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had faid. Therefore, when my Lord paffed before the throne another time, the Queen stayed him thus:

"Ha! hath our Earl Marshal conquered himself, and will he now deign to protect our realm ?"

The colour mounted in my Lord. His eyes, rifing, met those of his royal mistress.

"Your Highness," said he, "hath but to order, and Effex's all is at your Grace's 'hest.”

There was a taunt furging in the royal throat. Those who read her countenance knew it. But a better nature for the nonce-was it fo, or was it but a piece of queencraft?-induced Elizabeth to hold out the royal hand.

Effex bent both knees, kiffing the profeffed fymbol of peace. Who can tell his fenfations? Weak in body, what wonder his mind was overcome! Some faid her Grace re

garded the Earl feelingly: others faid, "Nay!"

CHAPTER VI.

"Confefs

What Treafon there is mingled with your love?"
MERCH. VEN., act III. fc. II.

Marry this, fir, is proclaimed through all our host,
That Hector, by the first hour of the sun,
Will, with a trumpet, twixt our Tents and Troy,
To-morrow morning call fome knight to arms
That hath a stomach; and fuch an one that dare
Maintain I know not what! 'tis trash!"

TR. and CR., act 1. fc. IV.

ARTHA, Martha, attendis ad plurima, unum fufficit. Win the Queen," quoth wife Maf

ter Francis Bacon, " If this be not the be

ginning, of any other course I can fee no end." And fome very politic maxims elfe did he lay down for my Lord's guidance; fome of which, to speak truly, Effex was of too

noble and free a condition to use. Yet after a while one could fee that the Earl had been tutored, but whether by his late fickness or by the refpects his mind had entertained during the fame, or through the philofophies of Master Cuffe, or howfoever, fo it was. Effex was a fad man now. Grave yet irritable, often morofe, and courting folitude.

The Court moved to Richmond. The Earl was daily in attendance; for matters were urgent with the Privy Council, and inftructions for the expedition against Ireland occupied their care.

By her Grace's bedfide, ere she arofe, my Lord fat as had been his wont. The fair hand he used to prefs and kifs lay on the coverlid, and anon he took it into his own. Then the royal lady, difengaging it, drew from beneath his ruff that long lock of hair my Lord ever wore, toying with it. There may have been fome restraint and awkwardness at first. But people fall into old ways foon. And Elizabeth fpake of her heart's affections; and how the cares of rule militated against happiness. How she had been better fitted for a private station than for the Queen of a great realm. How she would have enjoyed domestic peace, rather than state broils. And her Grace fighed heavily. Then Essex

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effayed to comfort her with this word, that Providence had

found her Majefty fit for that high estate.

That she was a

chofen vessel or Ark in which this nation had been preserved, while the whole world elfe lay deluged in Popery. That there were as many forrows and fewer joys in private families. And that, if the married state had its comforts, fo a virgin had peculiar blessings.

And the Queen stroked the Earl's cheek; and the Earl took the Queen's other hand and kissed it fervently (for she had turned towards him; looking very foothly at him). And Elizabeth fighed again, faying, " Alas, my country! what will come of it when it shall please God to take me?” And Effex answered, " May it please Him to fpare your Highness long!"

And Elizabeth faid, "I have fat upon this throne now one-and-forty years!"

And Effex answered, "God preferve your Majesty as many more!"

And the Queen began to call to mind many who had ferved her faithfully, and were now dead. She spake of Thomas Ratcliffe Earl of Suffex, of Thomas Clinton Earl of Lincoln, of William Haftings Earl of Huntingdon, of

Walter Devereux Earl of Effex. Then of Robin Dudley. And the fighed as a widow fighs when after many years she remembereth the husband of her youth. And the presently spake of Hatton; and a faint smile paffed over her pale cheek. And anon fhe dropped a tear for Philip Sidney. Effex, too, grew mournful, reflecting how the glory of this world paffeth away; and how the young and the gallant, the chivalrous and the good, and the loved and the hopeful, go to their unremembered graves, while the mischiefs of the wicked, and the selfish, and the base survive.

And they fate filently, both mufing. And her Majesty's watch lay on the stand, and its tickings founded folemnly. And there was a noise behind the bed, as of fome one clearing the throat. And my Lord, ere one could think, clapped his rapier through the Arras; and then there was certainly a motion behind as of one escaping. "Who's there!" cried he paffionately, "A rat?" But, the ladies of the bedchamber coming in from the other fide with her Grace's aired linen, the Queen faid, "How long wilt keep to thy foining?" figning that she would now be alone with her

women.

And it came to pass after fome days, that there were

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