farre in Chauncery, that the cause was to be heard and decided that Michaelmaffe terme at St. Albins. Thofe that I put in truft to follow my law businesse wrote to me in plain words, that neither they nor any body else durft follow the caufe, they were fo bitterly threatened by my brother's agent, who did affure them my brother would be there himselfe, to fee that his fifter in law fhould have no wrong, and then they fhould fee who durft appear to contradict him. Thus did my brother by his power, mean to overthrow my right in my absence; for hee affured himfelfe I durft not come too neere the court, having fo lately offended the Queene, and the most of my friends by my marriage. But he was deceived, for I having heard this by my fervant that I putt in truft to follow my busineffe, I pre

fently

fently refolved to come to St. Albans, and to do my beft to defend my own cause. I had not beene there two dayes, but in the lodging where I lay, my brother's man come in to take up a lodging for his master. I asked him where my brother was? he told mee he was within two miles of the towne, and was come expressly out of the isle of Wight, for no other caufe but a buifineffe in law, wherein he made fure account to overthrow his adverfary that terme; but against whom it was hee knew not. Hee tooke horfe againe, after hee had provided a lodging, to meet his master. He mett him not a mile from the towne, and told him that he had found mee there, and that I lay in the same house that hee was to lye in. My brother at this newes was much troubled, and stood mufing with himselfe a good space: at laft,

F

laft, of a fodaine he tourned his horfe head, and came not at all to St. Albans, but went to Windfor, and trusted others to follow the cause. My cause was so just that I ended the bufineffe that terme, overthrew my fifter's jointure, and had the land fettled as it was IN STATU QUO PRIUS.

Having ended my bufineffe I meant to retourne to Carleil againe. My father wrote to mee from Windfor that the Queene meant to have a great triumph there, on her coronation day, and that there was great preperation making for the course of the field and tourney 54. Hee gave mee notice of

the

54 Plays, masks, triumphs, and tournaments, which the Author calls TOURNEYS, were small branches of thofe many spreading allurements which Elizabeth made ufe of to draw to herself the affections and the admiration

the Queen's anger for my marriage, and faid it may bee, I being fo neere, and to retourne without honouring her day, as I ever before had done, might be a cause of her further dislike, but left it to myselfe to do what I thought beft. My bufineffe of law therefore being ended, I came to court, and lodged there very privately, only I made myselfe knowne to my father and fome few friends befides. I here tooke order and fent to London to provide mee things neceffary for the triumph: I prepared a present for her majestie, which with my caparisons coft me above four hundred pounds. I came into the triumph unknown of

miration of her fubjects. She appeared at them with dignity, ease, grace, and affability.

1

any.

I was the forfaken Knight that had vowed folitarineffe, but hearing of this great triumph thought to honour my mistresse with my best fervice, and then to retourne to pay my wonted mourning. The triumph ended, and all things well paffed over to the Queene's 55 liking. I then made myselfe known in court, and for the time I stayed there was daily converfant with my old companions and

" The Queen was undoubtedly advertised that her forfaken Knight (for fuch indeed he was) had ilued forth from his folitariness to bask himself in the funshine of her luminous countenance, and to gather courage and prowess from the beams of her bright eyes. Nothing, not even trifles, paffed abroad or at home, with which he was not acquainted. But as she had no immediate occafion for the fervice of Sir Robert Cary, her Majesty was determined still to continue the outward fhew of her refentment, 'till fhe wanted him.

friends,