source whence they are derived is only accessible through the courtesy of the learned possessor of the MS. "Lost from her majesty's back, the 14th of May, anno 21. one small acorn, and one oaken leaf of gold, at Westminster. Lost by her majesty, in May, anno 23, two buttons of gold, like tortoises, with pearls in them, and one pearl more, lost, at the same time, from a tortoise. Lost, at Richmond, the 12th of February, from her majesty's back, wearing the gown of purple cloth, of silver, one great diamond, out of a clasp of gold, given by the earl of Leicester, parcel of the same gown 17, anno 25."1 The course of chronology is a little antedated by the quotation of the last items, but not, perhaps, in vain, as the reader will be able to form, meanwhile, a more lively idea of the stately Elizabeth agitating the empires of Europe, and defying Spaniard and pope, y-clad in her purple cloth of silver or gold, bestudded with golden aglets, buttons enamelled in the form of tortoises, oak-leaves, and acorns, pearls and diamonds, of which she always returned minus a portion, whenever she appeared in public. Verily, her finery appears so entirely part and parcel of herself, that it is mixed up in the gravest details of her state policy. She was never seen in deshabille by masculine eyes but on two occasions. The first time was on a fair May morning, in 1578, when Gilbert Talbot, the earl of Shrewsbury's son, happening to walk in the tilt-yard, about eight o'clock, under the gallery where her majesty was wont to stand, chanced to look up, and saw her at the window in her night-cap. My eye," says he, "was full towards her, and she shewed to be greatly ashamed thereof, for that she was unready, and in her night stuff. So, when she saw me after dinner, as she went to walk, she gave me,”— pretty playfulness for a virgin queen of forty-five, "a great filip on the forehead, and told my lord chamberlain, who was the next to see her, how I had seen her that morning, and how much she was ashamed thereof.'" Twenty years later, the luckless Essex surprised her in the hands of her tire-woman, and paid as severe a penalty for his blunder as the profane huntsman, who incurred the vengeance of Diana by his trespass. 1 Ex. MSS. Phillipps, Middle Hill Collection. 2 Lodge's Illustrations. Whether Elizabeth condescended to sell her influence in the courts of law, where matters of property were at stake, seems almost an injurious question for her biographers to ask, yet the family vice of the Tudors, covetousness, led her to receive gifts from her courtiers, under circumstances which excite suspicions derogatory to her character as a gentlewoman, and degrading to her dignity as a sovereign. "I will adventure," writes Harrington, in confidence to a friend, "to give her majesty five hundred pounds in money,' and some pretty jewel, or garment, as you shall advise, only praying her majesty to further my suit with some of her learned council, which I pray you to find some proper time to move in. This, some hold as a dangerous adventure, but five and twenty manors do well warrant my trying it." Whether the money was rejected we cannot ascertain, but that the jewel was accepted, certainly appears in the record of the gifts presented to queen Elizabeth in the beginning of this year: "Item, a heart of gold garnished with sparks of rubies, and three small pearls, and a little round pearl pendant, out of which heart goeth a branch of roses, red and white, wherein are two small diamonds, three small rubies, two little emeralds, and two small pearls, three qtrs. di., and farthing gold weight, given by Mr. John Harrington, Esq." Full of hopes and fears about the success of his suit, the accomplished courtier notes the following resolution in his diary: I will attend to-morrow, and leave this little poesy behind her cushion at my departing from her presence." The little poesy was well calculated to please a female monarch, who was, to the full, as eager to tax the wits of her courtiers for compliments, as their purses for presents. Harrington was certainly the elder brother of Waller in the art of graceful flattery in verse. Observe how every line tells : TO THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY. "For ever dear, for ever dreaded prince, You read a verse of mine a little since, And so pronounced each word, and every letter, 1 Harrington's Nuga Antiquæ. In Sloane MS. 814, quoted in Park's edition of Nuga Antiquæ, by sir John Harrington, from the notes of which we learn that Harrington presented his royal godmother with gifts, in 1574, 1577, and 1579, but she, in return, gave him plate, weighing 40 ounces. source whence they are derived is only accessible through the courtesy of the learned possessor of the MS. "Lost from her majesty's back, the 14th of May, anno 21, one small acorn, and one oaken leaf of gold, at Westminster. Lost by her majesty, in May, anno 23, two buttons of gold, like tortoises, with pearls in them, and one pearl more, lost, at the same time, from a tortoise. Lost, at Richmond, the 12th of February, from her majesty's back, wearing the gown of purple cloth, of silver, one great diamond, out of a clasp of gold, given by the earl of Leicester, parcel of the same gown 17, anno 25."1 The course of chronology is a little antedated by the quotation of the last items, but not, perhaps, in vain, as the reader will be able to form, meanwhile, a more lively idea of the stately Elizabeth agitating the empires of Europe, and defying Spaniard and pope, y-clad in her purple cloth of silver or gold, bestudded with golden aglets, buttons enamelled in the form of tortoises, oak-leaves, and acorns, pearls and diamonds, of which she always returned minus a portion, whenever she appeared in public. Verily, her finery appears so entirely part and parcel of herself, that it is mixed up in the gravest details of her state policy. She was never seen in deshabille by masculine eyes but on two occasions. The first time was on a fair May morn ing, in 1578, when Gilbert Talbot, the earl of Shrews are bury's son, happening to walk in the tilt-yard, about eight o'clock, under the gallery where her majesty was wont to stand, chanced to look up, and saw her at the window i her night-cap. "My eye," says he, "was full toward her, and she shewed to be greatly ashamed thereof, for th she was unready, and in her night stuff. So, when she saw me after dinner, as she we pretty playfulness for a vir filip on the forehead, ar Whether the courts of law. TOR DE I seems almost in mus ask, yet the mir e her to receive its rom er en which excite suspicias length * gentlewoman, and eating u ler e DIENA "I will adventure. vans Sarria, IL QAENGAN " a friend, "to give her mes i hundred pound » money,' and some pretty ev ir pirnens & the vir advise, only praying her majesty order my sic some of her learned count, which I powy you tò gland mos proper time to move in. This some hold as a dangove adventure, but five and twenty manors do well wattan P trying it." Whether the money was rejected we cannot awertaph but that the jewel was accepted, certainly appears record of the gifts presented to queen Elizabeth in the be ging of this year: - a heart of gold garnished with sparks of rubies, and the send alle rond pearl pendant, out of which heart goeth a fam te vierein are two small diamonds, three amall rot needs and two small pearls, three qtrs, di,, and birthing Papa pre y lli Jan Harrington, Esq.'" I fanes and fears about the success of his te partier sotes the following auth All tend to-morrow, and leave the fo That my departing from t 449 s only 3 good never 1 since doors. ks her would should ry your to the rk this of the th that nds to er (maous hot of good Standing e fain to d divers strong as 1 as good Dove three ery far out o, for none by chance, d she is well sick Sith, then, your highness doth by gift exceeding, “From your highness's saucy godson.” Queen Elizabeth affected to be displeased with Harrington's satirical writings, especially the "Metamorphosis of Ajax," in which some of the leading men of the court were severely lashed. "But," writes Robert Markham, to the imprudent wit, "though her highness signified her displeasure in outward manner, yet did she like the marrow of your book. The queen is minded to take you to her favour, but she sweareth, that she believes you will make epigrams, and write Misacmos again on her, and all her court." She hath been heard to say, that merry poet, her godson, must not come to Greenwich till he hath grown sober, and leaveth the ladies' sports and frolics.' She did conceive much disquiet on being told you had aimed a shaft at Leicester. I wish you knew the author of that ill deed. I would not be in his best jerkin for a thousand marks." On the 17th of May, died the venerable archbishop Parker, and, on June 22nd, less than three weeks after his death, the horrible fact is recorded, by Stowe, that "two Dutchmen, anabaptists, were burnt in Smithfield, who died in great horror, with roaring and crying." Foxe the mar tyrologist, to his honour, wrote an eloquent letter to Elizabeth, imploring her not to sully the annals of her reign, and the practice of the reformed church, by burning for heterodoxy. His intercession was unavailing to save the two wretched foreigners from the flames, but Elizabeth's persecutions were afterwards of a bloody and not a fiery character. Unfortunately, the queen was an advocate for the use of torture, though declared, by the high authority of Fortescue, and other enlightened commentators on the constitution of England, to be contrary to the law.* The royal progresses, this summer, were through the midland counties. In June, Leicester writes to Burleigh, from some place, supposed to be Grafton, as follows: 1 Harrington's satire was written in epistles, purporting to be written by Misacmos to his friend and cousin Philostilpnos. * Many horrible details will be found in Jardine's Essay on the Use of Torture. |