withe hir, or stood not well to his advysinges before, she did not let it go unheeded, and sometymes, not unpunished. Sir Christopher Hatton was wont to saye, The Queen did fishe for men's souls, and had so sweete a baite, that no one coude escape hir net-work.' In truthe, I am sure hir speeche was such, as none coude refuse to take delyghte in, when frowardness did not stand in the way. I have seen hir smile, soothe with great semblance of good likinge to all arounde, and cause everie one to open his moste inwarde thought to hir; when, on a sudden, she woud ponder in pryvate on what had passed, write down all their opinions, draw them out as occasion required, and sometyme disprove to their faces what had been delivered a month before. Hence she knew every one's parte, and by thus fishinge, as Hatton sayed, she caught many poor fish, who little knew what snare was laid for them. "I will now tell you more of hir Majesty's discretion and wonder-working to those about her, touchynge their myndes and opinions. She did oft aske the ladies around hir chamber, if they lovede to thinke of marriage? And the wise ones did conceal well their liking hereto; as knowing the Queene's judgment in this matter. Sir Matthew Arundel's fair cosin, not knowing so deeply as hir fellowes, was asked one day hereof, and simply said—' she had thought muche about marriage, if her father did consent to the man she lovede.' You seem honeste, I' faithe,' said the Queen; ' I will sue for you to your father.' The damsel was not displeased hereat; and, when Sir Roberte Arundel came to cowrte, the Queene askede him hereon, and pressede his consentinge, if the match was discreet. Sir Roberte, muche astonied at this news, said, he never heard his daughter had liking to any man, and wantede to gain knowledge of hir affection; but woude give free consente to what was moste pleasinge to hir Highnesse wyll and advyse.'-'Then I will do the reste,' saith the Queene. The ladie was called in, and the Queene tould her father had given his free consente. Then,' replied the ladie, ‘I shall be happie, and please your grace.' 'So thou shalte; but not to be a foole and marrye. I have his consente given to me, and I vow thou shalte never get it into thy possession: so, go to thy busynesse. I see thou art a bolde one, to owne thy foolishnesse so readilye.' “I coude relate manye pleasante tales of hir Majestie's outwittinge the wittiest ones; for few knew how to aim their shaft against hir cunninge. We did all love hir, for she said she loved us, and muche wysdome she shewed in thys matter. She did well temper herself towards all at home, and put at variance all abroad; by which means she had more quiet than hir neighbours. I need not praise her frugality; but I wyll tell a storie that fell oute when I was a boye. She did love riche cloathing, but often chid those that bought more finery than became their state. It happenede that Ladie M. Howarde was possesede of a rich border, powderd wyth golde and pearle, and a velvet suite belonginge thereto, which moved manie to envye; nor did it please the Queene, who thoughte it exceeded hir owne. One daye the Queene did sende privately, and got the ladie's rich vesture, which she put on herself, and came forthe the chamber amonge the ladies; the kirtle and border was far too shorte for her Majestie's heigth; and she askede every one,' How they liked her new-fancied suit ?" At lengthe, she askede the owner herself, if it was not made too short, and ill-becoming?' which the poor ladie did presentlie consente to. Why then, if it become not me, as being too short, I am minded it shall never become thee, as being too fine; so it fitteth neither well.' This sharp rebuke abashed the ladie, and she never adorned her therewith any more. I believe the vestment was laid up till after the Queene's death. "As I did bear so much love towarde hir Majestie, I know not well how to stop my tales of hir virtues, and sometimes hir faults, for nemo nascitur sine --> saith the poet; but even her errors did seem great marks of surprizing endowments.-When she smiled, it was a pure sunshine, that every one did chuse to baske in, if they could; but anon came a storm from a sudden gathering of clouds, and the thunder fell in wondrous manner on all alike. I never did fynde greater show of understandinge and lerninge, than she was bleste wyth; and whoever liveth longer than I can, will look backe and become laudator temporis acti.” -- PRINTING. In the early part of Elizabeth's reign, an Epitome, under the title of a "Bref Abstract, or Short Sume," of several books of the Bible, was printed at London, with the ensuing verses in the title page, from which it appears that foreign compositors were at that period, employed in this city. "Such faltes as you herein may finde, I pray you be content; And do the same with will and mynde "The prynters were outlandish men, WHITEHALL; ANCIENTLY YORK HOUSE. THE site of WHITEHALL was originally occupied by a noble mansion, erected by Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, and Chief Justice of England in the reign of Henry the Third. Dugdale states, that the Monks of Westminster, in consideration of 140 marks of silver, and the 'yearly tribute of a wax taper, of three pounds weight, on the feast of St. Edward, granted to Hubert de Burgh, the inheritance of certain houses, with a court and a free chapel, within the liberties of Westminster;* and among the Tower records are several grants to the same nobleman, of houses, a court, chapel, &c. in the town of Westminster, and also of land called More, lying between the Hospital of St. James and the moor, or marsh, of John Chancellor. On the decease of Earl Hubert, in 1242, he left this estate to the Church of the Black Friars, near 66 Oldborne," in which he was buried. Soon afterwards, that Brotherhood sold it to Walter Gray, Archbishop of York, who made it his town residence, and dying in 1255, bequeathed it, as an archiepiscopal Palace to his See, for the use of his successors: from that appropriation, it acquired the name of York Place. On the promotion, in 1514, of the regal-minded Wolsey to the See of York, which was quickly followed by his elevation to the rank of Priest-Cardinal, and Legate de latere, York Place became the scene of the most gorgeous hospitality and courtly pomp, which it * Dugdale's "Baronage," vol. i. p. 699. VOL. II. C 18 was possible for ecclesiastical ostentation to display. It was at York Place that, " ranking himself with Princes," Wolsey, to all "that sought him," was "sweet as summer," and, shining in "the full meridian of his glory," attained "the highest point of all his greatness."* His household, according to his checker roll, amounted to "about the sum of five hundred persons;-besides his retainers, and others, being suitors, that most commonly were fed in his hall."+ His establishment, or family, as it was called, included nine or ten young Lords, (each of whom had servants,} sixteen chaplains, four counsellors, "learned in the laws," and many other persons. "He had also," says Cavendish, who was one of his gentlemen ushers, and from whose curious narrative of the Cardinal's Life these particulars are derived, 66 a great number daily attending on him, both of noblemen and worthy gentlemen, of great estimation and possessions, with no small number of the tallest yeomen that he could get in all this realm. In his Hall he had, daily, three especial tables, furnished with three principal officers; that is to say, a Steward, which was always a dean or a priest; a Treasurer, a knight; and a Comptroller, an esquire; which bore always, within his house, their white staves. In his privy Kitchen he had a Master Cook, who went daily in damask satin, or velvet, with a chain of gold about his neck. In his Chapel, he had a Dean, who was always a great clerk and a divine; a Sub-dean; a Repeater of the quire; a Gospeller, a 'Pisteller, and twelve singing Priests: * Vide Singer's edition of Cavendish's "Life of Cardinal Wolsey," vol. i. p. 39. + Shakspeare's "Henry the Eighth," Acts 3 and 4. |