After these specimens of folly and pretence, the elegant melody of these verses by George Fletcher, appears to great advantage; and here follow three stanzas, selected from a monody on queen Elizabeth, by that great poet, when a youthful student:

"Tell me ye velvet-headed violets

That fringe the fountain's side with purest blue-
So let with comely grace your pretty frets'
Be spread-so let a thousand playful zephyrs sue
To kiss your willing heads, that seem to eschew
Their wanton touch, with maiden modesty-
So let the silver dew but lightly lie,

Like little watery worlds within an azure sky.

"Lo! when your verdant leaves are broadly spread,
Let weeping virgins gather you in their laps,
And send you where Eliza lieth dead,

To strew the sheet which her pale body wraps.
Ay me! in this I envy your good haps-
Who would not die there to be buried?
Say, if the sun deny his beams to shed

Upon your living stalks, grow you not withered?
"That sun, in morning clouds enveloped,
Flew fast into the western world to tell
News of her death: Heaven itself sorrowed
With tears that fast on earth's dank bosom fell;
But when the next Aurora 'gan to deal

Handfuls of roses 'fore the team of day,

A shepherd drove his flock by chance that way,

And made the nymphs to dance 2 who mourned but yesterday."

The following record was borne of queen Elizabeth, by her godson, Harrington, several years after the hand that wielded the sceptre and the sword of empire, were in the dust, and the tide of court favour and preferment were flowing liberally to him from her successor: "Her mind

was ofttime like the gentle air that cometh from the westerly point in a summer's morn, 'twas sweet and refreshing to all around her. Her speech did win all affections, and her subjects did try to shew all love to her commands, for she would say, 'her state did require her to command what she knew her people would willingly do, from their own love to her.' Surely, she did play her tables well, to gain obedience thus, without constraint; but then she could put forth such alterations in her fashion, when obedience was lacking, as left no doubtings whose daughter she was." 1 Fret is a chased or embroidered edge or border.

2 This allusion is to the rejoicings on the proclamation of king James. VOL. VII.

X

Again, he says, in a familiar letter to his brother-in-law, Markham, and surely, the memoir of this great sovereign and most extraordinary woman, can scarcely close in a more appropriate manner than with this noble tribute to her memory:" Even her errors did seem marks of surprising endowments; when she smiled it was a pure sunshine, that every one did choose to bask in; but anon came a storm, from a sudden gathering of clouds, and the thunder fell, in wondrous manner, on all alike. I never did find greater show of understanding than she was blest with, and whoever liveth longer than I can, will look back and become laudater temporis acti."

ANNE OF DENMARK,

QUEEN-CONSORT OF JAMES THE FIRST, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

CHAPTER I.

Anne, or Anna, of Denmark, first queen-consort of Great Britain, &c.— Her parentage and protestant education—Disputes between Scotland and Denmark relative to the Orkneys-Youth of James VI. of ScotlandNegotiations for marriage between James VI. and Anna's sister-Broken by queen Elizabeth-Anna's hand demanded by James VI.-Marriage traversed by queen Elizabeth-Obligations of Mary, queen of Scots, to Anna's father, Frederic II., king of Denmark-His death-King James's efforts for the marriage-Sends proxies to Denmark-King James and princess Anna married by proxy at Cronenburg-Anna sails for Scotland with a Danish fleet-Twice driven by storms from the Scottish coast -Suspicion of witchcraft--Quarrel of the Danish admiral with a witchDisasters of the queen's ship-She takes refuge on the coast of NorwayQueen's miserable state-She writes to king James by Steven BealeKing James sails to Norway-Meets her―Their marriage on the Norway coast-King James's Morrowing gift-Dangerous journey over the Norway mountains-Joyous arrival in Denmark-Re-union with Danish royal family-Re-marriage of James and Anna by Lutheran rites-Their voyage to Scotland-Landing and sojourn at Leith-Scotch presbytery dislike the queen's unction-Her entry into Edinburgh-Robes-Crowned queen of Scotland at Holyrood-Queen's palace-Settlement of household -Queen's dialogue with sir J. Melville-Witch Simpson confesses a conspiracy against the queen-Accuses lord Bothwell as instigator-Bothwell troubles the queen-King's jealousy of the earl of Murray-Ballads of him and the queen-Her palace attacked by Bothwell—Queen's kindness to her Danish maid and Wemys of Logie-Bothwell invades Holyrood— Danish ambassadors alarmed for the queen-Value of the Danish alliance to James VI.

ANNE OF DENMARK was undeniably inferior, both in education and intellect, to most of the royal ladies whose biographies have occupied our preceding volumes. Her political position was, nevertheless, more important than any queen-consort of England, since she was the

Again, he says, in a familiar letter to his brother-in-law, Markham, and surely, the memoir of this great sovereign and most extraordinary woman, can scarcely close in a more appropriate manner than with this noble tribute to her memory:-"Even her errors did seem marks of surprising endowments; when she smiled it was a pure sunshine, that every one did choose to bask in; but anon came a storm, from a sudden gathering of clouds, and the thunder fell, in wondrous manner, on all alike. I never did find greater show of understanding than she was blest with, and whoever liveth longer than I can, will look back and become laudater temporis acti."

ANNE OF DENMARK,

QUEEN-CONSORT OF JAMES THE FIRST, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

CHAPTER I.

Anne, or Anna, of Denmark, first queen-consort of Great Britain, &c.— Her parentage and protestant education-Disputes between Scotland and Denmark relative to the Orkneys-Youth of James VI. of ScotlandNegotiations for marriage between James VI. and Anna's sister-Broken by queen Elizabeth-Anna's hand demanded by James VI.-Marriage traversed by queen Elizabeth-Obligations of Mary, queen of Scots, to Anna's father, Frederic II., king of Denmark-His death-King James's efforts for the marriage-Sends proxies to Denmark-King James and princess Anna married by proxy at Cronenburg-Anna sails for Scotland with a Danish fleet-Twice driven by storms from the Scottish coast -Suspicion of witchcraft--Quarrel of the Danish admiral with a witchDisasters of the queen's ship-She takes refuge on the coast of NorwayQueen's miserable state She writes to king James by Steven BealeKing James sails to Norway-Meets her―Their marriage on the Norway coast-King James's Morrowing gift-Dangerous journey over the Norway mountains-Joyous arrival in Denmark-Re-union with Danish royal family-Re-marriage of James and Anna by Lutheran rites-Their voyage to Scotland-Landing and sojourn at Leith-Scotch presbytery dislike the queen's unction-Her entry into Edinburgh-Robes-Crowned queen of Scotland at Holyrood-Queen's palace-Settlement of household -Queen's dialogue with sir J. Melville-Witch Simpson confesses a conspiracy against the queen-Accuses lord Bothwell as instigator-Bothwell troubles the queen-King's jealousy of the earl of Murray-Ballads of him and the queen-Her palace attacked by Bothwell-Queen's kindness to her Danish maid and Wemys of Logie-Bothwell invades HolyroodDanish ambassadors alarmed for the queen-Value of the Danish alliance to James VI.

ANNE OF DENMARK was undeniably inferior, both in education and intellect, to most of the royal ladies whose biographies have occupied our preceding volumes. political position was, nevertheless, more important than any queen-consort of England, since she was the wife of the

Her