when, being involved in the accusation that was preferred against queen Anne Boleyn, he had refused to purchase his own life by bearing false witness against that unhappy lady. Lady Norris was the daughter of the generous lord Williams of Tame, who had, in the time of Elizabeth's great adversity, when under the cloud of her sister's displeasure, treated her with such protecting kindness and munificent hospitality during her sorrowful journey to Woodstock, that it was impossible it could ever be effaced from her remembrance. Elizabeth's acquaintance with lady Norris having commenced under circumstances so romantic, had induced a greater degree of personal familiarity than is usual between sovereigns and their subjects, and her majesty was wont to call her caressingly, "her dear crow," in allusion to the blackness of her hair, or the darkness of her complexion, a hue "which," as Fuller observes, "no whit misbecame the faces of her martial offspring."

The queen's pet name for his lady was played upon by the time-honoured veteran, lord Norris, or at least by his representative, who, in the character of an old soldier, addressed a speech to her majesty, in which, after telling her that he was past the age of martial deeds, he says, "my horse, my armour, my shield, my sword, the riches of a young soldier, and an old soldier's relics, I should here offer to your highness, but my four boys have stolen them from me, vowing themselves to arms. Of these, the valiant sir John Norris was then commanding the English forces in France, sir Edward had distinguished himself in the Netherlands. The others were serving in Ireland. "The rumour of their deaths," pursued the old man, "hath so often affrighted the crow, my wife, that her heart hath been as black as her feathers. I know not whether it be affection or fondness, but the crow thinketh her own birds the fairest, because to her they are the dearest. What joys we both conceive neither can express; suffice it, they be as your virtues infinite. And although nothing be more unfit to lodge your majesty than a crow's nest, yet shall it be most happy to us that it is by your highness made a phoenix nest." At the end of this quaint speech, the offering of a fair gown was presented to her majesty.

The mournful tidings of the death of one of the four brave boys, to whom allusion was proudly made in the old man's

speech, was, a few years after this visit to Ricote, communicated by the queen to lady Norris, in the following beautiful letter, in which her majesty affectionately addresses the afflicted friend of her youth, by the quaint soubriquet which was, of course, regarded as an epithet of familiar endear

ment:

"Mine own dear Crow,

Although we have deferred long to represent unto you our grieved thoughts, because we liked full ill to yield you the first reflections of our misfortunes, whom we have always sought to cherish and comfort, yet knowing now that necessity must bring it to your ears, and nature consequently must raise many passionate workings in your heart, we have resolved no longer to smother either our care for your sorrow, or the sympathy of our grief for his death; wherein, if society in sorrowing work any diminution, we do assure you, by this true messenger of our mind, that nature can have stirred no more dolorous affection in you, as a mother for a dear son, than the grateful memory of his services past hath wrought in us, his sovereign, apprehension of the miss of so worthy a servant.

"But now that nature's common work is done, and he that was born to die hath paid his tribute, let that Christian discretion stay the flow of your immoderate grieving, which hath instructed you, both by example and knowledge, that nothing of this kind hath happened but by God's providence, and that these lines from your loving and gracious sovereign serve to assure you that there shall ever remain the lively character of you and yours that are left, in valuing rightly all their faithful and honest endeavours.

"More at this time I will not write of this unsilent subject, but have despatched this gentleman to visit both your lord, and to condole with you in the true sense of our love, and to pray you, that the world may see that what time cureth in weak minds, that discretion and moderation help you in this accident, where there is so opportune occasion to demonstrate true patience and moderation."1

1 Fuller's Worthies of Oxfordshire, p. 336.

ELIZABETH,

SECOND QUEEN REGNANT OF ENGLAND & IRELAND,

CHAPTER XI.

Favouritism of Essex-Queen violates the privileges of parliament-Her severe letter to Henry IV. on his change of creed—Her theological studies -Translates Boethius-Supposed plot against her life by Lopez-Her letter to Henry IV. in behalf of the son of Don Antonio, of PortugalHer persecution of the puritans-Henry IV. and her portrait-Court gossip and intrigues-Royal pageantry, fêtes, and costly presents to the queen-Her sagacious conduct to her maternal kindred-Disgrace of Robert Carey-His attempts to propitiate the queen-Her stormy inter⚫ view with him on his return from Scotland-Their reconciliation-Her rage at Raleigh's marriage-Her reception of Dr. Rudd's sermon-Her parsimony, and abridgment of naval and military supplies-Quarrels with Essex-Her jealousy of the fair Bridges-Essex's expedition to Spain-His loving letter to the queen-Growing influence of the lord admiral-She creates him earl of Nottingham-Essex's discontent-She makes him earl marshal-Her spirited retort to the Polish ambassadorEssex tries to bring his mother to court-Queen's reluctance to receive her-Essex carries his point-Dispute in council between the queen and Essex-She boxes his ears-His petulant behaviour and menace-He retires from court-Sickness and death of Burleigh—Elizabeth's grief-Her palaces, dress, and appearance in old age-Elizabeth and her bishops-Her fickleness of purpose-Facetious remark of a Windsor carter, on her frequent change of mind-Her manner of evading an unwelcome suit.

A NEW era, in the personal history of queen Elizabeth, commences with the return of the earl of Essex from his French campaigns, in 1592-3. She welcomed him with undisguised delight, and lavished favours and distinctions upon him, with profuse liberality. He returned an altered man; the delicacy and refinement of youthful honour, had given place to sentiments, more in unison with the wisdom of the children of this world. His residence in the sprightly camp of the gay and amorous king of France, had unfitted him for the duties of domestic life, and accomplished him in all the arts of courtly flattery and dissipation.

Lady Essex, the wife of his choice, was neglected and kept in the background, while he affected to become the lover of a princess, three-and-thirty years older than himself, as the surest method of rivalling his political adversaries, the Cecils and Raleigh. He was soon recognised as the head of a rival party-a party that cherished more enlightened views, and sentiments in greater accordance with the progress of education in a civilized country, than the iron rule of Burleigh, or the inquisitorial policy of the late secretary, Walsingham. England had, indeed, been delivered from foreign foes, and civil strife had been kept down by the terror of the halter and quartering knife, but the oppressive statutes, to compel uniformity of worship, were borne with irritation and impatience by catholics and puritans alike, and the latter party were beginning to evince a determination to seek redress.

The queen had now governed four years, without the aid of a parliament, but in the beginning of the year 1593, the exhausted state of her finances, compelled her to summon a new one. They assembled, February 19th, on which occasion, her majesty abandoning the character of a popular sovereign, assumed a tone of absolute despotism, and told them, by her new chancellor, Puckering, "that they were not called together, to make new laws, or lose good hours in idle speeches, but to vote a supply to enable her majesty to defend her realm against the hostile attempts of the king of Spain." This was a bold beginning, but she followed it up, when, on the election of the new speaker, the commons made their usual request of freedom from arrest, liberty of speech, and access to her person, she replied, "that their first prayer was granted, with this qualification, that wit and speech were calculated to do harm, and their liberty of speech extended no further than 'ay' or 'no,' and that if any idle heads hazarded their estates, by meddling with church and state, the speaker should not receive their bills." The petition of freedom from arrest, was granted, with this proviso, "that it was not to cover any man's ill-doings. As for the privilege of access to her presence, that was wholly to depend on the importance of the occasion, and her majesty's leisure."" It is conjectured, from the menacing tone of the royal replies, that Elizabeth had reason to suspect the nature of the sub

1 Journals of Parliament.

VOL. VII.

M

2 Ibid.

ELIZABETH,

SECOND QUEEN REGNANT OF ENGLAND & IRELAND,

CHAPTER XI.

Favouritism of Essex-Queen violates the privileges of parliament-Her severe letter to Henry IV. on his change of creed-Her theological studies -Translates Boethius-Supposed plot against her life by Lopez-Her letter to Henry IV. in behalf of the son of Don Antonio, of PortugalHer persecution of the puritans-Henry IV. and her portrait-Court gossip and intrigues-Royal pageantry, fêtes, and costly presents to the queen-Her sagacious conduct to her maternal kindred-Disgrace of Robert Carey-His attempts to propitiate the queen-Her stormy inter view with him on his return from Scotland-Their reconciliation-Her rage at Raleigh's marriage-Her reception of Dr. Rudd's sermon-Her parsimony, and abridgment of naval and military supplies-Quarrels with Essex-Her jealousy of the fair Bridges-Essex's expedition to Spain-His loving letter to the queen-Growing influence of the lord admiral-She creates him earl of Nottingham-Essex's discontent-She makes him earl marshal-Her spirited retort to the Polish ambassadorEssex tries to bring his mother to court-Queen's reluctance to receive her-Essex carries his point-Dispute in council between the queen and Essex-She boxes his ears-His petulant behaviour and menace-He retires from court-Sickness and death of Burleigh-Elizabeth's grief-Her palaces, dress, and appearance in old age-Elizabeth and her bishops-Her fickleness of purpose-Facetious remark of a Windsor carter, on her frequent change of mind-Her manner of evading an unwelcome suit.

A NEW era, in the personal history of queen Elizabeth, commences with the return of the earl of Essex from his French campaigns, in 1592-3. She welcomed him with undisguised delight, and lavished favours and distinctions upon him, with profuse liberality. He returned an altered man; the delicacy and refinement of youthful honour, had given place to sentiments, more in unison with the wisdom of the children of this world. His residence in the sprightly camp of the gay and amorous king of France, had unfitted him for the duties of domestic life, and accomplished him in all the arts of courtly flattery and dissipation.