Page images
PDF
EPUB

"do. The prifoner coolly replied, I make no “doubt, Sir, but that you do know it better "than I do; I am only anxious that the Jury ".fhould know it as well."

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
[1558-1603.]

THE following fervile letter from this Queen, then the Princess Elizabeth, to Queen Mary, on fending the latter her portrait, is in the Collection of Royal Letters in the British Museum.

66 PRINCESS ELIZABETH TO QUEEN MARY. "Like as the riche man, that dayly gathereth "notes to notes, and to one bag of money

66

layeth a great fort, till it come to infinit, fo "methinks your Majefty, not being fufficed "with many benefits and gentleness, fhewed to "me afore this time, doth now increse them in

..

66

afking & defyring, (when you may bid & "commande,) requiring a thinge, not worthy "the defyring for itselfe, but made worthy for your Highness request: my picture I mene; "in wiche if the inward good will towarde your Grace might as wel be declared as the "outfide face and countenance fhal be feen, I "wold

[ocr errors]

"wold not have tarried the commandment, but

[ocr errors]

prevent it, nor have been the last to graunt "but the first to offer it. For the face I

[ocr errors]

graunt, I might wel blufhe to offer, but, the "mynde I fhal never be ashamed to presente: "for though from the grace of the pictur the "coulors may fade by time, may give by wether,

[ocr errors]

may be spotted by chance; yet the other not "time with her fwift winges fhall overtake, nor "the muftie cloudes with their lowerings may "darken, nor chance with her flippery foote may "overthrow. Of this although yet the prise "could not be greate, because the occafion "hathe beene but small; notwithstanding, as a "dog hathe a day, fo I perchance may have "time to declare it in deedes when now I do "write them but in wordes. And further, I "shall most humbly befeeche your Majestie, that "when you shall looke on my pictur, you will "vitfafe to thinke, that as you have but the out"ward fhadowe of the body afore you, fo my in"ward mynde wifheth that the body itselfe were "oftene in your prefence: howbeit because both fo beinge I thinke could do your Majestiè "litel pleasure, though myfelfe great good; & "againe, because I fee as yet not the time agrees "therewith; I fhall learn to followe this faing "of Orace: Feras non culpes quod vitari non poteft. And then I will (trublinge your Ma"jestie I fere) ende with my most humble "thankes,

[ocr errors]

my

"thankes, befechinge God long to preferve you "to his honour, to your comfort, & to the "realms profitt & to my joy.

From Hatfelde this 18th day of May.

"Your Majestic's most humbly

"Sifter and Servant

"ELIZABETH."

Of the extent of Queen Elizabeth's abilities, the following teftimony was given by her Treafurer Lord Burleigh.

"No one of her Councillors could tell her "what he knew not; and when her Council "had faid all they could, fhe could find out a "wife counsel beyond theirs; and thus there 66 never was anie great confultation about her Ec country at which fhe was not present to her great profitte and prayfe."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Scot, in his "Philomathologia," fays, "that a Courtier, who had great place about her "Majestie, made fuite for an office belonging to "the law. Shee told him he was unfitt for the "place. He confeffed as much, but promised "to find out a fufficient deputy. Do fo, faith "fhe, and then I may bestow it upon one of my "ladies; for they, by deputation, may execute "the office of Chancellor, Chief Juftice, and "others, as well as you. This (faid the author) " answered him; and (adds he) I would that it "would

[ocr errors]

"would answer all others, that fit men might be placed in every office, and none, how great "foever, fuffered to keep two."

[ocr errors]

"I find," fays Puttenham, "none example "in English metre fo well maintayning this figure (Exargafia, or the Gorgeous) as that "dittie of her Majeftie Queen Elizabeth's own "making, paffing sweete and harmonical; which

[ocr errors]

figure being, as his very original name pur"porteth, the most beautiful and gorgeous of all "others, it asketh in reason to be referved for a "laft compliment, and difchiphred by the arte "of a ladies penne (herself being the most beau"tifull or rather beautie of Queens). And this "was the occafion: Our Sovereign Lady per

66

ceiving how the Queen of Scots refidence "within this realme at fo great libertie and eafe

[ocr errors]

(as were scarce meete for fo great and dan

gerous a prisoner) bred fecret factions amongst "her people, and made many of the nobility in"cline to favour her partie (fome of them de"firous of innovation in the State, others aspiring "to greater fortunes by her libertie and life); "the Queene our Sovereigne Lady, to declare "that fhe was nothing ignorant of thofe fecret

[ocr errors]

practices, (though she had long, with great "wisdom and patience, diffembled it,) writeth

that dittie, most sweet and fententious; not "hiding from all such aspiring minds the danger

" of

"of their ambition and difloyaltie, which after"wards fell out most truly by the exemplary "chaftisements of fundry perfons, who, in favour "of the faid Queen of Scots, declining from her "Majeftie, fought to interrupt the quiet of the "realm by many evill and undutifull practyses.

"The ditty is as followeth :

The doubt of future foes exiles my present joy,

And Wit me warns to fhun fuch fnares as threaten

mine annoy;

For falsehood now doth flowe, and fubject faith doth ebbe,

Which would not be, if reafon rul'd, or wisdom weav'd the webbe.

But clouds of tois untried do cloake afpiring mindes, Which turne to raigne of late repent by course of changed windes.

The toppe of hope fuppos'd, the root of ruth will be, And fruitless all their graffed guiles, as fhortly ye shall

fee.

Then dazzled eyes with pride, which great ambition blindes,

Shall be unfeel'd by worthy wights, whofe forefight falfehood finds.

The daughter of debate, that eke difcord doth fowe, Shall reap no gaine, where former rule hath taught still peace to growe,

No forreine banifh'd wight fhall ancre in this port; Our realme it brooks no ftrangers' force, let them elfewhere refort.

Our rusty sword with reft shall firft his edge employ, To polle their toppes that feeke fuch change, and gape

for joy.

[ocr errors]

"In

« PreviousContinue »