Should we not have imbrued our hands | the last act, was for a long time after in his blood-have cursed his imprudence, and have erected to his eternal ignominy a trophy of indiscretion, engraven in letters of blood? What mulet or penalty soever you impose upon him shall not displease me; but surely I will always hold him for an honest man. This orator-like speech," says our historian," which we heard Lord Gray make, was delivered with a good grace, and manly countenance." shut up in prison, to the great grief of many. Hitherto we have related what was publicly done against him. Now observe how he excuseth himself in the "Apology" which he made to Sir Francis Walsingham: :-"The Queen," said he, "after the ambassadors of France and Scotland were departed, wished me to shew her the warrant for the execution of the sentence pronounced against the Queen of Scotland. Having The three Earls agreed in opinion shewn it, she willingly set her hand with the rest, concerning the proposed thereto, and bade me likewise affix the penalty to be inflicted upon Davison, great seal of England, and jestingly and with Lord Gray touching his repu- said, 'You will shew this now to Waltation. The Archbishop of York dis-singham, who is sick already, but will coursed on matters of religion, and shewed die when he sees it.' She added by and that blindness of heart, and natural cor- by, that she had put it off so long, beruption, were the fountains from whence cause she would not seem to be carried evil floweth! The Archbishop of Can-away by violence; yet, knowing well the terbury approved the act, and commended necessity thereof.' Then blaming Sir the author of it, but disapproved withal Amias Poulet and Sir Drew Drury, for the manner of proceeding adopted by not having eased her of that care and Davison. Lastly, the Lord Keeper of trouble, she commanded Walsingham to the Privy Seal, having briefly recapitu- know the cause of their cessation and lated all the opinions of the commission- delay. The day after I had sealed the ers, confirmed the penalty imposed by warrant, she forbade me to do it; then them, and declared, "That although the on my telling her, that it was done alQueen, being justly moved to displea-ready, she checked me for my diligence, sure, had submitted her councillors to examination, yet, notwithstanding, she did then pardon them; acknowledging that what they had done was from a desire and design tending to the defence of religion and the state, and the repelling of imminent dangers." saying; 'that by some wise men's advice, another course might have been taken.' I answered, that just courses are always good and sure. But fearing she would cast some blame upon me, as she had formerly done upon Lord Burleigh, about the Duke of Norfolk's death, I disclosed the whole matter to Sir Christopher Hatton; protesting, that I would never, hereafter, be so forward in so weighty a matter. Hatton presently discovered it to Burleigh, and he to the rest of the council, who all concluded upon the dispatch of the execution, and vowed to share the blame; and to effect it, they sent Beale Davison then humbly petitioned the commissioners, that they would entreat for him-not to be restored to the honourable place of secretary, nor to have his liberty granted him-nor his fine or punishment mitigated, but that he might yet be a partaker of her Majesty's gracious favour! The which, for all this, he never regained; nevertheless, the Queen sometimes supplied and re-instantly away with the warrant and lieved his wants! Thus the secretary of Queen Elizabeth, a man of honest disposition and much esteem, not cunning, nor acquainted with the tricks of court, was purposely brought upon the stage to be an actor in this tragedy; and being put out of his part, as being at a nonplus in letters. The third day after, perceiving the Queen to be troubled in mind at having the preceding night, as her Majesty said, dreamed of the Queen of Scotland's death, I asked her, if she had changed her purpose. She answered me, That some other means might have been used;' and then inquiring of me, hands, and bound them to two posts [in the print her feet are bound to two other]. After this, they laid weight upon her, which, when she first felt, she said, 'Jesu! Jesu! Jesu! have mercy upon me!' which were the last words she was heard to speak. She was dying about one quarter of an hour. A sharp stone, as much as a man's fist, had been put under her back; upon her was laid to the quantitie of seven or eight hundred weight, which, breaking her ribbs, caused them to burst forth of the skinne."-March 26, 1586. In the mean time, while Queen Elizabeth, by these means, was endeavouring gently to calm the resentment of Scotland, she was furiously threatened by the King of Spain, who, though he as yet purposely avoided a declaration of war, was intently occupied upon the means of taking signal vengeance on the English, who had molested the Spaniards with continual piracies; surprized and pillaged divers towns, both in Spain and America; and lately, violating the ma whether I had received any answer from Sir Amias Poulet? I shewed her his letters, wherein he refused to undertake the execution, as unjust; to which, in great choler, she replied: He, and his confederates, are all faithless and perjured, in promising great matters and not performing them; but she should find some that for her sake would do it.' As for myself, I told her how ignominious it was, and into what perils she would bring Poulet and Drury. If she approved the deed being done, her renown would be blasted with injustice and disgrace, besides other dangers; and in disallowing it, she would ruin men of worthy merit, and their posterity for ever would be undone. To conclude, the very day that the Queen of Scotland suffered, her Majesty checked me jestingly, for that it was not yet dispatched!" Although Elizabeth had sent her great rival, Mary, Queen of Scots to the grave, she was still harassed by continual rumours of plots against her life. Her cruel persecution of the Catholics was the immediate cause of these con-jesty of all princes, had caused the spiracies. As an instance of the barbarity practised by her sanction, we mention the case of Margaret Middleton, who, for harbouring a Catholic priest, and refusing to either deny or admit the charge, was, with studied cruelty, crushed to death. "The place of execution," says an eye-witness, was the Tolboth, six or seven yards from the prison. After she had prayed, Fawcet (one of the sheriffs) commanded them to put off her apparel; when she requested him, with the four women, on their knees, 'that for the honour of womanhood, this might be dispensed with;' but they would not grant it. Then she told them that the women might unapparel her, and that they would turn their faces from her during that time.' The women took off her clothes, and put upon her the long linen habit; then very quietly she laid her down upon the ground, her face covered with a handkerchief, and most part of her body with the habit; the dore was laied upon her; her hands she joined towards her face. Then the sheriff said 'Ye must have your hands bound.' Then two sergeants parted her Queen of Scots to be beheaded. It was represented to Philip, that the English navy was, neither in number, greatness, nor strength, comparable to the combined fleet of Spain and Portugal. That England was neither fortified nor furnished with commanders, soldiers, horses, or provisions for war, but destitute alike of friends and money. These representations were soon proved to have been wholly unwarranted. Elizabeth, with the view of protracting the designs of Spain, sent Sir Francis Drake with four sail of the line, well appointed, to the Spanish coast, and elsewhere, with orders to take, burn, and pillage all such ships as he could find, as well in the harbours and ports, as on the ocean! Drake, arriving in the straits of Gibraltar, entered the Haven, where, after having caused six large ships to fly under the forts for protection, he took and burnt about one hundred others; one of the vessels taken, being the valuable galleon of the Marquis of SantaCruz, called the Ragusa, richly laden with merchandise. Thence, returning to Cape St. Vincent, he there burnt all such ships and fishing-boats as lay at anchor in the roads. He then went to the Cascalet Haven, situated at the mouth of the Tagus, where he endeavoured to prevail on the Marquis of Santa-Cruz to fight; but the Marquis not daring to stir, allowed Drake to sail along the coast, and take their ships, without molestation. Then sailing towards the Azore Islands, Drake met and captured a large Spanish ship, richly laden, called the San Philip, returning from the East Indies. By this short expedition of the valiant Drake, England was much enriched, and the Spaniards sustained so great a loss in munition and warlike preparations, that they were constrained to abandon their design of invading England for that year. From this time the English began with avidity courageously to assault those immense ships, resembling castles, which they had hitherto so much dreaded; but which, they now plainly discovered, conveyed the rich treasures of the Indies, and were not so impregnable as had been supposed. manifest itself. A smaller force of twentythree thousand was stationed at a camp near Tilbury, to protect the capital, against which it was expected that the most formidable efforts of the enemy, on making good his landing, would be immediately directed. But it was on the spontaneous efforts of individuals that the safety of the country chiefly depended, and the first appeal made by the government to the patriotism of the people was answered with promptitude and spirit. A message was sent by the privy council to the corporation of London, to inquire what the City could raise for the public service? The City authorities requested to be informed what the council might think requisite in such an emergency? Fifteen ships and five thousand men was the answer. In two days afterwards, the corporation "humbly entreated the council, in sign of their perfect love and loyalty to Prince and country, to accept of thirty ships, amply furnished, and ten thousand men.' And even as London gave precedent, the whole kingdom kept true In 1558, all Europe_rang with the rank and equipage. Lord Grey, distinmighty preparations of King Philip, for guished by his rigour in suppressing the the conquest of England. Queen Eliza- last Irish rebellion, was appointed presibeth, with singular diligence, had, dur-dent of the council of war. Lord ing the past year, laboured hard, to pre- Hunsdon, a brave soldier, distinguished pare as many ships and warlike stores as in several regular campaigns in Scotpossible. She selected Lord Howard of land, was made general of the army of Effingham for the office of Lord High reserve; and the young Earl of Essex, Admiral, a nobleman well skilled in a gallant nobleman, was selected to fill navigation, prudent, valiant, industrious, the post of general of cavalry in the and of great authority amongst seamen. main army. All these appointments The valiant Drake was appointed Vice gave general satisfaction; but the people Admiral, and every effort was made to were somewhat staggered by the nomigive the Spaniards a warm reception. nation of Leicester, the hated, disgraced, Henry Seymour, the second son of the and incapable court favourite-to the high Duke of Somerset, was ordered to lie in station of commander-in-chief of the wait upon the Belgic shores, with forty army at Tilbury. Happily the naval ships, English and Dutch, to prevent service did its duty, without requiring the Duke of Parma's approach. For the aid of such an imbecile; but the apthe land service, twenty thousand sol-pointment of such a man must ever be diers were dispersed along the southern coast, and two armies of choice troops were levied and enrolled. An army of reserve, consisting of about thirty-six thousand men, was drawn together for the defence of the Queen's person, and appointed to march towards any quarter in which the most pressing danger should regarded as one of the weakest acts into which Elizabeth was ever betrayed, by a blind and pernicious partiality. All the preparations for defence being finally arranged, Elizabeth resolved to visit in person the camp at Tilbury, for the encouragement of her troops. Mounted on a noble charger, with a : and feeble woman, but I have the heart of a King; and of a King of England too! and think it foul scorn that the King of Spain, the Duke of Parma, or any Prince of Europe, should dare invade the borders of my realm; to which, rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will take up arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, by your forwardness, that you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you, on the word of a Prince, so they shall be duly paid you. In the meantime, my lieutenant-general shall be in my stead, than whom never Prince com general's truncheon in her hand, a corselet of polished steel laced over her magnificent apparel; and a page in attendance, bearing her white plumed helmet; she rode bare-headed from rank to rank, with a courageous deportment and smiling countenance; and, amidst the loyal plaudits and shouts of military ardour, which burst from the animated and admiring troops, she harangued them in the following spirited speech :"My loving people: we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving subjects. Let tyrants fear; Imanded a more noble and worthy subhave always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safe-guard in the loyal hearts and good will of my people. And, therefore, I am come amongst you at this time; not as for my recreation or sport; but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak | ject! not doubting, by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God. of my kingdom, and of my people." Elizabeth was delighted on this, as on all other occasions, to exalt the charaoter of her favourite Leicester. Fortunately, his valour was not needed in the approaching contest with the Spaniards. .CHAPTER XII. Defeat of the Spanish Armada-Details of the various actions-Joy of Elizabeth on the occasion-Death of the Earl of Leicester-Elizabeth's new favourite, the Earl of Essex-The rival favourites-Duel between Essex and Blount-Death of Walsingham-Essex intercedes with Elizabeth for Davison-Private marriage of Essex, and rage of Elizabeth-Rigid Parsimony of the Queen-Sir Christopher HattonThe Queen and the Bishop of Ely-Sir John Perrot. bending their course towards Gallicia, | they were dispersed by a strong tempest: so distressed and weather-beaten was the fleet, that Elizabeth was led not to expect it that year: and Secretary Walsing. ham wrote to the Lord High Admiral to send back four of the largest ships. But the Admiral entreated Walsingham not to believe the report, and expressed an earnest desire to retain the whole fleet, even at his own private expense-a proper rebuke of the parsimony of that period. Having a prosperous wind, the English Admiral sailed towards Spain, with the hope of surprising the weatherbeaten ships in the harbour: when he was almost on the coast of Spain, the wind veered south; and he, who was commanded to defend the English shores, fearing that the same wind might waft the enemy's fleet towards England, quickly returned to Plymouth. On the twelfth of July, the wind continuing favourable, the Duke of Medina, with his whole fleet, weighed anchor. He dispatched a vessel to announce to the Duke of Parma the approach of the Armada, and to inform him of other needful matters; for he had orders to join the forces and fleet of the Prince of Parma, and to waft them over to England, under the protection of his Armada, and to set on shore his land forces at the mouth of the Thames. On the sixteenth day, there was a great calm, and a thick fog covered the sea till noon, and then a strong north-wind blew, then a south-wind till midnight, and then an easterly; so that the Armada, being much scattered, could hardly be collected together, till it came within sight of England, which was on the nineteenth of the month on which day the Admiral of England, being previously apprized by Captain Fleming that the Spanish fleet had arrived in the Channel, and was descried not far from the Lizard, the wind then keeping the English navy in port, he, with great difficulty, and no less industry and alacrity on the part of the sailors, himself not disdaining to pull at the hawser amongst the private seamen, at length brought his ships into the open sea. The next day, the English fleet came within sight of the Spanish Armada, which, in the form of a crescent, whose horns were at least some miles distant, was slowly approaching under full sail. The English purposely suffered them to pass by, that they might pursue them with a favourable gale of wind. On the twenty-first of July, the Lord High Admiral sent before him a pinnace, called the Defiance, and, by discharging a piece of ordnance out of her, provoked the Spaniards to the fight: and presently out of his own ship, The Royal Ark, the Admiral thundered upon a huge vessel, which he took to be that of the Spanish Admiral, but which proved to be the ship of Alphonso Leva. At the same instant, Drake, Hawkins, and Furbisher, pealed terribly on the rear, commanded by Ricaldus, who performed all the duties of a valiant and discreet commander, in endeavouring to stay the ships under his command from flying, until his own ship, extremely battered with shot, became so unmanageable, that with much difficulty he kept his station. The Duke of Medina now reformed his dispersed ships, and with full sail held on his course. Nor could he do otherwise, as the wind was favourable for the English, and their ships attacked, retired, and re-attacked them upon every quarter, with incredible celerity. When they had continued the fight sharply for the space of two hours, the English Admiral thought it prudent to retire, as he hourly expected a reinforcement of forty sail. But the The night following, a Spanish ship, the St. Katherine, being much shattered in the conflict, was received into the midst of the fleet to be repaired: and a large Catalonian ship, the Oquenda, in which was the treasurer of the fleet, was partly blown up with gunpowder, by the device of a Flemish gunner. fire was seasonably quenched by ships sent in for the purpose; one of these, a galleon of Peter Valdes, had the misfortune to fall foul of another ship, and the wind heing stormy and the night dark, she was abandoned, and became a prey to Sir Francis Drake, who sent Valdes to Dartmouth, and gave his ship to be plundered by the marines. The |