XXXVII. continuous, for two years afterwards we find lord CHAP. Burghley suggesting several cautions for her preservation. These machinations were anterior to those which arose from the conspiracy of Pius V.9 Peculiarly fond of dancing herself, she was pleased with the graceful movements of sir Christopher Hatton, and noticed him much and favorably, for his general accomplishments." But we must allow queens, like other ladies, to have their share of the amusements of their surrounding society, and to be also interested by them, for without that interest these things would not be a gratification, and yet feel, that Elizabeth might be fond of tripping with fantastic toe,' and with such partners as could best do so, without therefore being charged with unseen crime, beyond the visible and unconcealed enjoyment. Some of our present countrywomen, of stronger frames and more bounding spirits, may now be, even unreasonably, attached to their quadrilles or waltzing, without therefore being charged with scandal as to the associates of their social 26 In 1561, Burghley made these minutes: We think it very convenient that your majesty's apparel, and especially all things that shall touch your body, be circumspectly looked unto; that no person be permitted to come near it, but such as have the trust thereof; that no manner of perfume be presented by a stranger; that no foreign meat or dishes, dressed out of your court, be brought to your food; that the back doors to your chamberer's chambers be duly attended upon; that the privy chamber be better ordered, with an attendance of an usher, and the gentlemen and grooms.' Haynes, 368. Camden thus notices his rise: Being of a comely tallness, she took him into her band of fifty gentlemen pensioners; and afterwards, for his modest sweetness of manners, into the number of her privy chamber, made him captain of the guard, vice-chamberlain, and one of her privy council, and, lastly, lord chancellor; a man of a pious nature, great pity toward the poor, and singular bounty to students of learning; FOR WHICH those of Oxford chose him chancellor of that university.' Camd. Eliz. p. 406, 7. Naunton remarks of him, that he had a strong and subtle capacity.' p. 249. II. BOOK diversion.98 It might be more majestic for majesty not to dance; and, for the avoidance of all sinister interpretations, it may be most prudent to use this forbearance. But we know that Elizabeth never laid aside her personal dignity, nor allowed any one, however favored, to forget it. And if any woman could shew that she had given no one the claims of intimacy over her, she did so to sir Christopher Hatton. She visited him with a kind humanity when he was dangerously ill," but she was always the sovereign, and never the lover; and his language that has come down to us, fully shews that he had no favored rights to make him otherwise." 100 98 Hatton was so attached to this amusement, even after he had the seals, that upon his nephew and heir's marriage with a judge's daughter, he took off his official gown, and placed it on his chair, saying, Lie there, Mr. Chancellor !' and then danced the measures at the nuptial festivity. Capt. Allen's Lett. in Birch, v. 1. p. 56. 99 In G. Talbot's lett. to his father, of 11th May 1573, we read,"Hatton is sick still. It is thought that he will very hardly recover his disease. The queen goeth almost every day to see how he doth.' Lodge, v. 2. p. 101. 100 His letter, of 14 Dec. 1578, to lord Burghley, is now before me, and illustrates the sentiment in the text. I humbly thank you for your most honorable letters. My poor case has no defence: demissa vultu dicendum, rogo. I ask, because I want. My reward is made less, but I confess my unworthiness. I do my service with diligence, pain and travail, according to God's gift in me: and therefore, in charitable goodness, I should not in any reasonable cause be so contemptuously rejected. Evil men are made examples; but I, that made no offence, should not be punished for Grey's fault. I seek a debt which grew to me thro her majesty's reward; but your lordship's direction will lead me to further charge, without any comfort of her majesty's care and goodness in the gift she made to relieve me. Touching my present suit, I will justify it to be reasonable, and every way agreeable with my duty and estate. How it is hindered, I hear by her majesty, but by whom I know not; but I know and feel it is an easy thing to do harm; and therefore will pray to God to give us grace to do good, each to the other, while we may. I hope your lordship will not hinder me, because my doings are direct. In this suit, I offered her majesty what I am able, to the advancement of her ordinary revenue. I did acknowlege my gain, thro her goodness for my comfortable relief. I made your lordship privy, and you misliked not; but now this little is thought too much; and XXXVII. She displayed a severity to him which is quite in- CHAP. consistent with all alleged familiarity. 101 He was distinguished by Spenser with a stately sonnet, on presenting him with his undying poem of knights and chivalry.10 102 The same demeanor she exhibited towards Essex. Brought up by the highly moral and religious lord Burghley, he was likely to be the last person whom she would select for an improper intercourse. She was also fifty-four when he was twenty; and there so, do content myself with what shall please her I am most bound to. I love you according to your worthiness: and I will serve you for your goodness toward me heretofore, as long as I live. No cause shall lead me to mislike you; for I believe in my heart you will do nothing but what is good and honorable.' Murdin, p. 319. This is the letter of a superior man, altho a good dancer. The moral feeling which it displays and appeals to, seems genuine in the writer; and tho he was asking a further pecuniary favor, for which his services would be an equivalent, we see that Elizabeth had hesitated to grant it. There is nothing like a paramour in this letter. 101 He died of a diabetes, and grief of mind, for that the queen had somewhat more bitterly exacted a great sum of money collected of tenths and first fruits, whereof he had the charge, which he had hoped she would have forgiven him, in regard of the favor he was in with her.' Camd. 406. This evinces that she granted no favors which lessened her strict right of exacting full pecuniary rectitude in those whom she preferred. 102 To the R. H. Sir C. Hatton, lord high chancellor of England: Those prudent heads, that with their counsels wise, Whilom, the pillars of th' earth did sustain; And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannise, And in the neck of all the world to reign: Oft from those grave affairs, were wont t' abstain, So Ennius, the elder Africain; So Maro oft did Cæsar's cares allay. So you, great lord! that with your counsel sway With like delights sometimes may eke delay And to these idle rhymes lend little space, Which, for their title's sake, may find more grace. E. This title being The Faery Queen, who represented queen Elizabeth.' Todd's Spenser, v. 2. p. 203. BOOK II. 103 fore the suspicion perishes of itself, on this comparison of ages, in a woman who never made her passions her governors. He pleased her, as he pleased all his friends; and it was natural that she should early distinguish, favor, and promote the ward and pupil of her revered state counsellor. But the language in which Essex spoke, in his anguish and most excited moment, did not discover the least intimation that he had any personal or secret claims upon her beyond that of any other nobleman.104 To him she always acted as the steady and free queen, who had never subjected herself to any thing, which authorized or excused either liberties, disrespect or disobedience, 105 If therefore the popular scandal had been true as to either of these suitors for her favor, it would be with the inconsistent anomaly, of an uniform public conduct continually contrary to the private allegations.106 103 Sir R. Naunton's conclusion is strong, and accordant with all the facts of her authentic history: She was absolute and sovereign mistress of her graces. All those to whom she distributed her favors, were never more than tenants at will; and stood on no better ground than her princely pleasure, and their own good behaviour.' Frag. Reg. 181. I believe no prince is living that was so tender of honor, and so exactly stood for the preservation of sovereignty.' ib. p. 186. And see Speed, p. 907. 104 See before, p. 538, note 35. 105 Tho much pleased with him while he acted well, yet every time that he altered his conduct, she always exhibited a sovereign's displeasure; and never forbore either rebuke or some action that was meant and felt to be a punishment. 106 Her sorrow for his death, which has been so misconstrued, was the natural result of her creditable sensibility. It was because he was so refractory, turbulent and ungovernable, as to be politically dangerous, that she subjected him to his trial and condemnation. As he persisted in this defying spirit, she yielded to the advice of her counsellors, to sanction his execution. She fixed the test of an altered spirit in him, on his soliciting her forgiveness. If he had made this submission, she would have rewarded it with her pardon. She was told that he had not done so; and supposing him to continue in this XXXVII. But against these unsupported imputations, let us CHAP. consider the direct opposing evidence. We read, in several contemporary writings, the intimation or expression of a contrary character. Lord Bacon, after her death, affirmed the certainty that she was good and moral.107 That she did not pursue dishonorable indulgences, is the testimony given by another, some months after she was dead, when all flattery had ceased.108 She made her chastity a part of her posthumous reputation, and began and ended her reign with a desire that her virginity should be a distinction in her sepulchral inscription-a wish that would have been ridiculous to those who knew her, if the claim to it had been forfeited.109 insubordinate humor, she signed the warrant on which he was beheaded. But when the countess of Nottingham, on her death-bed, revealed to her that he had sent the submission she required, but that it had been concealed from her, in order that she might not forgive and save him, then, from that moment, she felt that she had been betrayed to consign a nobleman to death, contrary to her own intentions, and after he had shewn the repentance she exacted. Osborne's account, and the similar one by De Maurier, sufficiently establish the treachery: and Elizabeth found that she had been made to shed his blood unnecessarily, and therefore cruelly. Unless she had been void of all human feeling, his execution could not but be a source of bitter regret to her. Nor can we avoid lamenting, that the lord high admiral, who had so gallantly defeated the armada, should have been implicated in such a guilty perfidiousness, for the destruction of an erring, but improveable and talented fellow-creature. 107 Fuit CERTE ista princeps bona et morata.' Bacon Eliz. Mem. p. 193. 108For her private pleasures she used them moderately and warily, WITHOUT TOUCH TO HER REPUTATION, or offence to her people.' MSS. in Ellis, v. 3. p. 193. 109 Lord Bacon has transmitted to us this marking circumstance: Very often, many years before her death, she called herself, with great good humor, an old woman, and frequently conversed on what should be the inscription on her tomb. She then said, that glory and splendid titles her heart was not upon. She wished only one or two lines, which in a few words would express her VIRGINITATEM; the period of her reign, her restoration of religion, and her preservation of peace.' Mem. Eliz. p. 187. Thus we learn that her female virtue was made by her one of the three great features of her beau-ideal of her own character. |