin.

That she intended the

Moreover, that she

hated (no less than did Mithridates) fuch as maliciously perfecuted virtue, forfaken of fortune. That whom she once deigned to favour, to them she always constantly continued her royal countenance. That many who had faulted more grievously than Essex, had been forgiven by her. Then did they note my Lord's cafe: as thus-That for the nobility of his descent (for he was iffued of the bloodroyal, as all men knew-though afar off), and the hope of his virtue, had been in his young days chofen out by the Queen from among many, and then highly beloved by her. That he had patiently endured her displeasure; had

VOL. III.

R

deferved paffing well of his country, both at home and abroad. That there was not any other of the English nation furnished with the skill and knowledge of a Commander, to manage war, and repel all hoftile attempts; nor more dear to the people. And, therefore, he was the meetest man to pacify commotions if any fhould arise, and restore the Commonwealth: and flatly, the worthieft man of any to be moft fully enlightened with the gracious afpect and wholesome influence of the Queen's countenance.

And, indeed, had it confented with her Highness' dignity now to be reconciled to my Lord, there was room for him in the Court. But, as was faid in old time of Germanicus, his deadlieft enemies were his own ornaments; and his adverfaries had little else to complain of than his greatnefs; for he who was not fharp to his enemies was, like Pompey, to fuch as yielded, placable. But Effex, finding the Queen yet without kindly motion towards him, took his pen; and, if the Queen had already probed the rankling wound of his honour, fhe might now fee bare before her eyes where fhe had touched to the very quick his manly pride :--

"At fundry times, and by fundry meffengers, I received

The Fountain of Honour.

243

these words as your Majefty's own, That you meant to correct, not to ruin.' Since when I have languifhed in four months' fickness: forfeited almoft all that I was able to engage; felt the very pangs of death upon me; and faw that poor reputation, whatsoever it was, that I enjoyed hitherto, not fuffered to die with me, but buried, and I alive; I yet kiffed your Majesty's correcting hand, and was confident in your royal word. For, I faid to myfelf, between my ruin and my Sovereign's favour there is no mean: and, if the beftow favour again, fhe gives it with all things in this world I either need or defire. But now, the length of my troubles, and the continuance -or rather increase-of your Majefty's indignation, have made all men fo afraid of me, as mine own poor eftate is not only ruined, but my kind friends and faithful fervants are like to die in prifon, because I cannot help myself with mine own. Now I do not only feel the weight of your Majesty's indignation, and am fubject to their malicious infinuations that firft envied me for my happiness in your favour, and now hate me out of cuftom; but, as if I were thrown into a corner like a dead carcafe, I am gnawed on and torn by the vileft and basest

creatures upon earth. The prating tavern-haunter speaks of me what he lifts. The frantic libeller writes of me what he lifts already they print me and make me speak to the world; and shortly will they play me in what forms they lift upon the stage. The least of these is a thousand times worse than death.

"But this is not the worst of my destiny. For your Majesty, that hath mercy for all the world but me: that hath protected from fcorn and infamy all to whom you ever avowed favour but Effex, and never repented you of any gracious affurance you had given till now: your Majefty I fay, hath now, in this eighth month of my imprifonment—as if you thought mine infirmities, beggary, and infamy too little punishment-rejected my letters and refused to hear of me; which to Traytors even you never did.

"What, therefore, remaineth for me? Only this, to befeech your Majesty, on the very knees of my heart, to conclude my punishment, my misery, and my life altogether, that I may go to my Saviour, who hath paid himself a ransom for me; and whom, methinks, I ftill hear calling me out of this unkind world, in which I have already lived too long, and ever thought myself too happy."

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This endless mifery-this curelefs malice

This fnatching from me all my youth together,
you made me for?"

All that

THIERRY AND THEODORET, act v. sc. II.

CAGED Eagle, the Lion in a toyle, Leviathan hooked, Man manacled and fettered! In these

how is Nature thwarted, eftopped, bobbed,

degraded! An Earl of England, a gentleman of high descent, of untarnished honour, of polished wit-how shall he brook fuch an affront to true nobility, birth, courage, sense, as hath fo unjustly been put upon my Lord? Is there no bourne to patience? May not we tread those foft banks till our compliant feet stick in the very mud of cowardice? So!

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