rival, and of the assembled court of England-" Thou hast a prating servant of this same Varney, my lord," she said; "it is lucky you trust him with nothing that can hurt you in our opinion, for believe me, he would keep no counsel."

"From your highness," said Leicester, dropping gracefully on one knee," it were treason he should. I would that my heart itself lay before you, barer than the tongue of any servant could strip it."

"What, my lord," said Elizabeth, looking kindly upon him, "is there no one little corner over which you would wish to spread a veil? Ah! I see you are confused at the question, and your queen knows she should not look too deeply into her servants' motives for their faithful duty, lest she see what might, or at least ought to displease her."

Relieved by these last words, Leicester broke out into a torrent of expressions of deep and passionate attachment, which perhaps, at that moment, were not altogether fictitious. The mingled emotions which had at first overcome him, had now given way to the energetic vigour with which he had determined to support his place in the queen's favour; and never did he seem to Elizabeth more eloquent, more handsome, more interesting, than while, kneeling at her feet, he conjured her to strip him of all his dower, but to leave him the name of her servant- "Take from the poor Dudley," he exclaimed," all that your bounty has made him, and bid him be the poor gentleman he was when your Grace first shone on him; leave him no more than his cloak and his sword, but let him still boast he has-what in word or deed he never forfeited—the regard of his adored queen and mistress!"

"No, Dudley!" said Elizabeth, raising him with one hand, while she extended the other that he might kiss it; "Elizabeth hath not forgotten that, whilst you were a poor gentleman, despoiled of your hereditary rank, she was as poor a princess, and that in her cause you then 19* VOL. I.

ventured all that oppression had left you-your life and honour.-Rise, my lord, and let my hand go!-Rise, and be what you have ever been, the grace of our court, and the support of our throne. Your mistress may be forced to chide your misdemeanours, but never without owning your merits. And so help me God," she added, turning to the audience, who, with various feelings, witnessed this interesting scene,-" So help me God, gentlemen, as I think never sovereign had a truer servant than I have in this noble earl!"

A murmur of assent rose from the Leicestrian faction, which the friends of Sussex dared not oppose. They remained with their eyes fixed on the ground, dismayed as well as mortified by the public and absolute triumph of their opponents. Leicester's first use of the familiarity to which the queen had so publicly restored him, was to ask her commands concerning Varney's offence. though," he said, "the fellow deserves nothing from me but displeasure, yet, might I presume to intercede"

"Al

"In truth, we had forgotten his matter," said the queen; " and it was ill done of us, who owe justice to our meanest, as well as to our highest subject. We are pleased, my lord, that you were the first to recall the matter to our memory.-Where is Tressilian, the accuser? -let him come before us."

Tressilian appeared, and made a low and beseeming reverence. His person, as we have elsewhere observed, had an air of grace and even of nobleness, which did not escape Queen Elizabeth's critical observation. She looked at him with attention as he stood before her unabashed, but with an air of the deepest dejection.

"I cannot but grieve for this gentleman," she said to Leicester. "I have inquired concerning him, and his presence confirms what I heard, that he is a scholar and a soldier, well accomplished both in arts and arms. We women, my lord, are fanciful in our choice-I had said now, to judge by the eye, there was no comparison to be held betwixt your follower and this gentleman. But' Varney is a well spoken fellow, and to speak truth, that

goes far with us of the weaker sex.-Look you, Master
Tressilian, a bolt lost is not a bow broken. Your true
affection, as I will hold it to be, hath been, it seems, but
ill requited; but you have scholarship, and you know
there have been false Cressidas to be found, from the
Trojan war downwards. Forget, good sir, this Lady
Light o' Love—teach your affection to see with a wiser
eye. This we say to you, more from the writings of
learned men, than our own knowledge, being, as we are,
far removed by station and will, from the enlargement
of experience in such idle toys of humorous passion.
For this dame's father, we can make his grief the less,
by advancing his son-in-law to such station as may enable
him to give an honourable support to his bride. Thou
shalt not be forgotten thyself, Tressilian-follow our
court, and thou shalt see that a true Troilus hath some
claim on our grace.
Think of what that arch-knave
Shakspeare says-a plague on him, his toys come into my
head when I should think of other matters-Stay, how
goes it?

Cressid was yours, tied with the bonds of heaven;
These bonds of heaven are slipt, dissolved and loosed,
And with another knot five fingers tied,

The fragments of her faith are bound to Diomed.

You smile, my Lord of Southampton-perchance I make your player's verse halt through my bad memory-but let it suffice-let there be no more of this mad matter." And as Tressilian kept the posture of one who would willingly be heard, though, at the same time, expressive of the deepest reverence, the queen added with some impatience," What would the man have? The wench cannot wed both of you?-She has made her electionnot a wise one perchance-but she is Varney's wedded wife."

66

My suit should sleep there, most gracious sovereign,” said Tressilian, "and with my suit my revenge. But I hold this Varney's word no good warrant for the truth."

"Had that doubt been elsewhere urged," answered Varney, "my sword".

"Thy sword!" interrupted Tressilian, scornfully; 'with her grace's leave, my sword shall show".

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"Peace, you knaves both!" said the queen; "know you where you are?—This comes' of your feuds, my lords," she added, looking towards Leicester and Sussex; your followers catch your own humour, and must bandy and brawl in my court, and in my very presence, like so many Matamoros.-Look you, sirs, he that speaks of drawing swords in any other quarrel than mine or England's, by mine honour I'll bracelet him with iron both on wrist and ancle !" She then paused a minute, and resumed in a milder tone, "I must do justice betwixt the bold and mutinous knaves notwithstanding.-My Lord of Leicester, will you warrant with your honour, that is, to the best of your belief,—that your servant speaks truth in saying he hath married this Amy Robsart?"

This was a home-thrust, and had nearly staggered Leicester. But he had now gone too far to recede, and answered, after a moment's hesitation, "To the best of my belief—indeed on my certain knowledge—she is a wedded wife."

"Gracious madam," said Tressilian, "may I yet request to know, when and under what circumstances this alleged marriage".

"Out, sirrah," answered the queen ; "alleged marriage! Have you not the word of this illustrious earl to warrant the truth of what his servant says? But thou art a loser-think'st thyself such at least and thou shalt have indulgence-we will look into the matter ourself more at leisure.-My Lord of Leicester, I trust you remember we mean to taste the good cheer of your Castle of Kenilworth on this week ensuing we will pray you to bid our good and valued friend the Earl of Sussex to hold company with us there."

"If the noble Earl of Sussex," said Leicester bowing to his rival with the easiest and with the most graceful courtesy, "will so far honour my poor house, I will hold

it an additional proof of the amicable regard it is your grace's desire we should entertain towards each other."

Sussex was more embarrassed-"I should," said he, "madam, be but a clog on your gayer hours since my late severe illness."

"And have you been indeed so very ill?" said Elizabeth, looking on him with more attention than before 66 you are in faith strangely altered, and deeply am I grieved to see it. But be of good cheer-we will ourselves look after the health of so valued a servant, and to whom we owe so much. Masters shall order your diet ; and that we ourselves may see that he is obeyed, you must attend us in this progress to Kenilworth."

This was said so peremptorily and at the same time with so much kindness, that Sussex, however unwilling to become the guest of his rival, had no resource but to bow low to the queen in obedience to her commands, and to express to Leicester with blunt courtesy, though mingled with embarrassment, his acceptance of his invitation. As the earls exchanged compliments on the occasion, the queen said to her high treasurer, " Methinks, my lord, the countenances of these our two noble peers resemble that of the two famed classic streams, the one so dark and sad, the other so fair and noble-My old Master Ascham would have chid me for forgetting the author-It is Cæsar, as I think.-See what majestic calmness sits on the brow of the noble Leicester, while Sussex seems to greet him as if he did our will indeed, but not willingly."

"The doubt of your majesty's favour," answered the lord treasurer, "may perchance occasion the difference, which does not-as what does?-escape your Grace's eye."

"Such doubt were injurious to us, my lord," replied the queen. "We hold both to be near and dear to us, and will with impartiality employ both in honourable service for the weal of our kingdom. But we will break their farther conference at present.—My Lords of Sussex and Leicester, we have a word more with you. Tres.