"defired the eftates and goods of her fubjects; "and for her own treasure, fhe commanded it "to be frugally and fparingly laid out for her private pleasure, but royally and liberally for

66

66

any public use, whether it were for common "benefit or domeftic magnificence."

The proficiency in learning of this great Princefs is thus defcribed by Roger Afcham, in his "Schoolmafter :"

"It is to your fhame (I speak to you all, you

yong Jentlemen of England) that one Mayd "fhould go beyond you all in excellencie of "learnyng, and knowledge of divers tonges. "Pointe forth fix of the best given Jentlemen of "this Court, and all they together shew not so "much good-will, fpend not fo much tyme, be"ftow not fo many houres dayly, orderly, and

constantly, for the increase of learnyng and "knowledge, as doth the Queene's Majestie "herfelfe. Yea I believe, that beside her per"fect readines in Latin, Italian, French, and

Spanish, the readeth here now at Windfore 66 more Greeke every day than fome Prebendarie "of this Church doth read Latin in a whole "weeke. And that which is most praise-worthy "of all, within the walls of her Privie-Chamber "fhe hath obteyned that excellencie of learning, "to understand, fpeak, and write both wittily

66 with

with head, and faire with hand, as fcarce one or two rare Wittes in both the Universities "have in many yeares reached unto."

Queen Elizabeth made many progreffes through her kingdom. The account of the preparations made at Canterbury for receiving her Majefty are thus described in a letter of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, copied from the ori ginal at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

66 SIR,

"Gladlie would I do all the fervice I could to "the Queenes Majestie, and to all her Nobiles, with the rest of her most honourable household. "I have other council to followe, but to "fearche out what fervice my predeceffors have "been wont to doe. My oft diftemperance and "infirmitie of bodye maketh me not to do fo "much as I woulde. If her Majestie would "please to remayne in my houfe, her Highness "fhould have convenient rome. And I could "place for a progreffe-time your Lordship, my "Lord Chamberlaine, my Lord of Leicester, and "Mr. Hatton, if he come home: thinkinge "that your Lordfhips will furnishe the places with

66

your own stuffe. They faie that myne house "is of an evill aire, hanging upon the church, "and having no profpect to loke on the people,

but yet I truste the conveniencie of the build

"ing

"ing would ferve. If her Hyghness be minded "to have her own palace at St. Auftens, then "might your Lordships be otherwise placed, with "the Deane and certain Prebendaries. Mr. "Lawte, Prebendary, would fayn have your "Lordship in his convenient house, trusting the ❝rather to doe your Lordship now fervice, as ❝he did once in teaching Grammar Schoole in "Stamford, by your appointment. Mr. Bungey "alfo would be glad to have your Lordship in "his lodging, where the Frenche Cardinal laye, "and his houfe is fayer and fufficient. Mr. "Pearfon would gladly have your Lordship in ❝his faire house, moft fit for your Lordship, if દુઃ you think fo good.

"The custome hath beene when Princes have come to Caunterbury, for the Bishop the Deane "and the Chapter to waite on them at the west "end of their Churche, and fo to attend on "them, and there to heare an oration. After

that her Highness may goe under a canopye "till fhe cometh to the middle of the Churche, "where certain prayers fhall be fayde, and after "that to wayte on her Highness through the 66 Quier to the Communion Table to heare the ❝even-fonge, fo afterwardes to departe to her "own lodginge. Or elfe, upon Sonday follow❝ing, (if it be her pleasure,) to come from her " house of St. Auftens by the new bridge, and

❝fo to enter the weft end of the Churche, or in her coache by the street. It would much re❝joice and stablish the people here in this reli"gion to fee her Highness that Sondaye (being "the first Sondaye of the moneth, when others ❝ also customablie may receive) as a godlie de"voute Prince, in her cheife and metropoliticall Churche, openlie to receive the Communion

(which by her favour I would administer to "her): Plurima funt magna et neceffaria, fed hoc "unum eft neceffarium. I prefume not to pre"fcribe this to her Highness, but as her trustie "Chapleyn fhewe my judgement. And after "that Communion yt might please her Majestie "to heare the Deane preache, fitting either in "her traverse, or els to fuffer him to go to the common Chapter, being the place of Ser"mons, where a greater multitude should hear. " And yet her Highness might goe to a very fitt "place with fome of her Lords and Ladies, to

be there in a convenient closett above the "heads of the people to heare the fermon. "And after that, I would defier to see her "Highness at her and myne houfe for the din"ner following. And if her Highness will give "me leave, I would keepe my bigger Hall that "daye for her Nobiles and the reft of her trayne. And if it please her Majestie, fhe may come in through my Gallerie, and fee

"the

"the difpofition of the Hall in dynner time at «a window opening thereunto. I pray your "Lordship be not offended, though I write "unto my Lord of Suffex as Lord Chamber, ❝layne, in fome of thofe matters as may con❝cerne his office. I am in preparing for three ❝or fouer of my good Lords fome Geldings; " or if I knewe whether would like you best, "either one for your own faddle, or a fine "little white Gelding for your own footclothe,

or one for one of your Gentlemen, I would "fo appointe you. And thus trusting to have 66 your counsell as Mr. Deane cometh for the "fame, I commit your Honor to God's tuycion as "myself. From my house of Beakesbone, nighe "to Caunterburie, this 18th of Augufte 1573. "Your L. affured in Chrifte,

" MATTHEW CANTUAR."

MARY,

QUEEN OF SCOTS.

ON the death of her husband, Francis the Second, Mary quitted France; and, as if confcious of the fate that was to await her in Scot 6

land,