neglect his business; but such was not the case. During all this time he also worked hard as a printer, because it was his duty. He ought to have felt a pleasure in printing because it was his duty, and perhaps he did. I dare say, too, that, with his habits of perseverance, it was easy to him to work hard; for to their meals, I remained there alone. I soon despatched my light repast (which was often no more than a biscuit, or a slice of bread and a glass of water), and had the rest of the time till their return, for study. In this I made greater progress from the clearness of head which generally attends temperance in eating and drink-you may read in his life that, ing." About this time he made himself master of "Cocker's Arithmetic," which he could never understand at school; he became acquainted with the "Elements of Geometry," the "Art of Navigation," "Locke on the Human Understanding," "Art of Thinking," and many other works. Thus, dear children, you see that it is possible to love hard work. Franklin worked hard at his studies, because he made them a pleasure to himself. You may do so yourselves with your studies, or with anything else you may have to do, if you will only find out what there is of pleasure in it. You may think, perhaps, that because Franklin took so much interest in his studies he would although he improved his mind by reading, by writing poetry, by argument, and writing letters of argument, by his exercises from the "Spectator," and by his studies during the dinnerhour, and before and after work, often during the night,yet with all this he acquired great proficiency in his business, becoming more useful to his brother every day. How much even a boy can do if he is determined to make the most use of his time! When, in order to save money and time, Benjamin Franklin determined to live without animal food, he was only sixteen years old. W. And that is a time when boys are growing, and feel very hungry: I call that great selfdenial. THE TUDORS. ELIZABETH. P. I SAID that after the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the English frequently attacked the Spaniards. Many made themselves famous by their daring exploits, and amongst these was the Earl of Essex, a young nobleman of great bravery and of pleasing manners. In those days Spain was not only very powerful, but she was one of the richest countries in the world, in consequence of the golden treasures brought from the newly discovered country, America. In Elizabeth's reign the English were not less fond of war than they had been; they did not see that it was wicked to attack their neighbours and plunder | them. We read, therefore, that the Earl of Essex and Admiral Howard took the city of Cadiz, plundered it, destroyed its ships, and did damage which cost the Spaniards twenty millions of ducats. There are many instances of robbery committed by the English. Essex knew that numerous galleons-the great Spanish ships with four deckswere constantly crossing the ocean from America to Spain, being laden with immense cargoes of gold. Essex made an agreement with another famous man, named Sir Walter Raleigh, saying, "Let us stop these galleons and seize their treasures." Accordingly they fitted out а great fleet for the purpose, and sailed for the Azores to wait for the Spanish ships. Other adventurers did likewise. Such a course was most disgraceful robbery; and highway robbers on the sea are not more deserving of respect than highway robbers on the land. But the English people did not think so, and the eari became a general favourite; not only with the nation, but with the Queen. It was supposed that Elizabeth liked him so much that she thought of choosing him for her husband. Being thus favoured, he was raised to very high honours; and when, in the year 1598, the Queen's good old secretary, Lord Burleigh, died, Essex was entrusted with the most important public duties. Burleigh, however, had been a servant of the state for forty years; and, although he was not a very clever man, he possessed much knowledge, and was very prudent. Essex was not so serviceable to the Queen as Burleigh had been. He was not only too young, but, like many others who have not experience, he had too much confidence in himself. Being flattered with his popularity, and the Queen's favour, he thought himself to be more clever and to be of more importance than he really was. He was once disputing with Burleigh before the Queen, when he offended her majesty It was with real unwillingness that Elizabeth consented to the death of Essex. It is said that she signed the warrant for his execution, and counter so that she gave him a box on the ear. Shortly after Burleigh's death Essex was sent to Ireland to subdue a rebellion which was headed by the Earl of Tyrone. Essex did not suc-manded it; again she ordered ceed well in this enterprise, and his death, and again resolved to made peace with the enemy. pardon him. It appears that This failure was the beginning the Queen had, some time of a quarrel between the Queen before, given Essex a ring, and Essex which ended in his telling him that whenever he ruin. Essex hastily returned should be in danger, if he forfrom Ireland without orders, to warded the ring to her he should justify himself to her majesty. have protection and safety. Elizabeth had before been pro- Elizabeth expected that Essex voked by his misconduct, and would send the ring; and it was now more angry than ever. was found after his death that he She caused him to be brought had done so, but that the Counto trial, but the result was that tess of Nottingham, by whom he was liberated, though not he sent it, was his secret enemy, restored to favour; and the and did not deliver it. ElizaQueen ordered him to remain a beth was therefore secretly prisoner in his own house until angry at his obstinacy in not her further pleasure was known. asking for mercy and forgiveness. This order, and some other signs of the Queen's displeasure, only served to enrage Essex. Instead of being obedient, he depended on his favour with the people, and broke into open rebellion. Leaving his house, he sallied forth to make an insurrection in the City. Attended by only two hundred followers, armed with swords, he passed through the streets crying aloud, "For the Queen! for the Queen! a plot is laid for my life!" He hoped thus to induce the populace to rise to his assistance, but he was mistaken, for not a single person joined him. He was taken prisoner and conveyed to the Tower, and soon afterwards he was tried, condemned, and executed. After the death of Essex Elizabeth did not enjoy one more happy day. Her distress was greatly increased when the Countess of Nottingham on her death-bed confessed the truth concerning the ring. When the dying woman asked the Queen's forgiveness for her treachery, Elizabeth turned from her, saying, "God may forgive you, but I never will." Her health and spirits then declined gradually. She lost all interest in her duties, and attended to business merely through habit. Two years afterwards she expired, in the seventieth year of her age, having reigned more than fortyfour years-A. D. 1603. THE TUDORS. THE TIMES OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. THE character of Elizabeth | power. In this she was like may be understood from the her grandfather, Henry_VII., history of her reign. Amongst and all the Tudors. Henry, her peculiarities may be no- you may remember, greatly ticed her unwillingness to increased the power of the marry. The year after her Crown, and his successors accession the Parliament "addressed the Queen to marry," but she declined. The Duke of Anjou courted the Queen for ten years, and then left England in despair. Philip of Spain gave Elizabeth all the jewels of his first wife, but when he offered to marry her he was refused. You remember the consequences. King Charles of Austria, Eric of Sweden, and Adolphus of Holstein became suitors to the Queen, but she refused them all. The Earl of Essex seemed to have been more liked by her than any one else. Sir Walter Raleigh also was favoured by her. Elizabeth, however, remained unmarried until her death. Another peculiarity of the Queen was her vanity and love of dress. She believed herself to have personal beauty, even when she was more than sixty years old. At her death it is said that three thousand dresses were found in her wardrobe. Elizabeth had a taste for literature, which has been mentioned; she also sung and played well, and was passionately fond of dancing. Perhaps the greatest peculiarity and the greatest fault of Elizabeth was her love of imitated him. Henry VIII. would never permit the Parliament to oppose his will. Mary was quite as arbitrary, but Elizabeth was the most selfwilled of all. You have heard how, before the time of the Tudors, the liberties of the people were favoured in the contests for succession to the Crown. But there had been no such contest since the time of Henry VII. Through four successive reigns the birthrights of the sovereigns had been undisputed, and their power was not all dependent on the good-will of the people. Since the reign of Henry VIII. the sovereign had been also recognised as "the Head of the Church." Thus an idea was beginning to arise that the right of the Crown was derived from God, and that the people had nothing to do with it, except to obey. Thus circumstances favoured Elizabeth's love of power. She did not fail to take advantage of the rising notions, and to impress them upon the people. From the beginning to the end of her reign Elizabeth and her ministers governed the nation. The power of the Parliament was a mere pretence-it was quietly allowed in that assembly that the Queen was above all laws, and could make and unmake them at her pleasure. There were great numbers who, from the beginning of the Reformation, thought that the Queen ought not to be styled "The Head of the Church," and that the national Church ought not to be connected with the State. They also disapproved of some of the "doctrines" taught in the church, and of the plan of worshipping God. There were many who, during the persecutions in Mary's reign, had fled to Geneva, in Switzerland. There they had learned the rigid doctrines taught by a celebrated reformer named Calvin, and they wished to worship God according to his plans. These men, and all others who did not agree to the doctrines of the established church, were called PURITANS. Amongst them was the celebrated John Knox, who, I told you, taught the reformed religion in Scotland. This state of things led both to evil and good. Elizabeth carried out her own will by means of two courts of justice-the COURT OF STAR CHAMBER, for trying common offences; and the COURT OF HIGH COMMISSION, for trying offences connected with the Church. In both of these courts the judges held their places as long as their decisions pleased the Queen. When present Elizabeth was the sole judge. These courts gave the Queen and her ministers power to imprison any person in any jail as long as they might think fit. Spies were employed by them in all parts of the kingdom; it was in this way that the connection of Mary Queen of Scots with the conspiracy of Babington was discovered. In suspicious times, therefore, the jails were full of prisoners, who were sometimes thrown into dungeons, and loaded with irons, and put to the torture to make them con-able Act was passed, obliging fess. Fines were imposed on her subjects to conform. By those who were thought guilty, this Act they were obliged to and corporal punishment by repair once a month to the whipping and branding, and slit- established church under pain ting the nostrils and ears. The of imprisonment or banishpeople had no redress against ment. It was also enacted, these enormities. When the that if any one followed Queen had determined to con- clergyman who was out of the vict a prisoner, neither judge established church, he should nor jury dared to acquit him. forfeit his goods and chattels for the first offence; he should be subject to a year's imprisonment for the second offence; and imprisonment during life for the third. These Acts were The religious persecutions which Elizabeth carried on by means of the Court of High Commission were perhaps more than those of the Star Chamber. The Queen, however, did not like that any doctrines but those of the established church should be preached, and she therefore persecuted both the Puritans and the Papists. A remark |