the House of Peers decreed, that he should be ". put under a safe and secret guard, and in such a place, where no concourse of people might resort to him." The only man, either in the clergy or laity, that had the courage to oppose this usurpation at the time, was Thomas Merks, Bishop of Carlisle. Sir Walter Raleigh, in speaking of this prelate, says, that "he was the only honest man in this parliament, who scorned his life and fortune, in respect to his sovereign's right, and his own allegiance." This prelate suffered dearly for his integrity; for he was instantly deprived of his dignity, and suffered long imprisonment; and had it not been for his order, which was then held inviolable, he would have died the death of a traitor. The following are some of the most remarkable passages of this eloquent speech.

"But, alas! good King Richard, why such cruelty? What such impiety hath he ever committed? Examine rightly those imputations which are laid against him, without any false circumstance of aggravation, and you shall find nothing objected, either of any truth, or of great moment. It may be that many errors and oversights have escaped him, yet none so grievous to be termed tyranny; as proceeding rather from unexperienced ignorance, or corrupt counsel, than from any natural or wilful malice. Oh! how shall the world be pestered with tyrants, if subjects may rebel upon every pretence of tyranny? How many good princes shall daily be suppressed by those whom they ought to be supported? If they levy a subsidy, or any other taxation, it shall be claimed oppression; if they put any to death for traiterous attempts against their persons, it shall be exclaimed cruelty; if they

do any thing against the lust and liking of the people, it shall be proclaimed tyranny." He concluded by declaring, that the duke whom they called king, had more offended against the king and the realm than Richard had done; and conjured the house, that "if this injury and this perjury doth nothing more as yet, let both our private and common dangers somewhat withdraw us from these violent proceedings."

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

When England was threatened with invasion by the "invincible armada" of Spain, and a camp was formed at Tilbury, of twenty-three thousand men, to protect the capital, on this memorable and momentous occasion, Queen Elizabeth resolved to visit in person the camp, for the purpose of encouraging her troops. Like a second Boadicea, armed for defence against the invader of her country, she appeared at once the warrior and the queen; the sacred feelings of the moment, superior to all the artifices of royal dignity, and the tricks of royal condescension, inspired her with that impressive earnestness of look, of words, of gesture, which alone is truly dignified, and truly eloquent.

Mounted on a noble charger, with a general's truncheon in her hand, a corslet of polished steel laced on 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 amid the affectionate plaudits, and shouts of military ardour, which burst from the animated and admiring soldiery,

she addressed them in the following short but spirited harangue.

My loving people, I have been persuaded by some that are careful of my safety, to take heed how I committed myself to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery. But I tell you, that I would not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear; I have so behaved myself, that under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects. Wherefore am I come among you at this time but for my recreation and pleasure, being resolved, in the midst and heart of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, mine honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too; and take foul scorn that Parma, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm. To the which, rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will venture my royal blood. I myself will be your general, judge and rewarder of your virtue in the field. I know that already for your forwardness you have deserved reward, and crowns; and I assure you, on the word of a prince, you shall not fail of them. In the mean time, my lieutenant-general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting, but by your concord in the camp, and valour in the field, and your obedience to myself and my general, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God and of my kingdom."

As the preceding speech differs in some points from the copy of it already printed, it may be necessary to state, that it has been faithfully transcribed from No. 6798 of the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum, the othography alone being corrected. It is there stated to have been "Gathered by on yt heard itt, and was commanded to utter itt to ye whole army ye next day, to send itt gathered to ye queen herself."

During the summer of 1577, a Polish ambassador sent to Queen Elizabeth, then in the sixty-fourth year of her age, to complain of an invasion of neutral rights. Speed, the ablest of our chroniclers, gives at length her extempore Latin reply to the harangue of the ambassador, adding in his quaint but expressive phra, that she, "Thus lion-like rising, daunted the male pert orator no less with her stately port and majestical deporture, than with the tartness of her princely cheeks; and turning to the train of her attendants, thus said, ''s death, my lords, I have been informed this day to scour up my old Latin, that hath lain so long in rusting!''

In a volume of the Harleian MSS., No. 6798, there is a copy of this celebrated speech as delivered in Latin, with an English translation by Harry Capel. It is as follows:

"The answer of the queene, to the orator of the Kinge of Polonia, the 25th day of July, 1597

"Oh, how I was beguiled! I expected an ambassa dor, but you have brought me a complaint. I understand by my letters you were an ambassador, but I

have founde you an heralde. I never in my life hearde such an orator. I cannot but admire so great and so strange boldnesse in an open assembly, and I can hardly be induced to believe, that your kinge himselfe, if he had hither arrived unto our presence, woulde ever entertaine such wordes, so rudely attired, into his mouthe; otherwise if this your oration cancell itselfe within the limits of his commandement, (whereof I am halfe afrayde) must needes impute it unto this, that sith your prince's head is not as yet seasoned with grey haires, as also challenging the right of his government, not by any lawfull descent, but by a favourable election, and as yet but lately invested with the Polonian diademe, he cannot fathome the hidden mystery of managinge these state matters with other princes so perfectly as either his predecessors have to us performed, or those that are afterwarde themselves to be inthroned in his kingdome may peradventure observe. And to approache a little nearer unto you, you seeme to have tossed many volumes, yet scarcely with your forefinger to have touched any treatises of kings; but rather to be

a very raw scholar in judginge of prince's behaviour, nay, even in that which your mother Nature, or the accustomed law of all nations, might have taught you, that when princes are up in armes, it is no point of injustice for the one to arrest the other, his warlike compliments, not regardinge then the place from whence they came, and to carry a provident eye, lest peradventure they might returne to his owne damage. This is I say that same law of nature and of all nations. Whereas you make intention of the new alliance contracted with the house of Austria; wherein