"Your Grace," resumed the Private Secre- tary, who had been for the moment terribly frightened by his royBl master's manner, "need scarcely be reminded that when I was wont to submit divers letters and papers for your sove- reign signature, your Highness never read them, but was contented with such hurried description as I gave your Grace of each suc- cessive one in the order in which they occurred It was therefore by no means difficult for me to obtain your royal signature to the two letters- patent which, under Danvers' dictation, I had drawn up.