Mary, daughter of

the duke of

Northumberland

do anything, when you be most merry. But let your mirth be ever void of scurillity and biting words to any man; for a wound given by a word is harder to be cured than that which is given by a sword.

Be you rather a hearer and a bearer away of other men's talk, than a beginner, or procurer of speech, otherwise you will be accounted to delight to hear yourself speak.

Be modest in each assembly, and rather be rebuffed of light fellows for a maiden shamefacedness, than by your sober friends for pert boldness.

Think upon every word you will speak before you utter it, and remember how nature hath, as it were, rampired up the tongue with teeth, lips, yea, and hair without the lips, and all betoken reins and bridles to the restraining use of that member.

Above all things, tell no untruth, no not in trifles. The custom of it is naught. And let it not satisfy you, that the hearers, for a time, take it for a truth; for afterwards it will be known as it is to your shame; and there cannot be a greater reproach to a gentleman than to be accounted a liar.

Study and endeavour yourself to be virtuously occupied ; so shall you make such a habit of well doing as you shall not know how to do evil, though you would.

Remember, my son, the noble blood you are descended of by your mother's side, and think, that only by a virtuous life and good actions, you may be an ornament to your illustrious family; and otherwise, through vice and sloth, you may be esteemed labes generis, one of the greatest curses that can happen to a man. Well, my little Philip, this is enough for me, and I fear too much for you at this time; but yet, if I find that this light meat of digestion do nourish anything the weak stomach of your young capacity, I will, as I find the same grow stronger, feed it with tougher food. Farewell; your mother and I send you our blessing, and Almighty God grant you his; nourish you with his fear, guide you with his grace, and make you a good servant to your prince and country.

Your loving Father,

HENRY SIDNEY.

There is little doubt that Elizabeth lost some of her popularity before her death. One of the causes of this was the cupidity of some of her courtiers and others who had obtained from the queen what were then called "monopolies." These were, in some cases, trade privileges, like our modern patents and copyrights; in others, the exclusive right to buy and sell, import and export, and otherwise deal in certain common articles. The matter was brought up in parliament in 1601, and the opposition was so outspoken that the queen thought best to yield to it, which she always knew how to do gracefully. She therefore sent word that the monopolies would be investigated and the objectionable ones withdrawn. When the House of Commons came to thank her for this concession and to take leave of her on their dissolution, November 30, 1601, she delivered the following speech. Mr. Speaker:

We perceive your coming is to present thanks unto us. Know I accept them with no less joy than your loves can desire to offer such a present, and do more esteem it than any treasure, or riches; for these we know how to prize, but loyalty, love, and thanks, I account them invaluable; and though God hath raised me high, yet this I account the glory of my crown, that I have reigned with your loves. This makes that I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a queen, as to be a queen over so thankful a people, and to be the means under God to conserve you in safety, and preserve you from danger, yea to be the instrument to deliver you from dishonour, from shame, and from infamy, to keep you from out of servitude, and from slavery under our enemies, and cruel tyranny, and vile oppression intended against us; for the better withstanding whereof, we take very acceptably your intended helps, and chiefly in that it manifesteth your loves and largeness of hearts to your sovereign.

243. Speech of Queen Elizabeth

to parliament (November 30, 1601)

The members

Of myself I must say this, I never was any greedy scraping grasper, nor a strict fasting-holding prince, nor yet a waster; my heart was never set upon any worldly goods, but only for my subjects' good. What you do bestow on me I will not hoard up, but receive it to bestow on you again; yea mine own properties I account yours to be expended for your good, and your eyes shall see the bestowing of it for your welfare.

Mr. Speaker, I would wish you and the rest to stand up, for of the House I fear I shall yet trouble you with longer speech.

of Commons asked to rise from their

knees

Mr. Speaker, you give me thanks, but I am more to thank you, and I charge you to thank them of the Lower House from me; for had I not received knowledge from you, I might a' fallen into the lapse of an error, only for want of true information.

Since I was queen, yet did I never put my pen to any grant but upon pretext and semblance made me, that it was for the good and avail of my subjects generally, though a private profit to some of my ancient servants, who have deserved well; but that my grants shall be made grievances to my people, and oppressions, to be privileged under color of our patents, our princely dignity shall not suffer it.

When I heard it, I could give no rest unto my thoughts until I had reformed it, and those varlets, lewd persons, abusers of my bounty, shall know I will not suffer it.

And in my governing this land, I have ever set the last judgment day before mine eyes, and so to rule as I shall be judged and answer before a higher judge, to whose judgment seat I do appeal; in that thought was never cherished in my heart that tended not to my people's good.

And if my princely bounty have been abused; and my grants turned to the hurt of my people contrary to my will and meaning; or if any in authority under me have neglected, or converted what I have committed unto them, I hope God will not lay their culps to my charge.

To be a king, and wear a crown, is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it for myself, I never was so much enticed with the glorious name of a king, or the royal authority of a queen, as delighted that God

hath made me his instrument to maintain his truth and glory, and to defend this kingdom from dishonour, damage, tyranny, and oppression. But should I ascribe any of these to myself or to my sexly weakness, I were not worthy to live, and of all most unworthy of the mercies I have received at God's hands, but to God only and wholly all is given and ascribed.

years old

The cares and troubles of a crown I cannot more fitly re- The queen semble than to the drugs of a learned phisitian, perfumed with was now sixty-eight some aromatical savour, or to bitter pills gilded over, by which they are made more acceptable or less offensive, which indeed are bitter and unpleasant to take; and for my own part, were it not for conscience' sake, to discharge the duty that God hath lay'd upon me, and to maintain his glory, and keep you in safety, in mine own disposition I should be willing to resign the place I hold to any other, and glad to be freed of the glory with the labours, for it is not my desire to live or to reign longer than my life and reign shall be for your good. And though you have had and may have many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat, yet you never have had nor shall have any that will love you better.

Thus, Mr. Speaker, I commend me to your loyal loves, and yours to my best care and your further councils; and I pray you, Mr. Controubrand, Mr. Secretary, and you of my council, that before these gentlemen depart into their counties, you bring them all to kiss my hand.

244. Extracts

from me

moirs of the

Duc de Sully

(June 22, 1603)

CHAPTER XIV

THE PERSONAL MONARCHY OF THE EARLY STUARTS,

1603-1640

I. ROYAL, PARLIAMENTARY, AND PURITAN THEORIES

The following passage is an extract from the memoirs of the contemporary French minister, Sully, describing the new English king, James I, whom he had been sent to greet in the name of the French king, Henry IV.

The king of England, who had before acquainted me that he would grant me an audience on the 22d, which was Sunday, sent a gentleman to confirm it to me, to desire I would not think the time tedious, and to be informed how I was lodged, and whether I wanted anything. To this favor was also added a present of half a buck, which, as this prince informed me by the bearer, he had killed that day, and was the first he had ever taken in his life, though he was a great lover of the chase; the reason was, there being very few in Scotland, and this the first he had hunted in England.

From hence he took occasion to make Henry a compliment, by saying that he had attributed his good fortune to the arrival of a man, who came from a prince that was looked upon to be the king of hunters. I replied . . . that when the king my master made a party for the chase, he was so far from thinking, like the king of England, that my presence would contribute to its success, that he generally sent me to attend to other affairs in the cabinet, where, he said, I was more happy. Though there was nothing serious in all this, I was nevertheless glad of the opportunity that was afforded me to insinuate myself into his Britannic Majesty's favor, and