The paltry fentence proved how petty was the charge. "Justice had her balance taken from her," as Master Francis facetely furmifed; "my Lord was wounded in the back!" True, Master Bacon, true; and it is to be lamented that you were the Brutus whofe blow fo bafely thrust at his manly heart!

Her Grace, urged by Cecyl, had, as Ralegh foretold, entered her anger and her pride with the accufation. But the Council, not finding my Lord guilty of any serious crime, fo would they not condemn him greatly.

Yet this fentence would let down her Majefty as one touched o' the spleen rather than equable. She must still ftand Semper eadem' before the world! So 'twas with an ill grace the Royal prerogative of mercy fpake, "the Earl of Effex is at liberty!"

Cecyl now found that he had overwrought himself. And wifely and in time had he checked hand; warding off from the Star-Chamber her vindictive Majefty. Ralegh, on the other fide, upon a conceit of its certain violation of all forms of law, and traditional ftraining towards the Sovereign's will, had looked forward to that prosecution as the very fure end of Effex's career; trusting to his own

The Secretary in some Efteem.

247

quality fo to exacerbate the Queen as to procure a stinging fentence.

If, then, Cecyl had carried it too fast at first, he had redeemed his place with the Queen, with the Council, with prudent people, and indeed with Effex. But Ralegh, once fo cautious, getting excited in the contemplation of an imaginary goal, lost his judgement, fmothering his wit in his rage. Thus, urging her Majesty to farther passages than she willed, he loft all government over her. That dog who, having a special bone in 's mouth, faw his fhadow in the stream, ftriving to fnatch the larger morfel, what happed him? Sir Walter loft his place at Court; and Cecyl, unhelped of him, thought it not bound on him to ask the fweet wine monopoly for him. The big bone in the river vanished when the little bone fell to the bottom!

All now knew Sir Walter to be an open enemy of Essex, and hated him accordingly. Some still hoped Sir Robert would be his friend. And Harry Howard told my Lord fo; affuring all men of the good faith of jocofe Master Secretary.

Then, the Earl going for change of air, the Lord Harry bore a message from him to her Grace: to wit-" That

he kissed her Royal hand, and the rod which had corrected, not ruined him: but he could never recover his wonted joy till he beheld her comfortable eyes, which had been his guiding stars, and by the conduct whereof he had failed most happily whilst he held his course in just latitude." And he made a profane fimilitude of himself to Nabuchodonofor, which it were not well to chronicle. The Queen rejoiced at these words, faying, "Would God his deeds would accord with his words! He hath long time tried my patience; and I must have some time to make proof of his humility. My father would not have endured fuch perverfeness. But I will not look behind me, left with Lot's wife I be turned into a Pillar of Salt. All is not gold that glisteneth. If this could be brought to pass with the furnace, I should be more favourable to the profeffion of Alchemy."

Then Master Philofopher Cuffe, who had always perfuaded the Earl that he should by no means confess himfelf guilty, but ftoutly defend his cause, suffering no breach to be made in his honour, so sharply taxed him as a man of a faint heart, and the rest, which had perfuaded him to the contrary, to be men of but flender judgement, that Effex,

being displeased with him, ordered him to be stricken out of the lift of his fervants: which, notwithstanding, Sir Gilly, the steward, being fecretly of the fame opinion, did not, fearing left Cuffe in stomach fhould join the enemies. And presently, my Lord again allowing him access, Master Philofopher fung the same song in his ears; but now more boldly than before: to wit-That Effex had betrayed his cause, by confeffing that thereby he had undergone fuch lofs of his reputation as was greater than could be valued, and was to be redeemed even with his life. That the Lord Harry Howard and the rest had wound themselves into credit with him in fmall matters, that they might deceive him in greater; having exposed him as a prey unto his enemies. That he was quite debarred from all hope of former ftate unless he would feek it even in desperation. He should therefore think of fomewhat worthy himself for the full recovery of his reputation and estate; both by delivering his friends from fervitude, and the kingdom from the impotent rule of certain perfons.

To these fuggeftions my Lord ftopped his ears, yet not fo fully but that the gift of them fank into his morbid imagination; therein fermenting, as one might fay, till at

length the fame came up atop. Yet he faid he still had an affured hope of her Grace's favour to him; trufting, haply, to the charm of that mysterious angel, her Grace's picture in the Ring, with the pleasant conceited pofy, "Semper eadem.”

The Countess of Warwick, his faft friend, had counfelled him to lodge in Greenwich, where the Court now lay; and watching his opportunity, the Queen being in a pleasant humour, iffue forth and caft himself at her royal feet. But when my Lord told this to Cuffe, "Fie! fie!" quoth he, "you fhall only prepare additional difgrace and humiliation for yourself. And then the Earl bethought him of cafing very bravely; and on the Coronation day running as heretofore a tilt in honour of his Royal mistress, coming in the full panoply of his most gorgeous armour, astride on Comet; triumphing in that presence, out of which both by her own voice he was commanded, and by her own hands thrust forth. But neither would Cuffe have this exploit tried.

Behold how great a fire a little spark kindleth!" The

Farming these fweet wines, the term whereof is now well nigh expired, will your Majesty be pleased to grant to your humble fervant, R. ESSEX ?”