She was jealous of every step they took, if without her permission.When our author married, it gave her high offence, and the manner in which he calmed her anger, shews him to have been an acute politician, and Elizabeth a woman whose vanity grossly blinded her judgment. anchor just before Calais. We fleet, wanting their anchors, were likewise did the same, a very small many of them cast ashore on the distance behind them, and so con- west of Ireland, where they had all tinued till Monday morning about their throats cut by the kernes;* and two of the clock, in which time our some of them on Scotland, where council of war had provided six old they were no better used; and the hulks, and stuffed them full of all rest, with much ado, got into Spain combustible matter fit for burning, again. Thus did God bless us, and and on Mon 'ay, at two in the morn- gave victory over this invincible ing, they were let loose, with each of navy; the sea calmed, and all our them a man in her to direct them. ships came to the Downs on Friday in The tide serving, they brought them safety" very near the Spanish fleet, so that Elizabeth wished to monopolize they could not miss to come amongst the affection of all her courtiers. the midst of them: then they set fire on them, and came off themselves, having each of them a little boat to bring him off. The ships set on fire came so directly to the Spanish fleet, as they had no way to avoid them, but to cut all their halsers, and so escape; and their haste was such, that they left one of their four great galeasses on ground before Calais, which our men took, and had the spoil of, where many of the Spaniards were slain with the governor thereof, but most of them were saved with wading ashore to Calais. They being in this disorder, we made ready to follow them, where began a cruel fight, and we had such advantage both of wind and tide, as we had a glorious day of them; continuing fight from four o'clock in the morning till almost five or six at night, where they lost a dozen or fourteen of their best ships, some sunk, and the rest ran ashore in diverse parts to keep themselves from sinking. After God had given us this great victory, they made all the haste they could away, and we followed them Tuesday and Wednesday, by which time they were gotten as far as Flamborough-head. It was resolved on Wednesday at night, that, by four o'clock on Thursday, we should have a new fight with them for a farewell; but by two in the morning, there was a flag of council hung out in our viceadmiral, when it was found that in the † Plays, masks, triumphs, and whole fleet there was not munition tournaments, which the author calls sufficient to make half a fight; and tourneys, were small branches of therefore it was there concluded, that those many spreading allurements we should let them pass, and our which Elizabeth made use of, to fleet to return to the Downs, That draw to herself the affections and night we parted with them, we had a the admiration of her subjects. She mighty storm. Our fleet cast an appeared at them with dignity, ease, chor, and endured it; but the Spanish grace, and affability. Having ended my business, I meant to return to Carlisle again. My father wrote to me from Windsor, that the Queen meant to have a great triumph there, on her coronation day, 1599, and that there was great preparation making for the course of the field and tourney.t He gave me notice of the Queen's anger for my marriage, and said it may be, I being so near, and to return without honouring her day as I ever before had done, might be a cause of her further dislike, but left it to myself to do what I thought best. My business of law therefore being ended, I came to court, and lodged there very privately: only I made myself known to my father and some few friends besides. I here took order, and sent to London to provide me things necessary for the triumph: I prepared a present for her Majesty, which, with my caparisons, cost me above four hundred pounds. I came into the triumph unknown of any. I was the forsaken knight that Irish banditti.-E. will, to know the King's pleasure." My father answered, he knew I would be glad to obey her commands."No," said she, "do you bid him had vowed solitariness, but, hearing of this great triumph, thought to honour my mistress with my best service, and then to return to pay my wonted mourning. The triumph go, for I have nothing to do with ended, and all things well passed over to the Queen's liking. I then made myself known in court; and for the time I stayed there, was daily conversant with my old companions and friends; but it so fell out, that I made no long stay there: it was upon this occasion. My brother, Sir John Cary, that was then Marshal of Berwick, was sent to by the King of Scots, to desire him that he would meet his Majesty at the bound road at a day appointed: for, that he had a matter of great importance to acquaint his sister the Queen of England withal; but he would not trust the Queen's ambassador with it, nor any other, unless it were my father, or some of his children. My brother sent him word he would gladly wait on his Majesty, but durst not until he had acquainted the Queen therewith; and when he had received her answer, he would acquaint him with it. My brother sent notice to my father of the King's desire. My father shewed the letter to the Queen. She was not willing that my brother should stir out of the town;t but knowing, though she would not know, that I was in court, she said, "I hear your fine son, that has lately married so worthily, is hereabouts; send him, if you The Queen was undoubtedly advertised, that her forsaken knight (for such indeed he was) had issued forth from his solitariness to bask himself in the sun-shine of her luminous countenance, and to gather courage and prowess from the beams of her bright eyes. Nothing, not even trifles, passed abroad or at home, with which she was not acquainted. But as she had no immediate occasion for the service of Sir Robert Cary, her Majesty was determined still to continue the outward show of her resentment, till she wanted him. The town of Berwick, from whence the Queen would not have him stir, because she did not deem him to be a proper messenger, know'ing there was a better within call. him."* My father came and told me what had passed between them. I thought it hard to be sent, and not to see her; but my father told me plainly, that she would neither speak with me, nor see me. "Sir," said I, "if she be on such hard term's with me, I had need be wary what I do. If I go to the King without her license, it were in her power to hang met at my return; and, for any thing I see, it were ill trusting her." My father merrily went to the Queen, and told her what I said. She answered, "if the gentleman be so mistrustful, let the Secretary make a safe conduct to go and come, and I will sign it." Upon these terms I parted from court, and made all the haste for Scotland. I stayed but one night with my wife at Carlisle, and then to Berwick, and so to Edinburgh, where it pleased the King to use me very graciously: and after three or four days spent in sport and merriment, he acquainted me with what he desired the Queen should know; which, when I understood, I said to his Majesty, "Sir, between subject and subject, a message may be sent and delivered without any danger; between two so great monarchs as your Majesty and my Mistress, I dare not trust my memory to be a relator, but must desire you would be pleased to write your mind to her. If you shall think fit to trust me with it, I shall faithfully discharge the trust reposed in me." He liked the motion, and said it should be so, and accordingly I had my dispatch within four days. Still maintaining her dignity, yet impatient to have him go. By this expression may be seen the terror in which this mighty princess governed her subjects. By the unrelaxed tightness with which she grasped the reins of government, she was at once beloved and feared. The purport of this interview with James VI. does not appear. James was, in 1693, greatly embarrassed with Bothwell on the one hand, the inhabitants of the contiguous countries. Sir Robert Cary was appointed warden of one of the marches, and he enters into many details of what took place, which must be perused with great pleasure. I made all the haste I could to There is much curious and pleascourt, which was then at Hampton ing information in this volume reCourt. I arrived there on St. Steven's specting the border transactions of day in the afternoon. Dirty as I was, England and Scotland. It ought to I came into the presence, where I be read by all who admire the eight found the lords and ladies dancing. syllable lines of a modern writer, The Queen was not there. My father whose chief beauties are founded went to the Queen, to let her know upon topics connected with that rude that I was returned. She willed him state of society, when endless feuds to take my message or letters, and were generated, and much blood bring them to her. He came for spilled, by the predatory incursions of them, but I desired him to excuse me; for that which I had to say, either by word, or by writing, I must deliver myself: I could neither trust him, nor much less any other therewith. He acquainted her Majesty with my resolution. With much ado, I was called We are tempted to give the followfor in; and I was left alone with her. ing long quotation, because we are Our first encounter was stormy and persuaded that it will be gratifying to terrible, which I passed over with all our readers. For ourselves, we silence. After she had spoken her would prefer such an artless and plain pleasure of me and my wife, I told narrative, to a hundred of the studied her, that "she herself was the fault descriptions and artificial embellishof my marriage, and that if she had ments of the professed historian. but graced me with the least of her Descriptions by an eye witness have favours, I had never left her, nor her a refish in them which no transmitted court: and seeing she was the chief recital can possess. cause of my misfortune, I would never off my knees till I had kissed her hand, and obtained my pardon." She was not displeased with my excuse, and before we parted we grew good friends. Then I delivered my inessage and my papers, which she took very well, and at last gave me thanks for the pains I had taken. So having her princely word, that she had pardoned and forgotten all faults, I kissed her hand, and came forth to the presence, and was in the court, as I was ever before."* and the Catholic Earls of Huntly and Errol on the other. Probably the conference regarded some request of assistance from England. E. *The firmness with which Mr. Cary weathered out this storm, evidently shews in what a school, and under what a mistress, he had been bred. He well knew, that the curious desire of the Queen to be fully informed of every particular relating to the King of Scots, must, after a certain degree of assumed passion, turn into a proper calm, proper at least for hearing his sentiments, if not for expressing some of her own. The effects of his judgment were fully UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV. After to at all things were quieted, and the Border in safety, towards the end of five years that I had been warden there, having little to do, I resolved upon a journey to count, to see my friends, and renew my acquaintance there. I took my journey about the end of the year 1602. When I came to court, I found the Queen ill-disposed, and she kept her inner lodging; yet she, hearing of my arrival, sent for me. I found her in one of her withdrawing chambers, sitting low upon her cushions. She called me to her; I kissed her hand, and told her it was my chiefest happiness to see her in safety, and in health, which I wished might long continue. She took me by the hand, and wrung. it hard, and said, "No, Robin, I am not well," and then discoursed with me of her indisposition, and that her heart had been sad and heavy for ten or twelve days; and in her discourse, she fetched not so few as forty or fifty great sighs. I was answered; and certainly his judg ment never appeared more conspicuous, than from the beginning to the end of the scene which he has exhibited upon this occasion. Р grieved at the first to see her in this state her Majesty was. I desired plight; for in all my lifetime before, him not to stir from Edinburgh; if I never knew her fetch a sigh, but of that sickness the should die, I when the Queen of Scots was behead- would be the first man that should ed. Then, upon my knowledge, she bring him news of it. shed many tears and sighs,† manifesting her innocence, that she never gave consent to the death of that Queen. "I used the best words I could, to persuade her from this melancholy humour; but I found by her it was too deep-rooted in her heart, and hardly to be removed. This was upon a Saturday night, and she gave command that the great closet should be prepared for her to go to chapel the next morning. The next day, all - things being in a readiness, we long expected her coming. After eleven o'clock, one of the grooms came out, and bade make ready for the private closet, she would not go to the great. There we stayed long for her coming, but at the last she had cushions laid for her in the privy chamber hard by the closet door, and there she heard service. "From that day forwards, she grew worse and worse. She remained upon her cushions four days and nights at the least. All about her could not persuade her, either to take any susteDance, or go to bed. "The Queen grew worse and worse, because she would be so, none about her being able to persuade her to go to bed. My Lord Admiral' was sent for, (who, by reason of my sister's death, that was his wife, had absented himself some fortnight from court;) what by fair means, what by force, he got her to bed. There was no hope of her recovery, because she refused all remedies. "On Wednesday, the 29d of March, she grew speechless. That afternoon, by signs, she called for her council, and by putting her hand to her head, when the king of Scots was named to succeed her, they all knew he was the man she desired should reign after her. "About six at night she made signs for the archbishop and her Charles Howard, Earl of No. tingham, married to Catherine, eldest daughter of Henry, Lord Hunsdon. The sign here mentioned, is a true and indisputable fact, otherwise it would not have been inserted by the plain, sincere, and ingenious author of these Memoirs, who was present at the time the sign was made. But still it remains a doubt whether the Queen intended it for a sign or not. The Lords present pretended to think it one. Orrery. So my Lord Orrery. But it is plain from her repeated signs to the bishop to continue his devotions, that Elizabeth knew the import of her motions. And whom could she have thought of destining to be her successor, but the King of Scotland. E. "I hearing that neither the physicians, nor none about her, could persuade her to take any course for her safety, feared her death would soon after ensue. I could not but think in what a wretched estate I should be left, most of my livelihood depending on her life. And hereupon bethought myself with what grace and favour I was ever received by the King of Scots, whensoever I was sent to him. I did assure myself, it was neither unjust, nor unhonest for me to do for myself, if God, at John Whitgift, archbishop of that time, should call her to his Canterbury. He was highly esteemed mercy. Hereupon I wrote to the by Queen Elizabeth for his sense, King of Scots, (knowing him to be the right heir to the crown of England, $) and certified him in what At that time-In the year 1587. †They were indeed necessary upon that occasion. learning, and piety. The Queen, who was particularly wary what conces sions she made, and to whom she granted them, allowed Archbishop Whitgift, in the year 1579, (then Bishop of Worcester,) the power of bestowing the prebends of his church on such persons as he thought fit, which disposal before this time had not a not been in the nomination of the bishop, but of the crown; nor did Of the chambers. Protestants and Papists unanimously allowed his right; murmur arose against it. "I went to my lodging, and left word with one in the cofferer's chamber to call me, if that night it was thought she would die, and gave the porter an angel to let me in at any time when I called. Between one and two of the clock on Thursday morning, he that I left in the coffer er's chainber, brought me word the Queen was dead. I rose and inade all the haste to the gate to get in. There I was answered, I could not enter; the lords of the council having been with him, and commanded him that none should go in or out, but chaplains to come to her, at which Christian; because I know there time I went in with them, and Sat have been many false lies reported upon my knees full of tears to see that of the end and death of that good heavy sight. Her Majesty lay upon lady. her back, with one hand in the bed, and the other without. The bishop kneeled down by her, and examined her first of her faith; and she so punctually answered all his several questions, by lifting up her eyes, and holding up her hand, as it was a comfort to all the beholders. Then the good man told her plainly what she was, and what she was to come to; and though she had been long a great Queen here upon earth, yet shortly she was to yield an account of her stewardship to the King of kings, After this he began to pray, and all that were by did answer him. After by warrant from them. At the very he had continued long in prayer, till the old man's knees were weary, he blessed her, and meant to rise and leave her. The Queen made a sign with her hand. My sister Scroop knowing her meaning, told the bishop the Queen desired he would pray still. He did so for a long half hour after, and then thought to leave her. The second time she made sign to have him continue in prayer. He did so for half an hour more, with earnest cries to God for her soul's health, which he uttered with that fervency of spirit, as the Queen, to all our sight, much rejoiced thereat, and gave testimony to us all of her Christian and comfortable end. By this time it grew late, and every one departed, all but her women that attended her. "This that I heard with my ears, and did see with my eyes, I thought it my duty to set down, and to affirm it for a truth, upon the faith of a instaut, one of the council (the comptroller) asked whether I was at the gate. I said, yes. He said to me, if I pleased he would let me in. I desired to know how the Queen did. He answered, pretty well. I bade him good night. He replied, and said, Sir, if you will come in, I will give you my word and credit you shall go out again at your own pleasure. Upon his word, I entered the gate, and came up to the cofferer's chamber, where I found all the ladies weeping bitterly. He led me from thence to the privy, chamber, where all the council was assembled; there I was caught hold of, and assured I I should not go for Scotland, till their pleasures were farther known. I told them I came of purpose to that end. From thence they all went to the secretary's chamber; and as they went, they gave a special command to the porters, that none should go out of the gates, but such servants as they she now give away the right of such should send to prepare their coaches disposal to him, and his successory, and horses for London. There was I but only as a particular favour to left in the midst of the court to think himself during his continuance in my own thoughts till they had done that ⚫ee. And in the year 1580, the council. I went to my brother's † nomination of justices of the peace for Worcestershire and Warwickshire was left to his discretion. Such a confidence did the Queen repose in the wisdom and integrity of this Bishop.-See the Lives of the Arch bishops. Philadelphia, Lady Scroop, se. cond daughter of Henry Cary, Lord Hunsdon. She died March 24, soon after the archbishop had left her, about three o'clock in the morning. † George Lord Hunsdon, a Privy Counsellor, Captain of the Band of Pen-ioners, Governor of the Isle of Wight, and Knight of the Garter.— Orrery. He was a gallant and high-spirited |