'mL]E°W]MlI¥IEI&S2W«> - ILUMKAIKr • 5BBSS 1923 QUEEN ELIZABETH'S MAIDS OF HONOUR '/{,-,„/,¦> r,r ¦l/o/i /• -If /"¦'*'¦ Ti/Jfvii::^„r,n (!'>/-/-:;,J-Hh/i. ¦„„,,,,•¦..«,,., Frontispiece From a portrait at Arbury. By permission of Sir Francis Newdigate-Newdegate. (Photo, Shakespeare Head Press.) Facing page Lady Catherine Grey and her Child 20 From a portrait at Syon House. By permission of the Duke of Northumberland. Queen Elizabeth ......... ±± From the portrait at Ditchley. By permission of Viscount Dillon. (Photo, Clarendon Press.) Queen Elizabeth Dancing with the Earl of Leicester . . 78 From a picture at Penshurst. By permission of Lord de L'Isle and Dudley. (Photo, "The Connoisseur.") Mary Sydney, Countess of Pembroke ..... 102 i^rom a miniature in the Victoria and Albert Museum. By permission of the Duke of Buccleuch. Kate Carey, Countess of Nottingham .... 132 From a portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger. By per mission of Major the Hon. Harold Pearson. (Photo, Messrs. Sotheby's.) Elizabeth Howard, Lady Southwell ..... 144 From a portrait by Marcus Gheesaerts the Younger. By per mission of Major the Hon. Harold Pearson. (Photo, Messrs. Sotheby's.) Elizabeth Throckmorton, Lady Raleigh . . . .172 From a portrait at Knole. By permission of Lord Sackville. Mary Radclyffe ......... 200 From a portrait at Thurso. By permission of Major Radclyffe. Elizabeth Bridges as a Girl of Fourteen .... 220 From a portrait at Woburn Abbey. By permission of the Duke of Bedford. Elizabeth Vernon, Countess of Southampton . . . 232 From a portrait at Boughton. By permission of the Duke of Buccleuch. Ann Russell, Lady Herbert ...... 258 From a portrait at Badminton. By permission of the Duke of Beaufort. (Photo, Walpole Society.) QUEEN ELIZABETH'S MAIDS OF HONOUR QUEEN ELIZABETH'S MAIDS OF HONOUR CHAPTER I QUEEN ELIZABETH once asked a French nobleman what he thought of her ladies. The visitor, an adroit courtier well skilled in the subtle art of flattery, refused to make any comment on them whatsoever, protesting his inability "to judge stars in the presence of the sun."1 This answer pleased the Queen, and at the same time aptly defined the position occupied by her Maids of Honour, whose duty it was to set off their mistress's glory, but in no wise deflect it unto themselves. Ehzabeth, with true Tudor love of pageantry and colour, fully realized the spectacular value of a gorgeous setting, so that from the first she took care to surround herself with all the pomp and circumstance of splendid palaces, rich furniture, elaborate dresses and magnificent jewellery. In this handsome background the Maids of Honour occupied a conspicuous and highly decorative place. Beautiful, well born, highly-educated girls, they were fitted both by birth and accomplishments to be the intimate companions of their royal mistress. Dressed in 1 Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle, The Raigne of Elizabeth. 3 4 Queen Elizabeth's^Mmds of Honour white and silver, they grouped themselves round the Queen, and were essentially a part of a well arranged picture designed for the enhancement of regal majesty. Unfortunately they evinced considerable disinclination to remain in the background, and individual stars twinkled so brightly that they seriously distracted the young courtiers from their rapt contemplation of the Elizabethan sun. This propensity caused much trouble at Court, entailing hard words, frequently accompanied by still harder blows from the royal hand for the delinquent Maids of Honour, whilst their luckless admirers had ample time for reflection or repentance during the constraints of imprisonment. \ The ladies' conduct appeared the more reprehensible in the Queen's eyes from the fadt that she constantly extolled the superior merits of virginity, and sought to impregnate them with her own aversion to matrimony. Discoursing at large on the subject which formed a constant theme in the privy chamber, Elizabeth would ask the girls for their opinion. The Maids of Honour with well simulated aversion unhesitatingly professed adhorrence of the wiles of wilful men, declaring thoughts of marriage never so much as entered their heads. After which sentiments they promptly embroiled themselves in the labyrinths of intricate love affairs. At the age of twenty-five Elizabeth had little to fear from comparison with other women, for various chron iclers testified to her good looks. "She was a lady of great beauty, of decent stature, and of an excellent shape. In her youth she was adorned with Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 5 more than usual maiden modesty; her skin was pure white, and her hair of a yellow colour ; her eyes were beautiful and lovely. In short, her whole body was well made, and her face was adorned with a wonderful beauty and majesty."1 Her admirer claimed that she had all the virtues belong ing to both sexes, without the faults considered peculiar to her own, save "a little unsteadiness in her will"; another opinion "she had more valour in her than was fit for a woman."2 Besides physical beauty — by which she set great store — Elizabeth possessed clever brains, shrewd judgment and nimble wit, with considerable powers of acumen, which stood her in good stead through her long reign. Her mind, too, had been well trained, for in Tudor times education was a solid matter laid down on the same lines for men and women. Learning of all kinds had come to be held in high esteem, for knowledge — no longer shut up in the monasteries — spread its enlightening influence throughout the land, awaking fresh desires, and thrusting aside the baffling ignorance of mediaeval times. It was an age pre-eminent of romance, a world electric with portents of fresh discoveries; new lands were being sought for, new ventures undertaken, new inventions perfected, new luxuries coming into general use. Printed books, though few at first, rapidly increased, being read with avidity by men and women alike, eager to avail themselves of the splendid future which lay before them. Elizabeth appointed a librarian at Whitehall Palace, 1 Bohun's Character of Queen Elizabeth. 2 Sir R. Baker's Chronicle. 6 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour and under his charge the shelves quickly filled with books of the time. These were especially bound in coloured velvet, stamped in gold with the Queen's Arms, and the clasps encrusted with precious stones. Foreign literature also, was well represented, the Queen being an exception ally clever linguist. She not only read but spoke various tongues with fluent accuracy, could address the univer sities in Greek, trounce a malapert ambassador in vigorous Latin, or fish for compliments with equal facility in French, Italian or Spanish. Clever herself, Elizabeth had no patience with stupidity, but liked to surround herself with people whose quick brains were attuned to her own. The Maids of Honour were famous for their accomplishments: they spoke several languages, were good musicians, clever needle women, graceful dancers, and proficient horsewomen. Nor were they behindhand in domestic pursuits, being ever ready to try their hands at cookery when the Palace cooks, usually " musical headed Frenchmen," could be prevailed on to demonstrate the mysteries appertaining to sugar-plate, kissing comfits, gingerbreads, sugar meats, or the most delectable confectionery known as marchpane.1 From their nearness to the Queen's person, the Maids of Honour were objects of solicitude to the courtiers, who pressed, and not infrequently bribed them to further their suits with the Queen. Sometimes they were success ful, often they were not; so much depended on the nature of the favour sought, the personality of the suitor, the influence of the lady, and the caprice of the Queen. 1 "Save me a piece of marchpane," Romeo and Juliet, I, 5. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 7 Courtiers differed in their estimation of this method of gaining the royal ear; many regarding the ladies' help as indispensable, whilst others declared ungallantly that "like witches, they could do hurt, but they could do no good."1 Elizabeth did not encourage the ladies to meddle in political matters when she had withdrawn with them to her own apartments and wished to forget the cares of State. She was, however, by no means averse to anything in the nature of gossip, and so well did the ladies keep their mistress supplied with all the current scandal that Sir William Cecil2 and other members of the Council were frequently chagrined to find the Queen intimately acquainted with matters of which they had fondly hoped to keep her in ignorance. On ascending the throne in 1558, Elizabeth, when making choice of the ladies of her privy chamber, did not forget those friends who had stood by her in the dark days of Queen Mary's reign, when she was but a doubt fully legitimate princess whose head sat very insecurely on her shoulders. Elizabeth's former governess and closest confidante, Mrs. Ashley, who had suffered imprisonment for devotion to her pupil's cause, received an honourable appointment in the household, whilst Mrs. Blanche Parry3, who had rocked the little princess in her cradle, became chief gentlewoman of the privy chamber and keeper of Her Majesty's jewels. Mistress Blanche loved to dabble in the dark mysteries 1 Bacon's A-pofhthegms. 2 Principal Secretary, afterwards created Lord Burleigh. 3 d. of Henry Parry, of Newcourt, Herefordshire. "Mrs." was the usual prefix for unmarried ladies. 8 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour of the occult, and was a great crony of Dr. John Dee, the Mortlake astronomer, who through her influence was instructed to consult the stars in their courses and fix an auspicious day for the Queen's coronation. Blanche Parry made a special study of palmistry, and on long winter evenings when the curtains were drawn and the wood fire crackled cheerfully in the big open hearth, the girls brought gay-hued cushions and sat round "Mrs. Blanche," stretching out their slim hands for her to tell their fortunes. If the palmist read the lines truly she must needs have prevaricated, for fate held hard things in store for several of the merry, light-hearted girls. When Lady Catherine Grey's1 turn came, Mrs. Parry, with full knowledge of the girl's difficult position from her nearness to the throne, took opportunity to convey a timely warning, saying gravely, "The lines say, madam, that if you ever marry without the Queen's consent in writing, you and your husband will be undone, and your fate worse than that of my Lady Jane." Lady Catherine and her elfish little sister, Lady Mary, though treated just the same as the other girls, were in point of fact very differently situated, for if Ehzabeth died without issue they stood next in the succession. Henry VIII, in his will, left the crown in rotation to his own children, Edward VI, Mary, Ehzabeth, and after them to his younger sister, Mary, the ex-Queen of France2, thus passing over the claim of his elder sister, Margaret, 1 d. of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk. 2 m., ist, Louis XII; 2ndly, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Two daughters. Frances m. Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, and was the mother of the Ladies Jane, Catherine, and Mary Grey. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 9 Queen of Scotland.1 This deposition caused endless dissension: it made the three Grey sisters the centre of intrigue; caused the death of the eldest, Lady Jane, the nine days' Queen, and created two rival parties who supported the claims of the Greys or their cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Ehzabeth loved her young relatives not at all, but she deemed it politic to give them posts in the privy chamber, where they would be directly under her very vigilant eye. Lady Catherine, small, red-haired, with a spice of Tudor temper which flared up and frequently got her into trouble with the Queen, regarded the position of Maid of Honour as derogatory to her rank. She, however, found consolation in the fact that it gave her the close companionship of her greatest friend, Lady Jane Seymour, another of the Maids. Lady Jane's ambitious father, the Protector Somerset,2 had schemed to marry her to the boy King Edward VI, and would probably have done so had not his enemies caused that and many other cherished plans to go awry, and himself to expiate his offences on Tower Hill. Lady Jane, a clever delicate girl, had the reputation of being one of the most learned ladies of the day. At ten years old she had, with her two elder sisters, written "four hundred Latin distich's upon the death of the Queen of Navarre."3 This display of erudition did not 1 Eldest d. of Henry VII; m. James IV of Scotland; her son, James V, was the father of Mary, Queen of Scots. 2 Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford and Duke of Somerset, beheaded 1552. 3 Ballard's Eminent Ladies. 10 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour mark Lady Jane as one apart from the other Maids of Honour, for at Court she laid aside her youthful pre cocity, and though still fond of books, devoted much time to music and singing, whilst when occasion offered, she displayed great activity as a match-maker. Other Maids of Honour were Ann Russell,1 Katherine Knevett,2 and five of the Queen's young kinswomen, Kate and Philadelphia Carey,3 Lettice and Cecilia Knollys,4 and Mary Howard,5 of whom Richard Edwards6 of the Chapel Royal, wrote in estimation: "Howarde is not haughte But of such smylinge cheare That wolde alure eche gentill harte His love to holde full dere." The bright-eyed Maids of Honour led a gay life consequent on their attendance on a vivacious young Queen whose youth and beauty, combined with a memory of her past sufferings, fired the imagination, whilst it quickened the love of her people. At tilts and tourneys young men, aglow with ardour, burned to distinguish themselves in the eyes of such a mistress. One valiant courtier, Sir Henry Lee, openly 1 d. of Francis, 2nd Earl of Bedford. 2 d. of Henry Knevett, of Buckenham, Norfolk. 3 d.'s of Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon, whose mother, Mary Boleyn, was a sister of Ann Boleyn. 4 d.'s of Sir Francis Knollys and his wife, Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn. 5 d. of William, ist Baron Howard of Effingham, the Queen's grand-uncle. 6 Richard Edwards, poet and playwright, master of the children of the Chapel Royal, died 1566. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour ii dedicated himself the Queen's own champion, solemnly making a vow that he would tilt yearly in her honour till the dim obscurity of old age rendered him incapable of martial exercise. The good citizens of London were every whit as anxious to show their loyalty as the courtiers at West minster, and received the Queen with acclamations of joy whenever she appeared among them. One soft April evening when the silvery Thames rippled invitingly between its banks, Elizabeth with her retinue entered the gilded State barge manned by liveried oarsmen, and rowed up towards the city. Snowy plumaged swans followed in its wake, as the barge glided past the green fields and lovely gardens lying between Westminster and London. The Thames watermen congregated at the public stairs, spread news of the Queen's approach, and very soon reaped rich harvest from eager sightseers all anxious to catch a glimpse of their young Queen as she passed slowly along. "The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, Burn'd on the water; the poop was beaten gold, Purple the sails, and so perfumed that The winds were love-sick with them, the oars were silver, Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made The water which they beat to follow faster, As amorous of their strokes."1 1 Antony and Cleopatra, II, 2. Shakespeare, when writing this description of a State barge, doubtless had in mind the one used by Queen Elizabeth, and which he must often have seen on the Thames. 12 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Court musicians played with a will, but their efforts were quite outdone in volume by the loyal citizens, who despite their haste had thoughtfully provided themselves with whatsoever noise producing instruments came first to hand. With extreme vigour did they perform on drums, trumpets and flutes, their efforts being augmented by the ringing of church bells, discharge of cannon, to say nothing of squibs hurled into the air by exuberant youngsters. Grey evening purpled into dusk, the lights of London twinkled up at the stars above, but not till ten o'clock did the royal barge return to Whitehall, where Sergeant- porter Keyes, keeper of the Watergate, awaited it with his men and torch-bearers. Lord Robert Dudley,1 master of the horse, handed out the Queen, whilst less privileged courtiers offered eager assistance to the Maids of Honour. The girls gathered their wraps round them as they walked through the Palace garden, where the scent pf pale spring flowers hung in the air, and the earth seemed throbbing with the insistent vitality that pulsates through the nights of early spring. Laughing and chattering together, the young people were loath to go indoors, but the "mother of the maids," a discreet chaperon responsible for her charges' good behaviour, would allow no loitering, and indoors the girls had to go. 1 Robert Dudley, afterwards Earl of Leicester, fifth son of John, Duke of Northumberland, and brother of Lord Guildford Dudley, the husband of Lady Jane Grey. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 13 Their "mother" might see her charges safely indoors, or even up to their own dormitory, but once there she held no jurisdiction over their lively tongues. The girls always had plenty to talk about, and enlivened the process of hair-brushing with comments on the day's happenings, and the progress of their own particular love affairs. Their next door neighbour, grave Sir Francis Knollys1, found the noise made by his daughters and their friends well-nigh distracting, for "the Mayds of Honour used to frisk and hey about in the next room to his extreme disquiete at nights, though he had often warned them of it; at last he getts one to bolt their own backe door, when they were all in one night at their revells, stripps to his shirt, and so with a payre of spectacles on his nose, and Aretine in his hand, come marching in at the posterne doore of his own chamber, reading very gravely, full upon the faces of them. Now let the reader judge what a sadd spectacle a pittifull fright these poor creatures endur'd, for he faced them and often travest the roome in this posture about an hour."2 1 Sir Francis Knollys, Privy Councillor and Vice-Chamberlain. Treasurer of the royal household 1572-96. 2 Thoms's Anecdotes and Traditions. CHAPTER II NO matter what time they went to bed the Maids of Honour had to be up betimes next morning, for immediately after six o'clock breakfast they attended the Queen as she walked in the garden. It was Elizabeth's hour of relaxation before Ministers arrived to consult about State affairs, and she made the most of it, laughing or talking with her ladies as they paced the palace grounds. The garden at Whitehall was a pleasurable place in sum mer; broad paths ran between dew-spangled lawns broken by trim flower-beds, fantastically clipped bushes, and tall gilded columns surmounted by grotesquely carved beasts. In the middle of the garden stood a sundial, openly re markable for the fact that it told the time in thirty different ways. It also possessed a thirty-first claim to notoriety which made much mirth for the mischievous Maids of Honour. With extreme willingness they offered to show strangers the sundial, and whilst the visitors with puckered brows strove to define the hour by any one of its thirty devices, the girls suddenly turned on a concealed hose, adroitly contrived to give anyone standing by the sundial an impromptu shower-bath. The trick could only be played once, but with so many strangers coming and going at Whitehall, the ladies were rarely at loss for a victim. Foreign Ambassadors arrived with much pomp, their portfolios filled with matrimonial projects, till it seemed as if all the eligible princes in Europe were anxious to Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 15 make offer of their hands and hearts to the fair young Queen of England. Elizabeth heard them graciously, feasted them royally, showed them the sights of London, and the treasures of her palaces; inclined a highly appreci ative ear to their facile flattery of her unparalleled charms, but remained obdurately deaf to marriage proposals. To entertain the visitors, Elizabeth arranged a ballet to be performed by the Maids of Honour, representing the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, as depicted in a set of tapestry hangings which adorned one of the State rooms at Greenwich Palace. The girls entered whole-heartedly into the idea, but at rehearsals they found their mistress hard to please. Seated on a chair in the privy chamber she watched with critical eyes as the "Virgins " practised their steps. In no gentle terms did she chide when they made mistakes; over and over again would she rehearse the difficult parts, till the girls were ready to drop with weariness. Elizabeth's own nimble feet beat a tattoo to the music, and often, descending from her seat, she lifted her farthingale to display a trim pair of ankles as she enacted the part of dancing mistress. At length the eventful evening arrived, and to the distinguished visitors it seemed as if the glowing tapestry had suddenly come to life, when in glided the wise and foolish virgins swinging richly chased silver lamps. At the conclusion of the ballet, the performers approached the royal dais to entreat the Queen and her guests to join in the subsequent revels. Throughout all this gaiety there were many under- 1 6 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour currents, for Kate Carey, Lettice Knollys, Ann Russell and Katerine Knevett all had secret, but progressive, love affairs of great interest to themselves, but of less momen tous consequence to the State than that of Lady Catherine Grey. So long as Elizabeth refused to marry or name a successor — and the very mention of either threw her into a paroxysm of rage — Lady Catherine, though neglected and kept in the background, was the next heir to the throne. The ambiguity of her position made marriage proposals a gamble at which self-interested suitors fought shy. If the lady brought the crown of England as a dowry, she would be a rich prize, but should Queen Elizabeth marry, then the husband of Lady Catherine might find himself in a difficult, if not acutely dangerous, position. The Earl of Pembroke, who had caused his son to be affianced to Lady Catherine on the same day that Lord Guildford Dudley, married Lady Jane Grey, judged discretion to be the better part of valour, and repudiated the contract. Philip of Spain, who wished to retain a hold on England by marrying his sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, instructed his ambassador to keep in touch with Lady Catherine, for, if the former project failed, he entertained the idea of kidnapping her. Sir Thomas Challoner, the English ambassador, hearing rumours of this design, wrote thus to warn Sir William Cecil. "King Philip is so jealous of the anticipated power of France, by the alliance of young Francis the Dauphin with the Queen of Scotland, and her claim to the crown Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 17 of England that he positively contemplates stealing Lady Catherine Grey out of the realm, and marrying her to his son, Don Carlos, or some other member of his family, and setting up her title against that of Mary Stuart, as the true heiress of England. Lady Catherine will probably be glad to go, being most uncomfortably situated in the English Court with the Queen, who cannot well abide the sight of her, neither the duchess her mother1 nor her stepfather love her, and her uncle cannot abide to hear of her so she lives as it were in great despair. She has spoken very arrogant and unseemly words in the hearing of the Queen and others standing by. Hence it is thought that she could be enticed away if some trusty person were to speak with her."2 Count de Feria, the Spanish Ambassador, so far made interest with Lady Catherine that she promised not to marry anyone without first consulting him, but when the right man appeared she threw promises and prudence alike to the winds. The romance began at Hanworth, the home of the Duchess of Somerset, Lady Jane Seymour's mother. Lady Jane having been ill, went there to recover, taking with her her great friend, Lady Catherine Grey. In the beautiful old garden at Hanworth, the two girls spent a happy summer, not lessened, for either of them, by the presence of Lady Jane's brother, Edward.3 1 Lady Frances Brandon, after the execution of her first hus band, Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, married her equerry, Mr. Adrian Stokes. 2 Calendar of State Papers. Foreign. 1560. 3 Edward Seymour, son of Protector Somerset by his second wife, Anne Stanhope, educated with Edward VI. Created Earl of Hertford 1559. c 1 8 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour The young man had a natural interest in Lady Catherine, for in childhood their ambitious fathers had planned a marriage between the two families. Now that they were grown up and the match no more spoken of, both felt they could have obeyed their parents' wishes without disinclination. A year or two later when the girls were at Court, and the Earl of Hertford in residence at his house in Cannon Row, Westminster, he contrived to see a good deal of Lady Catherine. The intimacy ripened during an autumn progress into Kent, when the Queen paid a visit to Lady Cobham, her Mistress of the Robes, at Cobham Hall, where "her Grace was welcomed with great chear." The Earl of Hertford returned to London with his mind made up, and he entreated his sister to find out if Lady Catherine felt favourably disposed towards him. Lady Jane readily undertook the task, and subsequently arranged a meeting in her own private sitting-room, which opened out of the larger one used by the Maids of Honour. The Earl of Hertford professed his love; Lady Catherine demurely admitted "that she liked both him and his offer, and thereupon they gave one to the other their hands."1 Lady Frances Brandon's consent had to be obtained next, so the Earl of Hertford rode over to Sheen to "ask her good will that he might marry the Lady Catherine, her daughter." Personally, Lady Frances had no objection, for she 1 Harleian MS. 6286. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 19 liked the Earl of Hertford, and judged that Lady Cather ine would have more chance of happiness married to the man she loved than wedded to a foreign prince who would use her for the furtherance of his own ambition. At the same time, both she and Adrian Stokes foresaw that difficulties might arise from Lady Catherine's nearness to the succession, and after the tragedy which had befallen .Lady Jane Grey, they feared to run any risk. Before matters went further they insisted that the Queen's consent must be asked, though this all concerned were aware would be by no means an easy matter. The Earl of Hertford quailed at the thought of a personal interview with Elizabeth, and fully concurred with Adrian Stokes, that a carefully worded letter would be more likely to put the matter in a better light than the halting explana tions of a nervous young man confronted by his liege majesty in full tornado of Tudor wrath. The momentous letter was drafted, altered, and re written, but never sent, for before it satisfied all parties Lady Frances fell dangerously ill and died. Her death proved a heavy blow to the lovers, who had counted so much on her assistance, and now knew not where to turn. In Lady Jane's little sitting-room over looking Whitehall gardens, the three conspirators dis cussed the situation in all its bearings, but found no cause for comfort therein. At length they could bear the strain no longer; seeing no hope of gaining the Queen's consent to their union, they decided to do without it, and marry secretly at the first opportunity. A dare-devil resolve, as they very well 20 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour knew, but they were young and in love, with a hope in the future strong though unsupported. Some time elapsed before the plan could be carried out, but one day when the Queen announced her intention of going to Eltham for a few days' hunting, they knew their chance had come. The other girls over hauled their riding apparel, speculating the while as to who would go and who stay behind, whilst the con spirators racked their brains for excuses to avoid being chosen for the hunting party. Lady Jane, always delicate, was fairly safe, but Lady Catherine, being by no means secure, resorted to feigned toothache. Bitterly did she complain of the pain and, the more to advertise her distressful condition, tied up a- supposedly swollen cheek in a large pocket handkerchief. The ruse succeeded, and half an hour after the Queen's departure from Whitehall Lady Catherine and Lady Jane slipped unobserved out of the Palace. They hastened through the deserted gardens towards the river steps at the bottom of the orchard, avoiding the Watergate lest Sergeant Keyes, always a friend of the younger Court ladies, should offer embarrassing assistance. It was a dull November morning, with low-lying clouds drifting across a leaden sky; a grey river running sluggishly between mud-banks, whereon flocks of long- necked swans preened their snowy plumage. The two girls lifted their skirts as they hurried along, their shoes squelching in the mud which oozed up between the pebble-strewn beach connecting Whitehall and Westminster. Call, qf the Duke of Northumberland LADY CATHERINE GREY AND HER CHILD Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 21 At length they reached Cannon Row and, climbing up the green-slimed stairs at the bottom of the Earl of Hertford's garden, hastened towards the house, letting themselves in by the kitchen door. The Earl of Hertford, in preparation for the wedding, had sent his servants abroad on different errands; he had bought the ring, and provided refreshments, but he had quite overlooked the fact that even for the most secret wedding a clergyman of one denomination or another is an actual necessity. Lady Jane noticed the omission at once, and realizing that lovers are inconsequent people to deal with, hurried off in search of a priest. One she found, short, elderly, and wearing a fur-trimmed black gown, and him she brought back with all speed to Cannon Row. The ceremony took place in a large upper chamber, the clergyman standing with his back to the big, mullioned window; the bride arid bridegroom before him, and Lady Jane officiating as bridesmaid. The five- pieced ring which the Earl of Hertford placed on Lady Catherine's finger had engraved on it the words: "As circles five by art compact, shewe but one ring in sight So trust unieth faithfull mindes, with knott of secret might. Whose force to break but greedie death no wight posseth power. As tyme and sequele well shall prove, my ring can saie noe more." Lady Jane gave the priest ten pounds for his trouble, and warned the newly-married pair that it would not do to tarry much longer, lest Mrs. Ashley, who remained in charge during the Queen's absence, should ask incon venient questions. 22 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour As the tide had risen, the girls could not walk back, so the Earl of Hertford called one of his watermen to row them up to Whitehall. They reached the Palace in plenty of time to change their muddy things before dinner, when they took their places at the comptroller's table without anyone having a suspicion of what had taken place. A few days later the Queen returned from her hunting expedition, and during the usual round of gaiety the Earl of Hertford and Lady Catherine were constantly together. They shared a common anxiety, too, for Lady Jane's health became gradually worse, so that Elizabeth, with whom she was a favourite, allowed her to absent herself from many of her duties as Maid of Honour. The two whose interests were so bound up with hers spent all the time they could with the sick girl. Sitting round the fire the three made many plans, which, viewed in the golden haze of the future, seemed feasible enough compared with the hard reahty of the present, with the fear of the Queen's anger shadowing their young lives. Lady Jane always seemed so bright and cheerful that those around her failed to realize the seriousness of the disease which day by day drew her back into the shadows, till on the 20th of March, 1561, the wings of death suddenly closed over her. The Queen and all the ladies of the privy chamber took the girl's death bitterly to heart, and two hundred mourners, including all the Maids of Honour, followed the funeral procession to Westminster Abbey, where Lady Jane was buried in St. Edmund's Chapel. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 23 The Earl of Hertford raised a monument to the memory of his favourite sister with an inscription in verse: "On the Death of Lady Jane Somerset For genius fam'd, for beauty lov'd: Jane bade the world admire: Her voice harmonious notes improv'd, Her hand the tunefull lyre. Venus and Pallas claim'd this maid, Each as her right alone, But death superior pow'r display'd And seiz'd her as his own. Her virgin dust this mournfull tomb, In kindred Earth contains Her soul which Fate can ne'er consume In endless glory reigns."1 1 Haddon's Poems. These verses have now disappeared and only a tablet on the wall remains to the memory of Lady Jane Seymour. CHAPTER III LADY CATHERINE was lonely and fearful, for her secret, just bearable when shared with ^ sympathetic Lady Jane, seemed almost too heavy to be borne alone. Her sister Mary was too young, and the only living things to whom she could whisper the great event in her life were to the uncomprehending ears of her pets. Of these Lady Catherine had many; her room at Court seemed full of animals, little spaniels curled up on the rush-strewn floor, silky-coated Maltese snugly asleep on cushions, white-whiskered marmosets chattering on their mistress's coffer-chest at the opinionated parrot who called raucous attention to "Poor Poll." To make matters worse, Elizabeth ordered the Earl of Hertford abroad, and from her mandate there could be no appeal. The Court being at Greenwich, husband and wife contrived a stolen meeting in the orchard, and as they paced the pleached alleys whose interwoven stems and foliage screened them from curious eyes, Lady Catherine whispered a fear, not yet become a certainty, that the future might hold something which would make an open avowal of their marriage imperative. The Earl comforted her as best he could, promising to return at once if she sent word that she needed him. They were both so young, and but for Lady Catherine's nearness to the throne, they might have been so happy. As it was the world seemed hard, with Lady Frances and Lady Jane snatched away by death, and the Queen's jealousy of Lady Catherine daily increasing, so that there 24 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 25 appeared every likelihood of their position becoming worse instead of better. If only Elizabeth would have married one of her numerous suitors all might be well, but she showed no disposition to do anything of the kind. Foreign princes were played off one against the other with consummate skill, and the Maids of Honour specu lated freely among themselves as to what might have happened if Lord Robert Dudley had not possessed an inconvenient wife1 hidden away in Oxfordshire. Kate Carey knew more of Elizabeth's mind than any one except Mrs. Ashley, for the cousins were close friends. One bright summer day, when walking together in Greenwich Park, they came, either by accident or design, upon Lord Robert Dudley and Lord Windsor at a shooting match. The ladies watched the sport for some time, but their presence occasioned more compliments than shots, so that a watchful onlooker, taking note of the Queen's open flirtation with Lord Robert, wrote significantly to Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, the Queen's Ambassador to France, "it seemeth his favour began but now." On June 4th, 1561, the spell of fine weather broke, for soon after eleven o'clock the sky clouded over, and heavy drops of rain sent the ladies and courtiers who were in the park scurrying back to the Palace for shelter. The rain proved the forerunner of a terrific storm: thunder vibrated overhead, whilst streaks of forked lightning lit up the darkened hall where the Court sat at 1 Amy Robsart, died at Cumnor under suspicious circumstances in 1566. 26 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour dinner. Pale-faced Maids of Honour, quaking on their joint-stools,1 made pretence of eating, and durst not look upon their steel knives. It took more than a thunderstorm to frighten Elizabeth, who after dinner called her unwilling ladies to come and watch the lightning from the gallery windows. The storm seemed to have concentrated over London, where lowering clouds hung like an ink pall over the city. Rain and hail fell in torrents whilst wickedly flickering lightning cut the heavy clouds, followed by such terrific thunder claps that the Maids of Honour expected every moment to see a fire ball come down the chimney. Greenwich Palace escaped, but St. Paul's Cathedral was struck, and soon the onlookers saw a thin column of smoke issue from the tall steeple. Courtiers called for boats and were rowed in all haste to London; sailors hastened up from the ships lying in the docks; willing citizens formed chains to pass buckets of water from the river; all worked with a will, but before the flames could be subdued the spire, roof and bells had been destroyed. A month after this calamity the Queen started forth on a progress through the eastern counties. Most of the Maids of Honour looked forward to the expedition, but Lady Catherine went about her preparations with heavy hearted foreboding of coming trouble. At first all went well, the Queen's loyal county of Essex gave her a warm welcome, whilst the Corporation of Colchester feasted 1 Wooden stools used by all classes at meals and stored under the long table at other times. "Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool," -King Lear, III, 6. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 27 the visitors on oysters to their very great contentment. At Ipswich, however, things began to go wrong: the clergy were the chief offenders, for, though fully desirous to please, everything they did proved unsatisfactory. Elizabeth found fault with the way they conducted the services, scolded them for marrying, and even the Bishop of Norwich shared in the general reprimand on the score that he "winked at schismatics." In short, Elizabeth worked herself up into a state of irritability which reacted on a highly nervous Court, engaged like Agag in walking delicately, lest peradventure one of its members should enact the uncongenial part of scapegoat. At this unpropitious moment Lady Catherine Grey revealed the story of her secret marriage. For a con fidante she chose an old friend of her mother's — Lady Seintlow1, one of the women of the bedchamber. Both Lady Catherine and Lady Mary had been bridesmaids at her first wedding, but Lady Seintlow had no memory of this when the former came into her room, and with tears confessed that she was married to the Earl of Hertford, and about to become a mother. Lady Seintlow railed and upbraided Lady Catherine with much bitterness for making her the recipient of such a highly dangerous secret, till the frightened girl fled back to her own quarters. All night long she lay sleepless, tossing to and fro on her bed, hearing the monotonous 1 "Bess of Hardwick" m., ist, Sir Robert Barlow; 2ndly, Sir William Cavendish; 3rdly, Sir William S*. Low, Captain of the Guard; 4thly, George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury; d. 1608, 28 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour chant of the night watchman as he called his round, coupled with the admonition: "Look to your candle, your fire and your lock. Prevent what may through ignorance arise." Next morning heavy-eyed Lady Catherine guessed, from the curious looks cast in her direction, that Lady Seintlow had revealed her secret to the other ladies, though neither she nor they would risk repeating it to the Queen in her present mood. Yet told Elizabeth must be, and Lady Catherine determined to appeal to no less a person than Lord Robert Dudley, the now all-powerful favourite. He also was an old friend of the Grey family, for his brother Guildford had married Catherine's elder sister, Lady Jane. Lord Robert attended so closely on the Queen that Lady Catherine could find no opportunity to speak to him during the day, but at night when all was quiet she crept along the darkened passages till she reached the room he occupied next door to the Queen. The Master of the Horse awoke with a start to find Lady Catherine Grey kneeling by his bed sobbing out her confession and entreating his intercession with the Queen. Lord Robert's first concern was for self-preser vation ; if Elizabeth should overhear Lady Catherine, in very dire trouble would he find himself next morning, favourite or no favourite. Earnestly he besought the girl to return to her room, being ready to promise anything if she would only go and release him from such an embar rassing situation. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 29 Lord Robert, though misliking the task, told the Queen next morning, when the result fully justified Lady Seintlow's apprehensions. Coming on the top of the clerical offences and delinquent bishop, Elizabeth's anger knew no bounds, the more so because it was founded on fear, for if Lady Catherine gave birth to a son her claim to the succession would be materially strengthened. The whole Court fell under a ban of suspicion, Lady Seintlow coming in for special condemnation for not having revealed the matter directly it came to her know ledge. To the Tower should Lady Catherine go that very afternoon, and an express messenger went forward with a letter to a lieutenant of the Tower, telling him of his expected prisoner, coupled with instructions for her treatment. "From the Queene's Majestie to Mr. Warner, Lieutenant of the Tower, 17th August, 1560. "Trusty and welbeloved, we grete yow well. Our pleasure is, that ye shall, as by our commandment, examyn the Lady Catherine very streightly, how many hath bene privyee to the love betwixt the Erie of Hertford and hir from the begynning; and lett hir certenly understand that she shall have no manner of Favor, except she will show the truth, not only what Ladys and Gentillwomen of this court wer therto privee, but also what Lords and Gentillmen: For it doth now appere that sondry Personages have deit herin; and when it shall appeare more manifestly, it shall increase our indignation agynst hir, if she will forebeare to utter it. We ernestly requyre yow to bestow your Diligence in this. Ye shall also send to Alderman Lodge secretly for Seintlow, and shall put hir in awe of divers matters 30 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour confessed by the Lady Catharyn, and also deale with hir, that she may confess to yow all hir knoledge in the same matters. It is certayne that there hath bene great prac tises and purposes, and sence the Death of the Lady Jane, she hath been most privee. And as ye shall see occasion so ye may keep Seintlow two or three nights more or less, and let hir be restorned to Lodges or kept still with yow, as ye shall think mete. We have signed a Licence for your absence but we wold that ye shuld forbeare for a fort night and not to depart untill also our pleasure be further signified."1 Despite his postponed holiday, Sir Edward Warner did the best he could in preparation for his expected prisoner. The Tower resources in the way of furniture were not large, but he contrived to find a few pieces of tapestry to hang on the stone walls; a common bedstead covered with a red and gold quilt; a crimson velvet chair, and two green footstools which Henry VIII had used as rests for his gouty feet. Lady Catherine, when she arrived travel-stained and weary, regarded these faded relics of past splendour with lack-lustre eyes. In her nervous, highly-strung condition, imprisonment in the grim fortress wherein her sister Lady Jane Grey had been beheaded seemed the cul minating point of wretchedness. The girl's friends, though not daring to show their sympathy openly, did not forget her, but made interest with Sir Edward Warner, that his prisoner might have the companionship of the pets she loved so dearly. Being a kind-hearted man he readily agreed, and one day as 1 Murdin's State Papers. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 31 Lady Catherine sat dejectedly in her cell, the door opened to admit a number of little dogs and monkeys, who leapt exuberantly on their mistress, and in the warmth of their affection she felt less forlorn. The Earl of Hertford had received a peremptory summons to return to England at once, and no sooner did he set foot in his native land than he was arrested and forthwith clapped into the Tower. Husband and wife met under sorrowful circumstances they were examined and cross-examined, till all the details of their courtship and marriage became public property. In the midst of the proceedings Lady Catherine became ill, and on September 24th she clasped her first born son1 in her arms. The young mother remained weak and languid, till Sir Edward Warner, if he did not actually sanction it, certainly contrived opportunities for the Earl of Hertford to visit his wife. These meetings brightened the dreary anxious lives of the two prisoners, who played with their baby boy and made plans for the future, if it should ever please the Queen to relent towards them. Unfortunately, the birth of a second son2 fanned Elizabeth's wrath. The Earl of Hertford appeared before the Star-chamber, was fined £15,000, both his children 1 Edward Seymour, Lord Beauchamp, 1561-1612. In 1595 the Earl of Hertford was again imprisoned for having taken steps to establish the validity of his marriage with Lady Catherine Grey and the consequent legitimacy of his sons. 2 Thomas, born Feb., 1562-3, when two of the Tower warders stood godfathers, died 8 Aug., 1600. 32 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour declared illegitimate, and all further meetings between husband and wife sternly prohibited. During an outbreak of the plague, urgent repre sentations were made for the removal of the two prisoners from the insalubrious neighbourhood of the Tower. Elizabeth would not have been inconsolable if the plague had claimed the whole family, though she grudgingly gave orders for their removal: the Earl of Hertford to the charge of his mother at Hanworth, and Lady Catherine of her uncle, Lord John Grey. Imprisonment had told sorely on the young mother, and when she arrived at Pyrgo with her baby and pets Lord John was shocked to see how ill she looked. "Good Madam, eat somewhat to comfort yourself," he entreated, but Lady Catherine's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, saying, "Alas, Uncle, what a life is this to me, thus to live in the Queen's displeasure. But for my Lord and my children I would I were buried."1 Urged by her uncle, Lady Catherine made an effort to soften the Queen in a letter beseeching forgiveness, "for my disobedience and rash mating of myself without your highness' consent." Unfortunately at this juncture a pamphlet appeared setting forth the legality of Lady Catherine's marriage, and her right to the throne after Elizabeth's death. Into custody went Lord John Grey; back to prison the Earl of Hertford, and Lady Catherine to the charge of Sir William Petre at Ingatestone. 1 Ellis's Original Letters, 2nd series, Vol. II. CHAPTER IV ^k FTER sending Lady Catherine to the Tower, / % Elizabeth continued her progress, returning to JL JLLondon on the 22nd of September. The citizens, for joy at their young Queen's return, rang the church bells, and went out to Islington to meet her in such vast numbers that the road became blocked, and "the hedges and ditches were cut down to make the next way for her." The Court had scarcely time to settle at St. James's Palace and get unpacked before there came a report that the King of Sweden1, reputed the handsomest man in Europe, intended to come in person to woo the Queen. As earnest of his intention, he sent on ahead "eighteen great horses, all of them pyed-coloured," and two ship loads of treasure. Elizabeth though pleased with the piebald horses, and by no means averse to treasure, did not at all wish to have the King of Sweden for a husband. The populace, however, decided that these prelim inaries foreboded matrimony, one enterprising soul even going so far as to issue a picture wherein England's Virgin Queen and the King of Sweden were represented cheek by jowl after the approved manner of betrothed couples. Elizabeth promptly suppressed this artistic effort, and sent off in all haste to dissuade the royal suitor from his intended visit. The general opinion was that nothing would stop him. 1Eric, King of Sweden, 1533-77. He married Karin Mans- datter, d. of a private soldier. He became insane and was deposed by his brother John and died in prison 24th Feb., 1577. d it, 34 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour He started once, but was "blown homeward" by bad weather. "They say he is so ernest that he will come by land," wrote Sir William to the Earl of Sussex,1 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in a letter to which, at the Queen's express command, he added a personal request: "The Queene's Majesty willeth me to signify to your lordship her contentation to have my lady, your sister, in her Court, as one of her Maydens of honor, if your Lordship will give order therein."2 Eric, King of Sweden, in the end came not, but Lady Frances Radcliffe arrived in due course to join the other ladies in the privy chamber. She was destined to play an important, though probably innocent part in con nection with Shan O'Neil, the turbulent Irish chieftain who caused her brother, the Earl of Sussex, so much trouble. Shan O'Neil, 2nd Earl of Tyrone, "had depoiled his father of all rule, who dyed soon after for grief e, and by a barbarous kind of election throwing up his shoo over his head, had upon him the Title of O'Neil."3 Not content with supplanting his father and brother, "he dyd cruelly, wylfully and trayterously, murther his brother, the Baron of Dungannon." Also he harried his neighbours when and how he could, entirely defying the 1 Thomas, 3rd Earl of Sussex; m., ist, Lady Elizabeth Wrio- thesley, d. of Thomas, Earl of Southampton; 2ndly, Frances, d. of Sir Wilham Sidney, who became the foundress of Sidney- Sussex College, Cambridge. Sussex died in 1583. Lady Frances Radcliffe was his half-sister. 2 Queen Elizabeth and her Times, T. Wright. 3 Camden's Annales. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 35 authority of the English Crown. Elizabeth, who had at first recognized him as Earl of Tyrone, revoked her con sent and ordered the Earl of Sussex to subdue the rebel chief. In such a wild country this was easier said than done, but eventually through the influence of the Earl of Kil dare1 Shan agreed to go to England to sue for pardon for his manifold offences. The appearance of the half savage chieftain, with his guard of gallowglasses, caused a sensation at Court. They all carried sharpened battle-axes, were "bare headed, with curled haire hanging downe, yellow surplices dyed with saffron, long sleeves, short coates, and hairy mantles."2 O'Neil, who could speak no English, strode up the room till he reached the Queen, when, prostrating himself be fore her, he "confessed his crime and rebellion with howling." After this show of submission Shan carried himself more arrogantly than ever, so that the courtiers called him mockingly, "O'Neil the great cousin to St. Patrick, friend to the Queen of England, enemy to all the world besides." The Maids of Honour fully endorsed this description, but what amused them most of all was the fact that the Irish chief had lost his heart to one of their number. O'Neil admired all the English ladies, but in his eyes Lady Frances Radcliffe seemed by far the loveliest of them all. He therefore approached the Queen with a request that "she would give him a gentlewoman for a wife, such as he and she might agree upon."3 1 Gerald Fitzgerald, nth Earl of Kildare. 2 Camden. . 3 Irish MSS. 36 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour As O'Neil's matrimonial relations in Ireland were more complex than orthodox, Elizabeth put the matter aside, as she likewise did his requests for permission to return home. She had given him a safe conduct, it is true, but, once having secured him, she was very loath to let such a dis turbing element return to Ireland. Shan, however, began to get into mischief — that is, he took to visiting the Spanish embassy, and Elizabeth in fright sent him back to Ireland. Once among his own people, O'Neil stirred up trouble as fast as he could, to the very great annoyance of the Earl of Sussex, who was expecting his sister on a visit. When Shan O'Neil heard that Lady Frances had actually arrived in Dublin, he sent a deputation to the Lord Lieutenant, suggesting that as a brother-in-law he would prove less trouble to his lordship than as an openly professed enemy. The Earl of Sussex never for a moment contemplated sacrificing Lady Frances, but he did most earnestly desire to get hold of Shan O'Neil. Therefore he sent back a reply that he "could not promise to give her against her will," but if Shan would visit him at Dublin, they should speak together and "if he liked her and she him they should both have his good will."1 Shan O'Neil seriously thought of accepting the invita tion till he received a warning that the lady was brought over on purpose to entrap him, and if he went to Dublin he would never return. On the strength of this communication Shan remained at home, but he could not put Lady Frances out of his 1 Irish MSS. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 37 mind, and wrote to ask Sir William Cecil to use his in fluence in the matter. Cecil read the letter, but "did not venture to move the matter to the Queen fearing how she might take it." The Radcliffe faction at Court were in constant friction with that of Lord Robert Dudley, so that when the Earl of Sussex returned from Ireland, "being together at Court, and both in high employments, they grew to direct forwardness, and were in continual opposition; the one setting the watch and the other the sentinel, each on the other's actions and motions."1 The Earl of Sussex had his cause backed by two rela tions in the privy chamber: his sister Lady Frances, and a young cousin, Mary Radcliffe. Mary, who came to Court in rather an unusual manner, was the daughter of a romantic marriage, her father being a younger son of the ist Earl of Sussex,2 and her mother the daughter of a London merchant. One day, during the reign of King Henry VIII, the Earl of Sussex with his son Humphrey and a party of friends rode out of London to take part in a tournament. As the gay cavalcade passed through the little village of Kensington, people hurried to the windows to catch a glimpse of the gorgeously caparisoned riders and horses. One girl, Isabella Harvey, who with her father happened to be visiting some friends, leaned out so far in her eager ness to see all there was to see that she dropped her glove 1 Fragmenta Regalia, Sir Robert Naunton. 2 Robert Radcliffe, ist Earl of Sussex. Lord High Chamberlain in the reign of Henry VIII. 38 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour just as Sir Humphrey Radcliffe rode by. Gloves being costly luxuries, and chivalry the pursuit of every true knight, Sir Humphrey dipped his lance, impaled the glove, and returned it to its owner, who blushed as she thanked him for his courtesy. The Earl and his companions rode on, but Isabella's beauty had cast such a spell upon Sir Humphrey that he contrived to leave his companions and returned in all haste to Kensington. Edmund Harvey and his daughter were about to set off for London, and as the road thence bore an evil reputation for robbery, generally accompanied with violence, the merchant readily acquiesced in the knight's suggestion that he should bear them company. Sir Humphrey represented himself as a squire in service with the Earl of Sussex, and so agreeable did he make him self that when they reached Edmund Harvey's house in Cheapside he received an invitation to come in to supper. The friendship between Isabella and Sir Humphrey soon ripened into love, nor did her father raise any objec tion when asked to give his consent to their marriage. Isabella Harvey came to her husband a richly dowered bride, but they had been married some time before she learned the fact that her husband was the son, not the servant, of Robert, Earl of Sussex, Lord High Chamber lain of England. They settled at Elstow in Bedfordshire, where Mary, their first child, was born. She grew up to be a beautiful accomplished girl, and on New Year's Day, 1561, Sir Humphrey brought her to be presented to the Queen. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 39 New Year's Day was the most important day of the year at Court, for on it, according to established custom, the sovereign received gifts from the chief subjects of her realm. The presentations took place in the presence- chamber, where Elizabeth in regal finery took her seat on a velvet canopied, jewel-encrusted throne, whilst white- clad Maids of Honour grouped themselves to form an effective background. Forward came the donors, gifts in hand: lords spiritual and temporal, ministers of state, ambassadors, courtiers, officers of the household, ladies of all ranks. Down on their knees before the Queen went they one by one; humbly they begged her acceptance of their gift: silken purses full of good red angels, magnificent carcanets of gold inset with precious stones, jewelled pendants, spark ling rings, chased bodkins for the hair, trinkets of all kinds to be given into the charge of Mrs. Blanche Parry. Sir William Cecil presented: "a standishe garnished with silver gilt and mother of pearle, with an inke-pott of like silver gilt, and a glass of chrystall in the cover, the base plated with like silver gilt; a pen-knife, thafte of silver gilt, and a seal of bone typped with silver guilt." The Earl of Warwick1 offered: "a smocke wrought with black silk, a peire of sleeves and a partlett wrought with gold, silver, and black silk." Sir Francis Knollys gave £10 in money, and his wife, 1 Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, elder brother of Lord Robert Dudley. 40 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour ohe of the Queen's ladies, "a faire carpet1 of needle work," the ends fringed with gold and silver. The Maids of Honour curtsied low as they in turn pre sented their mistress with gifts which their own skilful fingers had fashioned, Kate Carey receiving special com mendation for a set of "six handkerchiefs edged with gold, silver, and silk." Anon came the Court physicians with pots of preserved ginger and orange flowers. Then up stepped the master cook filled with conscious pride of his masterpiece, a triumph of sugary confectionery in the shape of a chess board with chessmen of delectable sweetmeats. The yeoman of the guard ran him close with "a very faire marchpane made like a tower, with men and sundry artillery in it."2 Following close on his heels came a servant of the pastry with a lordly quince pie. Mrs. Montagu, the Queen's silk-woman, occasioned prodigious excitement among the Maids of Honour, for the present she proffered the Queen took the novel form of a pair of silk stockings. Such luxuries had never been seen in the privy chamber before, and the ladies listened eagerly when the Queen questioned Mrs. Montagu re specting them. Mrs. Montagu replied that she had had them made on purpose for Her Majesty and would at once set some more in hand. "Do so," quoth the Queen, "for indeed I like silk stock ings so well, because they are pleasant, fine, and delicate, that henceforth I will weare no more cloth stockings."3 1 Carpets were used to cover tables and chairs, the floors being strewn with rushes. 2 Lists in Nichols' Progresses of Queen Elizabeth. 3 Stowe's Chronicle. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 41 When the excitement over the silk stockings had sub sided, Sir Humphrey Radcliffe brought forward his daughter Mary and laughingly presented her as a New Year's gift. Elizabeth, being in high good humour, replied gra ciously that she would take Mary to be one of her Maids of Honour, for by the death of Lady Jane Seymour, the imprisonment of Lady Catherine Grey and the marriage of Lettice Knollys,1 there were several vacancies in the privy chamber. Mary soon became a great favourite with her royal mistress, the more so because it really seemed as if at last she had found a Maid of Honour of like thinking with herself on the subject of matrimony. From the first Mary refused to take the courtiers at their own valuation, making shrewd estimation of the facile flatterers, who in the Queen's presence professed to be dazzled by her beauty, but directly her back was turned made ardent protestations of love to the Maids of Honour. "With 'lovely lady,' 'mistress of my heart,' 'Pardon your servant,' and the rhymer play, Railing on Cupid and his tyrant's dart."2 Mary laughed at their flowery phrases, saying straightly to one whose attentions wearied her, "that his wit was like custard, nothing good in it but the sop, and when that was eaten you might throw away the rest."3 Many men wooed Mary Radcliffe, but after a tepid love 1 Lettice Knollys m. Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. 2 The Shoemaker' s Holiday, by Thomas Dekker. 3 Thoms's Anecdotes and Traditions. 42 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour affair with a gentleman of the temple she settled down to obdurate virginity, serving the Queen, "honourably, vir tuously, and faithfully for forty years." Mistress and maid alike took the cult of Cynthia seri ously, undeterred by the bleak prospect supposedly allotted to old maids in a future life, where they per formed the unattractive duty of leading apes through the fires of hell.1 Little Mistress Arundell, another new-comer to Court, held very different views from Mary Radcliffe. Being un used to the art of dissimulation, she confessed candidly, when questioned by the Queen, "that she had thought much about marriage, if her father would give his consent to the man she loved." "You seem honeste, i' faith," said Ehzabeth. "I will sue for you to your father." Mistress Arundell expressed gratitude, whilst the other girls exchanged glances of surprise, not unmixed with apprehension, for they knew the Queen too well to be misled by her seeming compliance. Shortly after Sir Robert Arundell came to Court, when the Queen taxed him with his young daughter's love affair. This being the first he had heard of it, he expressed considerable annoyance, and very reluctantly gave his con sent when pressed to do by the Queen. "Then I will do the rest," quoth she and sent a mes senger for Mistress Arundell. 1 " I must dance barefoot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell." Taming of the Shrew, II, I . Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 43 The girl came in shyly, fearing her father's displeasure, but her face brightened when Elizabeth announced that she had persuaded Sir Robert to leave the matter wholly in her hands. "Then I shall be happy, an' please your Grace," said she, with shining eyes. "So thou shalt, but not to be a fool and marry," quoth Ehzabeth. "I have his consent given to me, and I vow thou shalt never get it into thy possession. I see thou art a bold one to own thy foolishness so readily."1 1 Sir J. Harrington's Nugce Antiques. CHAPTER V IN 1563 a serious outbreak of the plague alarmed the Queen, so that she left London in a hurry and took the Court down to Windsor. Stringent precautions were taken to prevent the infection spreading, all inter course with the capital being expressly prohibited, "upon payne of hangynge withowt any judgement." To demon strate that this was no idle threat, the authorities erected a new pair of gallows in Windsor market-place, "to hange up all suche as shuld come ther from London." The old castle was cold and draughty, and by no means in good repair. Maids of Honour made plaint "to have their chamber ceiled, and the partition that is of boards there to be made higher, for that the servants look over"; whilst the squires of the body complained bitterly that their chamber required " to be ceiled overhead, and boarded under foot, for that it is so ruinous and cold." Elizabeth, with customary energy, set to work to make the castle habitable, and when cart-loads of furniture arrived from the other palaces things began to look more home-like. Tapestry gave warmth to the large rooms, painted cloths took the chill from unused bed-chambers, silk hangings, together with fur-lined quilts of gold and silver, gave comfort to four-post bedsteads. Out of doors Elizabeth planned the pleasant terrace, where she and her ladies could pace up and down for exercise, if disinclined for rougher walking in the park. Here on sultry summer days when the heat haze danced over the valley, Maids of Honour brought their cushions 44 Coll. of Lord Dillon QUEEN ELIZABETH The Ditchlcy Portrait Photo Clarendon Press Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 45 and spent idly happy hours watching the younger courtiers practising at the Quintain in the fields below. They were proficient horsemen most of them, for "to ride cumlie, to run faire at a ring " were considered essential for every gentleman. The quintain required an accurate eye and steady hand, for, unless the competitor hit the mark accurately, the pivot swung round so that he had much ado to escape the bag of sand which hung on the other end. At Windsor, with fewer diversions than at the palaces nearer London, Elizabeth and her ladies spent a good deal of time hunting and hawking in Windsor forest. Some times they hunted the hart at force, riding both hard and far; at others they stood in stands with their cross-bows to shoot at driven deer. Falconry they all loved, and each girl had her own bird, which she carried hooded on her wrist, when the royal party rode forth to fly to wild-duck by the river,1 or in pursuit of high mounting game. Ann Russell, keenest of falconers, shaded her eye as she watched her hawk pursue its quarry high up into the azure sky, till only a tiny dot betokened "A falcon, towering in her pride of place."2 The Queen whilst at Windsor took the opportunity to rub up her Latin and Greek; also she started a course of theological reading in anticipation of a visit to the universities. News of this intended tour threw Cambridge into extreme disquiet. Not being used to entertaining 1 For a description of "A Flight at Brook" see Michael Drayton's Polyolbion, Sonnet XX. 2 Macbeth, II, 4. 46 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour ladies it feared the worst, in no wise reassured by Sir William Cecil's express desire "that two things may especially appeare in the University: order and learning." Reverend doctors straightway set to work on learned perorations; poets with rumpled hair composed com plimentary odes; college cooks created epics in sugary confectionery; erudite professors sought humbly for instruction in Court etiquette; the public orator wished his mother had not borne him. King's College being appointed for the Queen's residence, the fellows thereof were bundled out, to mingle lamentations with their brethren of Caius, ejected to make room for the Maids of Honour. Sir William Cecil, ChanceUor of the University, though suffering from a bad attack of gout, politely referred to as an "unhappy grief" in his foot, managed to get down to Cambridge to see that all was in readiness for the Queen's reception. The vice-Chancellor, supported by the proctors and heads of Colleges, waited on him with propitiating offerings in the shape of two pairs of gloves, a highly ornate marchpane and two sugar loves. These accepted, the anxious deputation, still feeling urgently in need of friends, hurried round to all the powerful nobles who had arrived in advance, to beg their acceptance of gloves and sugar loves. August 5th found Cambridge bedecked and garnished; streets strewn with fresh rushes, and laudatory verses fixed in conspicuous places, so that, should the tongue of the public orator fail him, the Queen might at least read of the University's earnest desire to do her honour. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 47 Scholars in caps and gowns lined the way, having received careful instruction to fall down on their knees at the Queen's approach and cry "Vivat Regina" with one voice. This done to the full capacity of their youthful lungs, they were to return to their rooms, "and in no wise to come to Court, to the Disputations, or to the plays." If upon some urgent occasion they entered the town, "they were to go two and two; upon a great pain."1 Ehzabeth, wearing a slashed black velvet dress, and a gold spangled hat with " a bush of feathers," entered the city on horseback, followed by the ladies of the privy chamber in black velvet riding clothes. Forward stepped the Public Orator; prefaced three deep curtsies, then down on his knees went he with a prayer in his soul and the words of a Latin oration on his lips. It proved an even more trying ordeal than he had anticipated, for in order to show her complete compre hension of Latin, Ehzabeth constantly made interpolations in that tongue. Only when the orator made a happy shot by praising the merits of Virginity the Queen heartened him by exclaiming in English, "God's blessing on thine heart! There cont-inue!" Crowded days followed, thoroughly enjoyable to Elizabeth, who delighted to show off her learning, "and talked very much with divers scholars in Latin," but exceeding wearisome for the background of Maids of Honour. Sightseeing began at six in the morning when the 1 Contemporary account printed in Nichols' Progresses of Queen Elizabeth. 48 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Queen rode the various Colleges, getting back so late that the ladies had hardly time to finish their dinner before it was time to go and to listen to the speeches in St. Mary's church. There they remained from three to seven, and might have been much longer had not "the night coming on clean took away the disputations of the lawyers." Even then the tired ladies did not get release, for Lord Robert Dudley, "humbly desired Her Majesty to speak something to the University in Latin." Elizabeth, with a carefully prepared speech in readiness, feigned reluctance, declaring "that if she might speak her mind in English she would not stick at the matter." This, however, could not be, for "nothing might be said openly to the University in English." Courtiers entreated; dons pleaded; Maids of Honour exchanged glances, till at length the Queen rose and made a speech in Latin so that her listeners "were marvelously astonied." So pleased was Elizabeth at her reception that she said plainly that "if provision of beer and ale could have been made her Grace would have remained till Friday." Soon after her return to Whitehall, Elizabeth made display of her less erudite talents for the benefit of Sir James Melville, who came to Court as envoy from Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth firmly determined that he should not go back in ignorance of her beauty and talents, being not a little jealous of the flattering reports current concerning the Scotch Queen. Day after day did Elizabeth, duly set off by a demure background of Maids of Honour, appear in the national Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 49 garb of one foreign country after another. Dressed as an Italian lady, with her red-gold locks hanging loose, she preened before Sir James, desiring to know "whether my Queen's hair or hers was best, and which of them two was fairest?"1 Sir James replied cautiously, "the fairness of them both was not their worst faults." Commanded to be more specific he gave opinion that Elizabeth was the fairest Queen in England, and Mary in Scotland. No amount of evasion could save him from definite comparison, and eventually he reluctantly admitted that possibly Elizabeth might be a shade the whiter of the two, but his Queen was very lovely. Elizabeth next inquired as to their relative heights, when Sir James unhesitatingly gave the palm to Mary. "Then she is too tall for a woman," quoth Elizabeth, displeased, "for I myself am neither too high nor too low." Next day the envoy had opportunity to judge of his hostess's skill in music, Lord Hunsdon conducting him to a gallery, "where though he durst not avow it, I might hear the Queen play upon the virginals." Sir James, perfectly aware that the performance had been arranged expressly for his benefit, entered the room from whence came sounds of music. Elizabeth, seated before an instrument of cedar wood ornamented with red, blue and gold, feigned ignorance of the intruder, as the silver and ivory keys jumped up and down beneath her nimble fingers. Presently with a start she turned towards Sir James, crying out on him for an eavesdropper, 1 Sir James Melville's Memoirs. 50 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour declaring that she never played before men but only for her own pleasure. Sir James made his peace by admitting that Elizabeth's musical ability somewhat exceeded Mary's, who, however, he claimed played reasonably well for a Queen. Two days later Elizabeth arranged a ball that he might see her dance and give his opinion, "whether she or my Queen danced best." To which Sir James replied with crafty ambiguity that Mary "danced not so high or disposedly as she did." Vanity, always one of Elizabeth's foibles, gained increase from the excessive laudation amidst which she lived. Naturally given to introspection, intensely conscious of her beauty and cleverness, she saw herself the "miracle of the age," a savante, a wit; in all transcendent. None contradicted this illusion save one brave prelate, who said boldly in the pulpit "that she who had been meek as a lamb, was become an untameable heifer." The immediate result of this outspoken criticism reacted on the preacher, he being arrested coming down from the pulpit, "as an over confident man that dishonoured his sovereign." A rival Elizabeth would not brook; the mention of a successor caused her to say angrily that she could not endure to have her winding-sheet ever before her eyes, and that the English ran after the heir to the throne more than the reigning sovereign. The Commons, however, brought up the subject with maddening pertinacity: an heir or a husband, that much they humbly asked of Her Majesty, and were soundly rated for their pains. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 51 Elizabeth told them she was wedded to her country and people, whilst, for a memorial after death, she desired it should be engraved on her tombstone, "Here lieth Elizabeth, which reigned a Virgin, and died a Virgin."1 Apart from personal considerations, Elizabeth with clear foresight saw that to name as successor either Lady Catherine Grey, the hope of the Protestants, or Mary, Queen of Scots, the Catholic candidate, would be to divide the kingdom into two factions and provide a head for malcontents. Matrimony, with consequent diminution of her power, she frankly disliked, apart from the dangers which must inevitably ensue from a foreign alliance. To wed a Spaniard would incur the enmity of France; to espouse a Frenchman invite the hostility of Spain; whilst a marriage with anyone else would give France and Spain common cause to unite together for the destruction of England. Lord Robert Dudley hoped that after the death of his wife he would be raised to the proud position of Queen's consort, but time passed, tongues wagged, scandal accumulated, yet still he remained the Queen's favourite; just that, but nothing more. One moment Ehzabeth showed him exaggerated affection; the next trounced him soundly for presumption, exclaiming angrily, "s'death my Lord, I have wished you well; but my favour is not so locked up for you, that others shall not participate thereof, for I have many servants unto whom I have, and will, bequeath my 1 Camden. 52 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour favour, and likewise resume the same; and if you think to rule here I will take a course to see you forth coming."1 Words of such import were sweet as music to the ears of the Earl of Sussex and other great lords who hated the favourite, so that they took heart of grace and sternly remonstrated with Lord Robert on his general conduct, especially for "kissing Her Majesty when he was not invited thereto." Ladies of the privy chamber knew not what to think, and as usual in ah Court quarrels took sides. Mary and Frances Radcliffe, belonging to the Sussex party, saw no good in Lord Robert; Blanche Parry and Mrs. Ashley openly championed him. Mrs. Ashley, always privileged, asked her old pupil outright if she meant to marry Lord Robert. "What!" cried Elizabeth scornfully. "Dost thou think me so unlike myself; and so forgetful of majesty, as to prefer my servant, whom I myself have advanced, before the greatest Princes of the Christian world."2 At this crisis Ehzabeth threw both parties into equal perplexity by creating Lord Robert, Earl of Leicester (accompanying the honour with the gift of Kenilworth Castle), at the same time saying that as she esteemed him "as her brother and best friend" he would make a suitable husband for Mary, Queen of Scots. No one knew what to think, least of all Leicester, who regarded the suggestion as the work of Sir William Cecil, and expressly designed for his undoing. In perplexity he consulted Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, who suggested that 1 Sir'R. Naun ton's Fragmenta Regalia. 2 Camden. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 53 he should test the Queen's affection for himself by flirting with one of her ladies. Leicester, being at his wit's end, said he would, and fixed on Lettice Knollys, the beautiful young Countess of Essex, for the dangerous experiment. Once begun, the flirtation proceeded apace, to the alarm of the ladies trembling at the thought of what would happen when the Queen became aware of it. As Leicester avowedly designed to arouse Elizabeth's jealousy, he ostentatiously deserted her for the company of Lettice, who, pleased with a seeming conquest, did all she could to lure him on. The Queen drew her own conclusions and drew them strong, so that even Leicester was aghast at the storm he had raised. Lettice fell from her high place in Elizabeth's friendship for ever, whilst the Maids of Honour had a sorry time listening to the ravings of a jealous woman who heretofore had never dreamt of a rival. The Earl of Sussex and Sir William Cecil found the Palace in such an uproar that, much as they disliked Leicester, they united in an endeavour to prevent the Queen making herself ridiculous. Through their media tion a meeting was arranged between the two aggrieved parties. Elizabeth wept, upbraiding the Earl for unfaith fulness, whilst he on bended knee begged forgiveness, promising never to offend in like manner again. On these terms he resumed his old footing, and things went on exactly as before. CHAPTER VI A MBROSE DUDLEY, Earl of Warwick,1 made no / % attempt to emulate his brother in the precarious JL -^.position of Queen's favourite. Elizabeth honoured him as a good man, and brave soldier, to whom she gave command of an expedition to Normandy in support of the Huguenots. During the siege of Havre, Warwick received a wound in the leg which incapacitated him for further active ser vice, and on his return to Court he looked round among the ladies for one who would make him a third wife. His choice fell on Ann Russell, one of the most popular of the Maids of Honour, and as she, the Queen, and her father were willing the betrothal took place at once. Pietro Bozzari, an Italian poet, waxed eloquent concern ing the prospective bride. "To the Lady Anne Russell O to how blest a lot is he commended Who, winning thee, with virtue will embrace A form like Helen's, by delight attended, And tender love, and every virgin grace — Thee, o'er whose cheek ingenuous honour throws Her exquisitest rose! Though thine be genius, thou dost deign to cherish Genius with care — with many-languaged powers Reaping the spoils of deeds that ne'er shall perish, 1 He married, ist, Anne, d. of William W. Horwood; 2ndly, Elizabeth, d. of George, Lord Talboys; 3rdly, Ann Russell. 54 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 55 Speeding with lyre or lute th' enchanted hours, Or broidering webs whose beauty well might dare Arachne to despair. Why should I say with what refined discreetness Thy converse teems? Why speak thy charming voice? Thy gaze — thy steps — thy smile so full of sweetness — Qr thrilling dance, if dancing be thy choice? Why speak of aught, when all thou say'st and dost Is beautiful and just."1 The wedding was fixed for the 1 1 th of November, 1 565 , and the courtiers determined to make the day a memo rable one, if they could obtain the Queen's permission for a grand tournament. Accordingly they waited on her at the Earl of Bedford's house at Ivy Bridge in the Strand, where she had gone to pay a visit to Cecilia, Margravine of Baden, sister of her former admirer Eric, King of Sweden. Four days after her arrival in England the Mar gravine gave birth to a son to whom Elizabeth stood god mother, naming the child Edward Fortunatus. Elizabeth and her ladies were being entertained at a banquet in honour of the new baby, when a herald entered to say there was a messenger without who craved to speak with the Queen. Permission given, in came Edwards of the Chapel Royal, booted and spurred to represent a postboy. Kneeling down, he announced that four valiant knights, Henry Knowles, Christopher Hatton, Thomas Leighton and Robert Colsett, wished to "hold joust and barriers" at the marriage of the Earl of Warwick and the Lady Ann Russell. The Queen gave her consent, whereupon up stepped 1 Memoirs of the House of Russell, J. Wiffen. 56 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour the Earl of Leicester, Lord Herbert, Arthur, Lord Grey, and twenty other gentlemen to announce their acceptance of the challenge. That all knights might have warning of the impending tournament a notice was affixed to the Court gate at Westminster: "You that in warlike ways and dedes of arms delight, You that for cuntryes cause or ells for ladyes love dare fyght Know you foure knights ther be that come from foren land Whos hawtye herts and corage great hath mov'd to take in hand, With sword, with speare and shild, on fote, on horsebacke to, To try what you by force of fyght, or otharwyse, can do Prepare your selves therfore this challenge to defend, That tromp of fameyourprowes great abrod may soundand send. And he that best can do, ye same shall have the prize. Ye day, ye place, and forme and fyght, loo here before your eyes."1 Elizabeth, to do honour to Ann, one of her closest friends, arranged that the wedding should take place in the private chapel at Whitehall. The Maids of Honour who were to be bridesmaids held anxious consultation as to their dresses. Ann wished them all to be alike, and eventually they decided on green velvet and silver lace, over kirtles of yellow satin. The bride's wedding dress was of cloth of silver shot with blue, and an over dress of purple velvet richly em broidered in silver. On her head she wore a dainty caul of fretted gold, and very charming indeed did she look, when the two young bachelors, the Earls of Rutland2 1 Stowe's Memoranda. 2 Edward, 3rd Earl of Rutland, sue. his father in 1563, when he became one of the Queen's Wards. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 57 and Oxford,1 came to lead her forth on the wedding morning. The bridegroom wore a suit of gold and purple trimmed with sables, whilst his brother, the Earl of Leicester, in gold-embroidered purple satin, gave the bride away. At the conclusion of the ceremony there was a grand banquet in the council chamber, "at a long board well set with lords and ladies." After the usual speeches and com pliments, the ladies of the bridal party adjourned to the gaUery overlooking the tilt yard, whilst the competitors hastened off to don their armour. The tournament lasted for three days, the challengers making their head-quarters at the Queen's Mews, and the defendants with the Earl of Leicester at Durham House. An unfortunate accident marred the conclusion of the wedding-day festivities, for in compliment to the Earl of Warwick, as Master of the Ordinance, Robert Thomas, "a valiant serviceable man," arranged a discharge of cannon "which terribly yielded forth the nature of their voice, to the great astonishment of diverse." By mis chance, at the second firing the master gunner "was un- happUy slaine by a piece of one of the chambers, to the great sorrow and lamentation of many."2 Ann RusseU's was by no means the only wedding, for matrimony played havoc among the ladies of the privy chamber, who one by one forsook the cult of Cynthia in order to take unto themselves husbands. Philadelphia Carey married Thomas, Lord Scrope; her sister Kate, 1 Edward Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, Crown Ward, also under Burleigh. 2 Stowe's Chronicle. 58 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Lord Charles Howard,1 "a hearty gentleman, and cordial to his sovereign and of a most proper person."2 Katherine Knevett left to become Lady Paget,3 and Cecilia Knollys the bride of Sir Thomas Leighton, one of the challengers who had tilted so bravely at Ann Russell's wedding. Frances Radcliffe, with never a thought of Shan O'Neil, engaged herself to Sir Thomas Mildmay, a son of Sir Walter Mildmay, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The wedding festivities were on a grand scale, the Queen and foreign Ambassadors being present. The latter were not entirely an unmixed blessing, for the rivalry between the representatives of France and Spain was so intense that in matters of precedence neither would give way to the other. The patriotic feelings of their respective suites likewise ran so high that an encounter between the two parties generaUy ended in bloodshed. English courtiers held both nationalities in poor esteem, declaring that the only difference between them lay in the fact, that the Frenchmen were wiser than they looked, whereas the Spaniards seemed wiser than they" were. The Earl of Sussex and Sir Walter Mildmay waited on the Queen to know if, and how, they should invite the Ambassadors to Frances Radcliffe's wedding. In the end the French Ambassador came to the bridal dinner, and the Spanish Ambassador to supper, Elizabeth being present at 1 Son of William, Lord Howard of Effingham, Lord High Admiral against the Armada. Created Earl of Nottingham 1597. Brother of Mary Howard. 2 Fuller's Worthies. 3 Henry, 2nd Lord Paget; she m., 2ndly, Sir Edward Carey, master of the jewel house. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 59 both and dividing her favours with strict impartiality be tween the jealous representatives of her rival suitors. Though the Queen's Maids of Honour were sadly de pleted, she did not lose their services, for Lady Warwick, Lady Charles Howard, Lady Scrope, Lady Leighton and Lady Paget all returned to Court as ladies of the bed chamber. ' The young matrons, in full consciousness of their dig nity as married women, were by no means disposed to be relegated to the position of a background which they had unwillingly occupied as unmarried girls. Instead they showed every disposition to make themselves as prominent and attractive as they possibly could. Elizabeth wished to emphasize the importance of royalty, by establishing a monopoly of everything likely to enhance a Queen. This, with so many ladies eager to emulate, if they could not rival their mistress, she found by no means easy. Did the Queen wear silk stockings, then no more cloth hose for the ladies of the privy chamber. With their ankles all alluringly outlined by silk stockings, they waited for Elizabeth to state a new fashion, which hotfoot they must have too. Lace ruffs, kept in place by wire "supportasses," were common neckwear at Court, but the year of Ann Russell's wedding saw the introduc tion of an innovation which revolutionized ruffs. Mistress Dinghen, a Dutch woman, came to England, and pro ceeded to demonstrate the uses of starch. Englishwomen, quickly appreciating the possibilities of this new method, flocked to Mistress Dinghen, eagerly proffering the £5 fee which she charged for initiating pupils into the mysteries 60 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour of starching, with an extra twenty shillings for instruction in making starch. Steel or silver poking sticks were next used in preference to the old-fashioned setting-sticks, and a new industry sprang into being. Higgins, a tailor, established a great reputation for his ruffs or picardels, and his shop, in a road above West minster called Piccadilly, held infinite variety of them, "either clogged with golde, silver, or silk lace of stately price, wrought all over with needle work, speckled and sparkled heer and there with the sonne, the moone, the starres, and many other antiquities strange to beholde. Some are wrought with open woorke down to the midst of the ruffe and further, some with purled lace so cloyd, and other gewgawes so pestered, as the ruffe is the least parte of itself."1 Higher and higher soared the Queen's ruffs; in stiffened emulation followed those of her ladies. The Puritans, who considered all vanity a sin, tried honestly, but quite un- availingly, to check the prevailing fashion. They might call starch the "devil's liquor," tell a harrowing story of a young Dutch lady, who when she couldn't get her ruff to set properly, said the devil might take her if she ever wore one again. The devil did take her; he appeared at once in the guise of an obliging gentleman, who offered to arrange the ruff, but instead twisted her neck. Her coffin, seeming strangely heavy, was opened, and found to con tain a black cat and burnt ruffs. The ladies heard, not entirely disbelieving; but beyond a resolution not to let unknown gentlemen fasten their ruffs, they were no whit 1 The Anatomie of Abuses, Philip Stubbes. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 6i deterred from wearing them as fine, and as large as possible. Another exponent in the art of starching was the wife of Boonen, the Queen's coachman,who himself introduced an even more astounding novelty in the use of coaches. Heretofore young and intrepid ladies rode on horseback; older or more timorous ones sat piUioned behind their husbands or menfolk, whilst the infirm were carried in horse htters. The first coaches caused a sensation, being regarded as very strange "monsters," the sight of which "put both horse and man into amazement." Comfortable, certainly they were not, for, being devoid of springs, they jolted the occupants unmercifully as they rumbled over the cobbled streets. Elizabeth, though she complained bitterly of stiffness as the result of a drive, considered that the prestige was worth it, and ordered several coaches to be built for her with all speed. One was to be lined with red leather, another upholstered in black velvet embossed with gold; all of them richly gilded, and adorned with waving ostrich plumes. The sight of these equipages roused the envy of all the ladies, though the Queen discountenanced the idea of coaches being used by anyone but royalty. In State pro cessions she rode in one alone, the others following empty, the ladies of the privy chamber following on horseback as before. Young married ladies, however, importunated their husbands that they, too, might have coaches. No more would they look favourably on rich saddles, litters or 62 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour pfllions; coaches they wanted, and nothing else would satisfy them. Craftily they urged the convenience, and lessening of expense it would mean, for when a lady of quality rode abroad she must have: "Six or eight servingmen to attende her, she must have one to carrie her cloake and Hood, least it raine, another her fanne, if she use it not herself e, another her Boxe with Ruffes and other necessaries, another behinde whom her Mayde or Gentlewoman must ryde, and some must be loose to open gates, and supply other services that may be occasioned. Now to deminish and cut of this charge, as well of horse as men, there is now a new invention, and that is, she must have a coach, wherein she, with her Gentle women, Mayde, and Chyldren, and what necessaries as they or any of them are to use, may be caryed and con veyed with smaller charge, lesse cost, and more credite, as it is accompted."1 In the end the husbands capitulated: "and after a while divers great ladies, with as great jealousy of the Queen's displeasure made them coaches, and rid them up and downe the countries to the great admiration of all beholders."2 1 A Health to the Gentlemanly Profession of Servingmen, by W.W. 2 Stowe's Annales. CHAPTER VII THE introduction of coaches did not diminish the importance of the Thames, which still remained the chief highway between London and West minster. All the large houses along the Strand whose spacious gardens ran down to the river had, as a matter of course, their landing-stages and private barges, with a staff of watermen. Sergeant-porter Keyes, keeper of the Queen's Watergate at Whitehall, was the biggest man em ployed about the Court, for he stood six feet six inches in his socks, and was of girth proportionate. The young Maids of Honour had a warm corner in their hearts for the jovial widower who claimed connection with the Knollys family, and used to give many parties in his room over the Watergate, where would-be voyagers found shelter and hospitality when tide or weather proved contrary. Lady Mary Grey came there in company with the other girls, and something in the forlorn little creature's appear ance touched the heart of the gigantic sergeant-porter. Tragedy marked her as one apart from her companions who prattled lightly of love, in confident security that a prince charming would surely come for them; only for Lady Mary did there seem no hope of a husband. As a child of eight she had been betrothed to Arthur, Lord Grey de Wilton, but when tragedy overtook the Suffolk family, he, like Lord Herbert, repudiated his intended bride. No other suitor appeared for Lady Mary, who after her sister Catherine's disgrace remained on at Court lonely and forgotten. She had not grown much in her nineteen 63 64 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour years, being only four feet in height — "little, crooked back and very ugly," the Spanish Ambassador described her; yet withal of true Tudor blood and possibly future Queen of England. Sharp-tongued, kindly-hearted Blanche Parry, who ruled the privy chamber with a rod of iron, befriended the little princess all she could, knowing full weU what small chance she had of happiness, and the practical certainty that Elizabeth would never allow her to marry. Love, however, which laughs alike at Queens and locksmiths, did eventually come to little Lady Mary in the very unexpected guise of Sergeant-porter Keyes. Closely she hugged her secret, looking forward eagerly to the river excursions, when coming or going, she might hope for a few words from the big man whose eyes said more than his lips found opportunity. Now and again he gave her presents: a little mother-of-pearl scent-bottle hanging on a gold chain, two tiny rings; gifts which Lady Mary stored in her trinket-box and gazed at when alone. One day Sergeant Keyes told Lady Mary that he loved her, and she in happiness gave assent. Though both had witnessed the consequence of Lady Catherine Grey's secret marriage, they were not intimidated thereby, but resolved to risk all in a hke hazard as soon as might be. The celebration of a Court wedding in August, 1565, at which the Queen would be present, seemed a fitting opportunity, and Sergeant Keyes arranged to give a party to the ladies, in order that Lady Mary's presence at the Watergate might be accounted for. After the other Maids of Honour had returned to the Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 65 Palace, a priest came up the stairs, and there in the room over the Thames he joined together in the bonds of holy matrimony, Sergeant-porter Keyes, widower, Keeper of the Queen's watergate, and Lady Mary Grey, spinster, heir to the throne of England. Before the end of the service some one knocked at the locked door, and Mrs. ArundeU inquired anxiously for the whereabouts of Lady Mary Grey, who could not be found at the Palace. To delay meant discovery, so the httle bride put on her hood, and bidding her husband a demure good night hastened back with her friend. Lady Mary's secret did not remain a secret for more than a week or two, when Queen and Ministers were alike thrown into consternation by the discovery of what had taken place. "Here is an unhappy chance and mon strous," wrote Sir William Cecil, "the Sergeant Porter, being the biggest gentleman in the Court, hath married secretly the Lady Mary Grey, the least of all the Court."1 Courtiers regarded the affair as a huge joke, the disparity in birth and size of the newly-wed couple caUing forth innumerable witticisms. Ehzabeth saw no humour in the situation whatever, being furious that another of the Grey girls should presume to flout her authority. She had been angry with Lady Catherine for making a suitable match, and now was equaUy incensed with Lady Mary for making an unsuitable one. To the Fleet prison went Sergeant-porter Keyes, and into the strait keeping of the Mother of the Maids Lady 1 Queen Elizabeth and her Times, Wright. 66 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Mary, till Elizabeth could find some one to take charge of her. This unwelcome duty fell to the lot of Mr. William Hawtry, of Chequers,1 in Buckinghamshire, who received command to come over to Windsor and take Lady Mary back home with him. The beautiful house and grounds among the Chiltern HiUs held no charm for Lady Mary, who sought solace in her books. These were mostly of a religious nature, and of a sufficiently depressing nature to satisfy the most exacting Puritan. Three editions of the Bible and a book of Common Prayer had Lady Mary; a French dictionary and an Italian Commentary, Mr, Knox his Answer to the Adversary of God's Predestination Mr. Knewstubbe's Readings, The Ship of Assured Safety, Mr. Cartwright 's First and Second Reply, The Hunter of the Romish Fox, Godly Mr. Whitgiffs Answer, The Duty of Perseverance, The Edic of Pacification, Sermons of the Four Evan gelists, The Book of Martyrs, and others of a like nature. Lady Mary wrote to Sir William Cecil, begging him to use his powerful influence with the Queen for her forgiveness "for my great and heinous crime." Persistently did she entreat permission to plead her cause in person, assuring Sir William Cecil of her complete repentance. "Good Master Secretary, I have received your message you sente me by Master Hawtry, wherein I do parceive you are in doubt whether I do contenew in my foUy or no; which I assure you I do as much repent as ever dyd any, not only for that I have thereby geven occasyon 1 Now the country residence of England's Prime Minister. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 6j to my enymyes to rejoyes at my fond harte, but also for that I have thereby incurred the Queene's Majestes desplessur, which is the greatest greff to me; for that the princes favor is not so sonn gotten agayn, and I assure you to be without it is such a greff to any true sub j edr.es harte, as no turment can be greatter, as I most wofull wrecke have to well tryd; desiringe rather deathe then to be any longer without so greatt a jewel, as her Majesties favor should be to me. Wherefor for God sake, as you have begun for to be a means to her Majeste in gettinge me this great and longe desired treasure, so continew untell you have made me so happy as to obtain it for me, and this I leve to trubell you any forther at this tyme, prayinge to God to send you prossperus suces. From Chekers the vij daye of February 1566. Yours to commande during my lyfe Mary Grey."1 The httle prisoner did not regain her freedom, but after a year at Chequers Mr. Hawtry was told to take his charge up to London and hand her over to her step-grand mother, the Duchess of Suffolk.2 Any possibility of that lady's refusal was negatived by the simple expedient of not consulting her at all in the matter. Therefore, when Mr. Hawtry, with Lady Mary on a pillion behind him, rode up to the house in the Minories where the duchess resided, the surprised lady gave them but a dour reception. The duchess, in common with the rest of Lady Mary's 1 Ellis's Original Letters, Vol. II. 2 Baroness Willoughby de Eresby in her own right. She became the fourth wife of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. After his death she married Mr. Richard Bertie. 68 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour relations, considered that she had made herself ridiculous by her unequal marriage, the odium of which refledted to a certain extent on them. She was therefore by no means pleased to have the young lady thrust upon her without so much as a moment's warning. Mr. Hawtry cut short the Duchess of Suffolk's tirade at the injustice of such an imposition, by producing the Queen's warrant, on the strength of which incontestable argument he washed his hands of aU further responsibility and departed. The irate duchess, though generally kind to the Grey girls, especially Lady Mary,- who had frequently stayed with her on happier occasions, was too incensed to keep control of either her tongue or temper. Angrily she turned on the weeping visitor, demanding where her "stuff" was? Guests usually brought their own furniture to fill the empty chambers, but no pack mules stood about the Minories laden with Lady Mary's goods and chattels. As a matter of fadt, these were still at Court, from whence they could not be removed without a royal warrant. Bitterly the duchess grumbled, but even she dared do no more, and despatched messengers round to friends in the Minories, narrating the calamity which had befallen her, and requesting the loan of any spare pieces of furniture they happened to have by them. When at length Lady Mary's "stuff" arrived it did not find favour in her grandmother's critical eyes, who wrote scathingly to Sir William Cecil on the subjedt of its deficiency: "She hath nothing but an old livery feather bed, all to torn and full of patches, without either bolster or counter- Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 69 pane, with two old pillows, one longer than the other, an old quilt of silk, so tattered that the cotton comes out." The duchess went on to request that Lady Mary might be provided with some furniture for her room: "Also I would if I durst, beg further some old silver pots to fetch her drink in, and two little silver cups for her to drink out of, one for her beer, the other for her wine. A silver basin and ewer, I fear, were too much; but all these things she lacks, and it were meet she hath, but she hath nothing in the world."1 Lady Mary began by crying herself ill; the excitement of her marriage, followed by the shock of its discovery, anxiety about her imprisoned husband, combined with her own utter loneliness, had reduced the girl to a pitiable state. "I trust she will do well hereafter," wrote the duchess, "for not with standing that I am sure she is very glad to be with me, yet, I assure you, she is otherwise, not only in countenance, but in very deed, so sad and so ashamed of her fault — I think it is because she has never seen me since before — so that I cannot yet, since she came, get her to eat. All she hath eaten now these two days is not so much as a chicken's leg." After the first strangeness had worn off, Lady Mary settled down happily at the Minories, striking up a great friendship with her two young relatives, Peregrine and Susan Bertie. The death of Lady Catherine Grey2 on January 27th, 1 Calendar of Domestic State Papers. 2 Lady Catherine died of decline whilst in the custody of Sir Owen Hopton at Yoxfold in Suffolk. She and her husband never met again after they parted in the Tower. 70 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 1568, brought this peaceful existence to an end, for as the Earl of Hertford's children were declared illegitimate, Lady Mary Grey became heiress presumptive to the Enghsh throne. As the Duchess of Suffolk, who had been exiled for her faith under Queen Mary, had great influence with the Protestant party, who staunchly upheld the claims of the Suffolk hne in opposition to Mary, Queen of Scots, Ehzabeth did not choose that the now important wife of Sergeant Keyes should remain longer in her charge. She therefore caused Lady Mary to be removed to the custody of Sir Thomas Gresham, the great London merchant. The new arrangement did not prove a success. Lady Mary was miserable, and detested Sir Thomas, who did not want to be bothered with her. Over and over again he wrote to Sir Wilham for "the removing of my Lady Mary Grey," his wife's "bondaige and harte sorrowe." These requests were ignored tiU the autumn of 1571, when Sir Thomas Gresham received word that Sergeant Keyes had died-st Lewisham, just after his release from the Fleet prison. Sir Thomas at once wrote to Sir WiUiam CecU for instructions, informing him of the effedt the news had had on Lady Mary: "His death she very grievously taketh: She hath requested me to write to you to be a means to the Queen's majesty to be good to her and that she may have her Majesty's leave to keep and bring up his chUdren. As I hkewise desire to know her Majesty's pleasure, whether I shaU suffer her to wear any black mourning apparel or not. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 71 Trusting that now I shall presently be despatched of her by your good means."1 Lady Mary also besought, that "as God had taken away the cause of Her Majesty's displeasure," she might be aUowed to go and live with her stepfather, Mr. Adrian Stokes, and his second wife, the widow of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. Eventually this came to pass, and in time Lady Mary became her own mistress, and owner of a house in Aldersgate. OccasionaUy she visited Court, where Blanche Parry never failed to give her kindly welcome. She attended the Christmas festivities held at Hampton Court in 1576, when she presented Elizabeth with a New Year's gift of "four dozen buttons of gold, in each of them a seed pearl, and two pairs of sweet gloves." In return the Queen gave Lady Mary a silver cup and cover. There were not many more opportunities of recon ciliation, sincere or hoUow, between the Queen and heiress presumptive, for on April 20th, 1578, little Mary Grey ended her life at the age of thirty-four. In her wiU she remembered the friends who had been kind to her, and left tokens to those she loved. "To the duchess of Suffolk one paire of hand Brace lets of gould with a jacinte stonne in each Bracelette which bracelettes were my late Mother's, or els my jueU of unicornes home."2 To Lady Throckmorton a "bowUe of silver with a cover," and to her very good friend Mrs. Blanche Parry "a little gilt bowUe with a cover to it." 1 Calendar of Domestic State Papers, 1571. 2 Lansdowne MSS.; XXVII, 31. CHAPTER VIII SIR THOMAS GRESHAM, who had so reluc tantly adted as custodian to Lady Mary Grey, earned deep gratitude from aU the Maids of Honour by providing the most wonderful shopping centre in London. He did not do so out of compliment to the Queen's ladies, but rather to establish the worth of British merchants. TraveUing much on the Continent, Sir Thomas contrasted the haUs of the Hans towns with the inadequate accommodation provided for business men in his own country. Many of them arranged contracts in Lombard Street, "but their meetings were unpleasant and troublesome, by reason of walking and talking in an open street."1 Anything in the nature of a hall they had not, and, for want of some such place, St. Paul's Cathedral had become the general place of assemblage. There in the middle aisle, known as "Mediterranean,"2 merchants discussed deals, lawyers met their chents, gallants their friends, masters engaged servants,3 thieves picked pockets. Some made their reputations there, far more lost them. James Pilkington, Bishop of Durham, preaching at St. Paul's Cross after the Cathedral had been struck by light ning in 1561, said plainly that it was a judgment for its secular abuses: 1 Stowe's Chronicle. 2 Here Ben Jonson lays the opening scene of the third act of Every Man out of his Humour. 3 Falstaff, disparagingly of Bardolph, says, "I bought him in Pauls," 2nd King Henry IF, III, 2. 72 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 73 "The south alley for Popery and usury, the north for simony, and the horse fair in the midst for all kinds of bar gains, meetings, brawlings, murders, conspiracies, and the font for ordinary payment of money, as well known as the beggar knows his bush." Sir Thomas Gresham, on the death of his only son, de termined to use his great wealth for the benefit of the city, and to erect a Bourse on Cornhill for the use of London merchants. The Queen, consulted in the matter, gave her unqualified approval, coupled with a promise that on its completion she would pay it a visit. This took place on the 23rd January, 1571, to the joy of the Maids of Honour, for, owing to the plague, Eliza beth had not visited the city for two years. The village of Westminster might be both healthy and fashionable, but the Court ladies pined for a sight of the mercers' shops again. London citizens, betwixt love of their Queen and pride in the fine new building surmounted by the grasshopper1 crest of the Greshams, made the day a memorable one. Church bells rang, houses were decorated, streets fresh graveUed, whilst members of the city companies in new liveries lined the way. Women and children hung far out of the gabled houses waving their handkerchiefs in wel come; irresponsible blue-gowned apprentices threw up their caps, and shouted themselves hoarse as the Queen entered the city at Temple Bar, passing along Fleet Street, 1 "And now he plies the news-full grasshopper Of voyages and ventures to inquire." Hall's Satires. 74 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Cheapside, and Cornhill, to Sir Thomas Gresham's house in Bishopsgate. The banquet provided proved worthy of the wealthy host's reputation, consisting as it did of every possible variety of rare and costly food served up on massive plate. Feasting and dancing lasted all the afternoon, to the im patience of the Maids of Honour who were afire to see the wonders of the Bourse. Sir Thomas, in order to make a great show on the occasion of the Queen's visit, had offered the shops in the Paune1 rent free for a year to those who would stock and furnish them with wax-lights on that day. Tradesmen eagerly availed themselves of the offer, so that the stalls "were plenteously stored with all kinds of rich wares and fine commodities."2 The Paune scintillated with myriads of candles, when Elizabeth after viewing the spacious haUs below came up stairs to see the shops. In great good humour she expressed admiration of all she saw and, calling for a trumpeter, bade him loud-voiced proclaim her pleasure that the building should be called the "Royal Exchange, and so to be called from thence, and not otherwise." Maids of Honour, fingering the ryalls3 and angels in their silk purses, lingered round the stalls where nimble- tongued apprentices cried their goods with, "What lack 1 Paune derived from Dutch pandt. Originally meaning a covered cloister, it came to be used for shops. "One of them gave me this same ruffe of Laune It lost one three pound, but last week in the Paune." A Crew of Kind Gossips. S. Rpwlandson. 2 Stowe's Chronicle. 3 A ryall=i5s. An angel=ios. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 75 ye, gentlewomen, what lack ye?" The girls felt they lacked many things with the wealth of the Paune displayed before their eager eyes. Mercer's rolls of thick pile velvet and shimmering silks, in all the most fashionable shades of Pease Porridge tawny, dead Spariiard, Goose-turd green, Popingay blue, Lady's blush, lusty gallant, Devil in the Hedge, Drakes colour, and Marigold. Ruffs of filmy lace, gossamer scarves, embroidered gloves, and coloured silk stockings, were beyond the powers of any Maid of Honour to resist. At the shoe stalls were velvet slippers to match the mercer's stockings, together with stouter shoes of Spanish leather, embroidered in gold and silver, being rendered more completely seductive by sparkling buckles. Silversmiths offered glittering necklaces, rings, pen dants, jewelled hair-pins, and chased pomanders.1 Apothe caries lured all the descendants of Eve with jars of sweet- smeUing unguents, washes and wherewith cunning de vices. Studious girls lingered at the booksellers, whilst prospective brides inspected household linen. All of them yearned to try on the hats at the milliners, who mixed these wares with "mouse-trappes, bird-cages, shooing- horns, lanthorns and Jewes trumpets," on which the Maids of Honour gazed without enthusiasm. Very loath were they to leave such manifold attractions when at length the Queen called them to attend her down stairs. In contrast to the brilliance within the Royal 1 Pomanders were either hollow to contain a ball of scent or fashioned like an orange, the quarters being filled with sweet- smelling essences. Ladies wore them at the end of theirjjirdles. j6 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Exchange, the night seemed dark and cheerless, as the girls waited whilst link boys sought for their horses fidgeting fretfuUy in the frosty air. Homeward they rode between lines of torch-bearers, the flickering flames casting weird shadows on the caval cade as it passed along the narrow, crowded streets. Rush lights twinkled in the lattice windows of the overhanging houses, and mothers lifted little children from their beds that they might see "Good Queen Bess" pass by. Soon after visiting the Royal Exchange Elizabeth moved to Hampton Court, when a spell of bad weather kept the household within doors. The Maids of Honour piled on the logs in their sitting-room, extending numb fingers over the flames which seemed to catch reflection from the gilt ceiling above, and the bright gold threads of the arras on the walls. Outside snow and sleet billowed over the park, lashing the usually placid Thames into angry waves, and hurtled against the window-panes as if to contrast the comfort within to the discomforts of the open. The little group of girls sitting on cushions round the fire, working or reading, comprised many new arrivals who had come to fill the places vacated by marriage. Mary Howard's two younger sisters Frances and Katherine joined her in the privy chamber, among their companions being Lady Elizabeth Hastings,1 Mary Shelton,2 Eliza beth Stafford,3 Catherine and Eleanor Bridges,4 Isabel 1 d. of Francis, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon. 2 d. of Sir John Shelton, of Shelton, Norfolk. 3 d. of Sir W. Stafford, of Grafton. Her mother, Lady Stafford, was one of the ladies of the bedchamber, and served the Queen for forty years. 4 d.'s of Edmund Lord Chandos. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 77 Holcroft1 and Ann Cecil,2 "a very accomplished and learned lady." Ann possessed domestic talents as well, and whilst her friends bent over their embroidery frames, she plied the spinning wheel her father had given to her for a New Year's present accompanied by some verses of his own composing: "To Mistris Anne Cecill. As yeres do growe, so cares increase, And tyme will move to looke to thrifte Though yeres in me work nothing lesse, Yet for your yeres, a new-yeres gifte This huswife's toy is now my shifte; To set you on worke some thrifte to feele, I send you now a spynning wheele. But one thing first I wishe and pray, Lest thirste for thryfte might soone you tire Only to spynne one pound a daye, And play the rest as tyme require. Sweate not (oh fy!) fling rock in fyre God sende, who sendeth all thrifte and welth, You long yeres and your father helth!"3 Ann Cecil might be the cleverest of the girls, but Catherine Bridges carried off the palm as Court beauty. When she cut her forehead, George Gascoigne,4 the poet, declared that envious Cupid "gan rap her on her pate," 1 d. of Sir Thomas Holcroft, of Vale-Royal, Cheshire. 2 d. of Sir William Cecil by his second wife Mildred, one of the learned daughters of Sir Anthony Coke. 3 MS. Lansdowne, 104, 76. 4 George Gascoigne, poet, wrote Posies of George Gascoigne, The Glasse of Government, The Princely Pleasures of Kenilworth, The Steele Glas, etc. He died 1577. 78 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour because he feared her beauty would "break him of his rest." No scar, however, could eclipse "so bright a sonne as she." "In Prayse of Bridges. In Court who so demaundes what dame doth most excell, For my conceit I must needes say, Faire Bridges beares ye bell. Upon whose lively cheek, to prove my judgement true, The rose and lillie seem to strive for equall change of hewe. And there withall so well her Graces all agree No frowning cheere dare once . Presume in her sweet face to bee. Although some lavishe lippes Which like some other best Will saye the blemishe on her brow Disgraceth all the rest." As usual in all great houses, the long gallery at Hampton Court contained the most valuable furniture and trea sures. Between the high windows stood handsome Court cupboards filled with shining plate; cabinets of ebony and tortoise-shell dazzling the eye by their treasures of gold, silver and precious stones; a long table with Bible stories carVed in mother-of-pearl; virginals made of polished wood inlaid with precious stones. Pictures and tapestry hung on the waUs; one or two chairs of State were placed for the Queen and distinguished visitors, with piles of gaily hued cushions for those of lesser rank. Here on winter evenings, when thick velvet curtains shut out Coll. of Lord Dt L'Isle Photo " Tlie Connoisseitr QUEEN ELIZABETH DANCING WITH THE EARL OF LEICESTER Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 79 the chill night, the Court musicians brought their instru ments, that the ladies might restore their circulations by dancing. The Queen and her friends of high rank danced first, but as soon as they had finished the young folk took the floor. Courtiers disencumbered themselves of cloaks and swords, took up their hats (which except for dancing might not be worn in the Queen's presence), and besought the Maids of Honour to be their partners for the galliard. Whilst her ladies danced the Queen looked on, caUing first one, then another, of the company to converse with her. This they did kneeling before her chair, whilst down the gaUery young men with plumed hats held over their hearts bowed to hthesome ladies who curtsied to the ground. After dancing came games: chess, draughts, tables,1 or the favourite card game of primero. The stakes at primero were high, and Ehzabeth, when she took a hand, was very keen after her winnings. Lord North,2 often one of the players at the Queen's table, made frequent entry in his household accounts of such items as: "Lost at play with the Queen £28." "Lost at play with the Queen ^32." "Lpst at play with the Queen .£70. "3 Wherever Ehzabeth was she had to be amused, and being a lady of more than average intelligence, neither the antics of Robert Greene, the Court fool, nor the saUies of 1 Backgammon. 2 Roger, 2nd Baron North, 1530-1600; Treasurer of Queen's household and Privy Councillor. 3 Extracts from Lord North's household books. Nicols' Progresses. 80 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour little Mrs. Thompson, her female dwarf, sufficed for entertainment. Far more to the Queen's taste were the performances of Dick Tarleton, a famous comedian who "when his head was only seene, The Tire-house doore and Tapistrie betweene, Set all the multitude in such a laughter, They could not hold for scarse an hour after."1 Ladies and courtiers alike rejoiced to hear of Tarleton's arrival, for, apart from the amusement they anticipated for themselves, he did not fear Elizabeth in her worst tempers, and could "un-dumpish her at his pleasure." Performances took place in the great hall, hung with tapestry representing negroes riding on elephants. The Queen on her chair of state, ladies and courtiers on cushions and joint-stools, formed the audience, who "began exceedingly to laugh when Tarleton first peeps out his head."2 The clown, flat-nose, squint-eyed, roughish faced, came on to the stage beating a little drum,8 as preliminary to one of his famous jigs, which he danced, sung and acted. Often by special request he would give "Tarleton's jigge of a horse loade of Fools," beginning: "What do you lacke? What do ye lackef I've a horse loade of fooles, Squeaking, gibbering of everie degree; Ime an excellent workeman, And these are my tooles: Is not this a fine merie familie?" 1 Thalia's Banquet, Epigram 94. Peacham. 2 Nash's Pierce Penilesse. 3 In 1602 a famous game cock at Norwich was called Tarleton because it always drummed with its wings before fighting. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 8i One night Tarleton convulsed the Court by appearing with a long staff in his hand, and a flitch of bacon strapped on his back. Either his appearance or the noise of clapping annoyed the Queen's httle dog "Perrico de Faldas," for he suddenly left the shelter of his mistress's farthingale, and leapt upon the stage. "Bow, wow, wow," barked Perrico de -Faldas. "Wow, wow, wow," jeered Tarleton. The httle dog ran at the clown; the clown ran at the Uttle dog with his long staff. Up and down the stage they went whilst the audience rocked with merriment, tiU the Queen bade them take away the knave for making her laugh so excessively. CHAPTER IX THE social hfe of the kingdom ralhed round the Queen, to whose Court flocked all the chief men of the time, the nobility, rich commoners and aspiring courtiers. Her own especial guard of honour, the gentlemen pensioners, were personable young men of good family and well-lined pockets, who, clad in black cloaks and carrying gilt battle-axes, played an important part in all Court ceremonies. Also there were the esquires of the body, gentlemen ushers, gentlemen of the privy chambers, and others holding various Court appointments. All these professed extravagant devotion to the Queen, but at the same time they were by no means blind to the charms of her Maids of Honour. Each lady had her avowed "servant," who extolled his mistress's beauty, both in prose and verse. In her name and honour he tilted at the tournaments, earnestly begging a "favour," by which he might signify her acceptance of his homage. These favours took various forms: a bracelet made of the adored one's hair, her glove which the gentleman stuck in his hat, her garter to be worn round his sleeve; her ribbon which, if he was one who wore long hair, he tied in his locks.1 Sometimes the girls worked "little hand kerchiefs of above three or four inches square, wrought round about; with a button or a tassel at each corner; 1 Fast: Faith, here be some slight favours of hers, sir, that do speak it she is; as this scarf, sir, or this riband in my ear, or so; this feather grew in her sweet fan some times. Every Man out of his Humour, II, i . 82 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 83 these edged with gold lace were placed in the gentlemen's hats, as favours of their Loves and mistrisses."1 Among the ladies' special friends were Mr. Thomas Coningsby,2 known to be "very far in love" with Frances Howard; Mr. James Scudamore, who nourished a secret flame for Mary Shelton ;3 Lord Herbert, "the best horseman and tilter of his time," an admirer of Lady Elizabeth Hastings; and the studious Earl of Rutland, who had begun to pay very special attention to Isabel Holcroft. Edward Vere, the erratic young Earl of Oxford, professed no particular regard for any of the ladies, nearly all of whom were wildly in love with him. Being one of the Queen's wards he had been brought up at Court, where he early distinguished himself in shooting, dancing, riding and many other accomplishments, whilst he had a way with the ladies that seemingly none of them could resist. To male eyes he appeared less attractive, and Gabriel Harvey described him unflatteringly in a rattling bundle of hexameters: "Strait to the back, like a shirt, and close to the breech like a diveling; A little apish hat, couched fast to the pate, like an oyster; French cambric ruffs, deep with a witness, starched to the pur pose; Delicate in speech; quaint in array; conceited in all points; In courtly guiles, a passing singular odd man." 1 Harrison's Description of England. 2 Son of Humphrey Coningsby of Hampton Court, Hereford shire. 3 Edward Somerset, sue. his father as 4th Earl of Worcester, 1588. 84 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour The ladies, however, saw no flaws in their idol, and continued to lay their hearts at his feet. Finding conquest so easy, the Earl of Oxford affedted to doubt the con stancy of womenfolk, and, sonnets being all the rage, he composed one likening the ladies to hawks used in falconry. "If Women Could be Fair1 If women could be fair, and yet not fond Or that their love were firm, not fickle, still, I would not marvel that they make men bound. By service long to purchase their good will; But when I see how frail those creatures are, I muse that men forget themselves so far. To make the choice they make, and how they change How oft from Phoebus they do flee to Pan, Unsettled still, like haggards2 wild, they range — Those gentle birds that fly from man to man; Who would not scorn to shake them from the fist And let them fly, fair fools, which way they list. Yet for disport, we fawn and flatter both, To pass the time when nothing else can please; 1 Hannah's Courtly Poets. 2 A falcon captured when full grown. These took longer to train, but were highly esteemed for their prowess. "Another way I have to man my haggard, To make her come and know her keeper's call; That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites That bate and beat and will not be obedient. She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat; Last night she slept not, to-night she shall not." Taming ofthe Shrew, IV, 1. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 85 And train them to our lure1 with subtle oath, Till weary of their wiles, themselves we ease: And then we say, when we their fancy try, To play with fools, oh, what a fool was I!" Soon after his coming of age the Earl of Oxford took part in a grand tournament held at Whitehall. Dressed all in "crimson velvet, very costly," the Earl called himself the Red Knight, the three other challengers being Lord Charles Howard, the White Knight; Sir Henry Lee, the Green Knight; and Christopher Hatton, the Black Knight. Very gay looked the decorated tilt yard that bright May morning, when the Queen and her ladies took their seats in the long gallery, from whence a broad flight of steps ran down to the ground. Being a gala day, the benches round the course were filled with spectators who had come from London in order to see the sport. Those who could afford it paid twelvepence for a seat; those who could not jostled each other for standing room outside the enclosure. Trumpeters and heralds announced the names of challengers and defenders, who, clad in armour, their helmets crested by waving ostrich plumes, rode forward on "high bounding" horses richly caparisoned in velvet trappings. At the foot of the gallery stairs the competitors made obeisance to the Queen, whilst attendant squires presented their banners, and made request for permission to enter for the forthcoming tournament. XA dummy or dead bird. "As falcon to the lure, away she Flies." — Venus and Adonis. 86 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour The Maids of Honour had very special interest in the banners, for the old custom of armorial bearings had given place to more fantastic devices. Many of the emblematical pictures bore intended reference to the Queen, coupled with the expression of the tilters' hopes and fears concerning her attitude. Over and over again was Elizabeth typified as the sun, whose rays reflected either towards or away from some object in representative allusion to the bearer's name or crest. One aspirant presented a white shield, with the inscription "Fatum inscribat Eliza"; another, "a glorious lady in a cloud in the one syd and a sunne in the other; beneath a sacrifice of hands, hartes, armes, pennes, etc."1 Courtiers, with lesser aspirations or deeper affections, had spent much time evolving designs which should make diredt appeal to the younger Court ladies whose favours they proudly wore. "An amorous affedtion" was instantly noted in he who displayed "an eye in a heart, with the words 'Vulnus alo.'" Another "doubted not his continual suit would mollify his mistress' heart, which made an eye dropping tears upon a heart" with "Saepre Cadinodo." A courtier who knew he had many rivals showed a number of flies round a lighted candle. One more fortunate proudly showed a letter. "Lege et relege" was his motto. All eyes turned to Frances Howard when Thomas Coningsby rode up, and halted at the foot of the stairs whilst his squire presented his banner. This bore the device of "a white lion devouring a young coney," beneath the reproachful words, "Call you this Love?" 1 John Manningham's Diary. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 87 Frances grew red: Queen and ladies laughed outright, for none could fail to misunderstand the allusion to the Howard family crest and the pun on Mr. Coningsby's name. Competitors rode round the enclosure, then challengers and defendants being at opposite ends of the course, they prepared for combat. With visors up and lances couched, at a given signal they ran full tilt, meeting with the shock of encounter in front of the Queen's gallery. Many staves were broken, some riders were unhorsed, but the skill acquired at the quintain enabled most of them to remain in the saddle. Anything that fell to the ground — helmets, ostrich plumes, stirrups, parts of harness, or even the horses if they and the riders were overthrown — alike were accounted forfeit to the heralds and officers of arms. They could, however, be redeemed for a fixed sum, that of a horse and harness being twenty pounds. At the end of the tournament the ladies ran down to lead the victors up the steps to the Queen's presence. Elizabeth presented the Earl of Oxford with a tablet of diamonds; Charles Howard with a chain, Sir Henry Lee with a diamond, and Sir Christopher Hatton with a gold bell and chain. The ladies lost one of their chief favourites when the Earl of Rutland, following the usual custom for young men of good birth, went to travel on the Continent. Though fearing he would offer "his services and good liking to the French ladies," the girls used to write him joint letters, to show that they at any rate were constant in affection. 88 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour His close personal friends, Richard Brackinbury,1 and George Delves2 one of the gentleman pensioners, also proved good correspondents, not forgetting to give news of the Maids of Honour. Frances Howard, they assured him, continued "in perfect health, beloved and scorn- full," and though she still showed indifference to Thomas Coningsby, yet so great was his affection that the Court generally thought that in the end she would relent towards him. Lady Ehzabeth Hastings had been ill and lost her looks. Of the Earl of Rutland's special favourite, Delves wrote reassuring news: "Mrs. Holcroft is without love or any liking of her to my thinking. She is the very old woman she was, for I cannot get more familiarity, except you give it me by your credit and direction."3 During the Earl of Rutland's absence an event occurred that shattered the hearts of the Maids of Honour at one blow, the reason whereof Lord St. John hastened to teU: "Th' Erie of Oxenforde hathe gotten hym a wyffe — or at least a wyffe hathe caught hym. That is Mrs. Anne Cecille, whearunto the Queen hathe gyven her consent, the which hath causyed great wypping, waling, and sorowful chere, of those that hoped to have hade that golden daye. Thus you way see whylst that some triumphe with oliphe branchis, others folowe the chariot with wyllowe garlands."4 1 Son of Anthony Brackinbury of Denton. 2_George, fourth son of Sir George Delves, Sheriff of Cheshire. 5*Hist. MSS. Commission. Duke of Rutland's MSS. 4 Ibid. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 89 Ann Cecil received the envious congratulations of her friends, but Lord Burleigh who had been the Earl of Oxford's guardian during his minority and loved him as a son, was not without misgivings. There had been some talk of a marriage between Ann and Mr. Philip Sidney, whom Lord Burleigh held in high esteem; but nothing definite had been concluded as Ann's father wished her to see more of the world, and not to marry before the age of sixteen. Ann, however, decided for herself, and when the Earl of Oxford, so universaUy adored in the privy chamber, offered her his heart she accepted it in triumph. Ann Cecil was not the only bride at the Palace, for MaryHoward became the wife of Lord Dudley, Catherine Bridges married Lord Sandes, and Lady Elizabeth Hastings Lord Herbert, who reconciled what the Queen said she had hitherto believed impossible, "a stiff papist to a good subject." Elizabeth Stafford, seeing so many of her friends leave, announced that she was "weary of the spite of the Court," and intended to marry Sir William Drury of Hawsted in Suffolk, whom her friends considered would make her a suitable husband. Mary Howard, who at this time of general matrimony gave her hand to Lord Dudley, had some years earlier figured in a sensational case. Common report would have it that she and a certain Mr. Thomas SouthweU1 had contracted a secret marriage, and though both parties indignantly denied it, the rumour persisted, till at length 1 s. Sir R. Southwell, Master of the Rolls to Henry VIII. 90 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour no less a person than the Archbishop of Canterbury intervened to prove the validity of the supposed marriage. Mary Howard, on being examined, admitted that Thomas Southwell "was a suter to her divers and sundrie tymes in the waie of marriage,"1 but she denied ordering her wedding dress, and "did not professe to the saied Mr. Southwell that if ever she maried any she wold mary him." Thomas SouthweU, for his part, declared "that he never uttered any words to the saied mistris Marie that shold induce any contracte of matrimonie betwene him and the same Mistris Mary." After due deliberation, the Archbishop decided that there was not sufficient evidence to prove the marriage and the two young people who so earnestly desired not to spend the rest of their lives together were free. The Earl of Rutland, returning at a time when there was so much marrying and giving in marriage, came to an understanding with Isabel Holcroft. Isabel, a practi cal young lady, wrote to tell her mother of the happiness that had come into her hfe, and to ask the amount of her dowry. Julyan, Lady Holcroft replied to her prospective son-in-law: " I have long heard of the great good wille that you have borne to my daughter, and of your mind to make her your wife. She has now told me that you are fully determined, and she asks what I will give her. She desires 1 Matthew Parker's Register, published by The Canterbury and York Society. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 91 a very great sum of money, but says that you will marry her whether I give anything or no. If I may be satisfied by yourself of this, I will you her demand if you will take it in reasonable time."1 Ann Cecil's married life did not bring the happiness that she, and all the ladies of the privy chamber, thought would come to the lucky maiden who became the Earl of Oxford's wife. Ann "was virtuous; but he a great spender," and there were troubles almost from the first. The Earl, recklessly extravagant, was angered because Lord Burleigh did not do more for him, and in revenge spread abroad lies concerning his own wife and her father. Ann, in distress at these totally unfounded reports, absented herself from the Court she had recently left in such elated circumstances. Lord Burleigh fearing that his daughter's absence might be misconstrued, wrote assuring the Queen of her innocence. Ann was and always would be, "her majesty's most humble young servant, as one that was toward her majesty, in dutiful Love and Fear, yea, in fervent Admiration of her Graces, to contend with any of her equals."2 Elizabeth's attitude towards the Earl varied; some times she rated him soundly, at others she flirted with him so openly that Lady Burleigh, resenting the slight on her newly married daughter, tried to make her husband interfere, "but at all theise love matters my Lord Trea surer winketh, and will not meddle anyway." The breach between the Earl and his wife's family 1 Hist. MSS. Commission. Duke of Rutland's MSS. 2 Strype's Annals of the Reformation. 92 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour widened after the execution of the Duke of Norfolk.1 Lord Oxford considered Burleigh could have saved his friend if he liked, and in a fit of passion declared he would ruin the Lord Treasurer's daughter. In pursuit of vengeance he not only forsook Ann, but started to dissipate his fortune with a recklessness that occasioned the Queen's displeasure. Ann was always ready to forget the past and let bygones be bygones, but though there were occasional reconcilia tions they were never of long duration. After one of these brief interludes Ann wrote in despair to her husband: f'My Lord, in what misery I may accuse myself to be that neither I can see any end thereof, nor yet any hope, how to diminish it. And now of late having some hope in my own conceit, that your lordship would have renewed some part of your favour that you began to show to me this summer, when you made me assurance of your good meaning, though you seemed fearful how to shew it by open actions. Now after long silence of hearing anything from you, at length I am informed (but how bitterly I know not and yet how uncomfortably I do feel it) that your lordship is entered into some new misliking of me, witjhout any cause in deed or thought. And therefore my good lord, I beseech you, in the name of God that knows my thoughts, my love towards you, notwithstanding your evil meaning towards me, upon what cause you are moved to continue me in this misery; and what you would have me to do in my power, and to recover your constant favour, so as your lordship may not be still led to detain me in calamity, without some probable cause; whereof I appeal to God I am utterly innocent."2 1 Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Executed for his com plicity with Mary, Queen of Scots, 1572. 2 Strype's Annals of the Reformation. CHAPTER X ON March 19th, 1572, Elizabethkept her Maundy1 at Greenwich, the great hall being swept and garnished for the occasion. At the upper end stood a table for the chaplain, with a pile of soft cushions and a praying stool, in front for the Queen. Opposite were long tables laden with gifts, whilst ranged against the walls were benches for the beneficiaries. All being ready, into the hall hobbled thirty-nine old women who sat down on the forms, endeavouring to look as little self-conscious as possible under exceptionally try ing circumstances. Towards them pompously advanced the yeoman of the laundry; washed and dried the thirty- nine old ladies' feet, finally imprinting a chaste kiss on each of their horny big toes. In imitation came the almoner, followed in turn by the sub-almoner. These preliminaries ended, the Queen entered, mag nificent in black velvet, foUowed in procession by thirty- nine ladies of the privy chamber. At the conclusion of the special service, the ladies went towards the long tables, girded themselves with aprons, and taking up thirty-nine basins fiUed with warm water and floating flowers prepared to attend the Queen. Thirty-nine acutely nervous old ladies wriggled their feet among the rushes as the Queen knelt down before 1This ceremony, common to most Christian countries, was kept in remembrance of Christ's washing his disciples' feet. The sovereigns publicly washed the feet of their poorest subjects of numbers commensurate with the ruler's age. 93 94 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour them one by one, and washed, dried, crossed and kissed their great toes. Meanwhile the ladies had each taken a dress length of broadcloth which the Queen presented on her next tour of the benches. At the third round the girls each handed her a pair of shoes; for the fourth they carried wooden platters containing sides of salmon, ling, six red herrings and two loaves of bread; fifthly, bottles of wine; whilst at the sixth each lady in turn took off her apron which the Queen presented to the old lady whose gifts the girl had carried. The ladies then returned to their places, whilst the Queen, making the last round unattended, pre sented white leather purses containing thirty-nine pence, and a like number of red ones holding twenty shillings. Then back to their private apartments went Elizabeth and her ladies, whilst the thirty-nine old ladies thankfully put their much-washed feet into their woollen hose. The reiterance made of her thirty-nine years was the least pleasing part of the Maundy ceremony to Elizabeth, who much disliked anything that called attention to the passage of time. She had been much put out by the be haviour of three of her rejected suitors who had recently taken unto themselves wives. Thereby they caused ex treme annoyance to the virgin Queen of England, who liked to imagine them languishing in single blessedness; when, instead, they wedded less exacting princesses, Ehza beth conceived herself very grievously affronted. The King of France being one of the defaulting bachelors, his mother, Catherine de' Medici, suggested as substitute her second son, the youthful Duke of Anjou, Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 95 nineteen years Elizabeth's junior. According to the pro testations of his mother and her Ambassador, Anjou was represented as being ardently in love with the English Queen of whose beauty he had heard so much. So long as the courtship could be conducted by proxy all went well, but a serious hitch occurred when Elizabeth expressed a wish to see the prince in person. This, unfortu nately for Catherine de' Medici, could not be managed without her son's consent, and when approached thereon, Anjou not only flatly refused to go and see the lady of his mother's choice, but in emphatically uncomplimentary terms he utterly refused to marry her. Elizabeth, though so serenely confident of her charms that she saw nothing incongruous in the idea of a husband young enough to be her son, none the less shivered at the prospect of old age, and clutched at any project likely to avert it. A wily Dutchman, having knowledge of the Queen's vanity and love of money, lured her with pro mises of a wonderful elixir which would not only ensure perpetual youth, but also transmute base metal into gold. Ehzabeth, lending a credulously hopeful ear to these attractive suggestions, provided the magician with a laboratory at Somerset House and bade him proceed with aU possible speed. The alchemist set up his crucibles; made a prodigious amount of noise; improvised divers unpleasant smells, but produced nothing of material value. Elizabeth became impatient; unwillingly she saw the crow's-feet forming round her eyes, and the glory depart ing from her red-gold hair; urgently she wanted the elixir. 96 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour The Dutchman made more noise and worse smeUs, but no elixir. Elizabeth lost her temper: the magician re ceived an ultimatum — the elixir or the Tower — noise and smells no longer avaUed him, and to. the Tower forthwith he departed. Dr. Dee, the Mortlake astronomer, met with better success, largely owing to hi? friendship with Mrs. Blanche Parry, who caused him to be sent for with all haste when an event occurred which seemingly threatened the Queen's life. Someone walking in Lincoln's Inn Fields chanced on a waxen image of the Queen stuck through and through with pins. At the sight thereof the hearts of the stoutest privy councillors quailed within them. Clearly it betokened witchcraft of a most malignant kind, and unless one could be found who wrought cunningly in such matters the Queen must assuredly die. Dr. Dee found a weak-kneed Court: he examined the image, confirmed the gravity of its import, but bade his hearers take heart, for he alone could counteract the spells of witchery. With pompous solemnity he made incanta tions and performed mystic rites, with such eminent success that, though the vital parts of her wax prototype were riddled through and through with pins, the Queen's health remained unimpaired, and Dr. Dee's reputation was established. Dr. Dee's house faced the river at Mortlake, and when the Court was in residence at Richmond the Maids of Honour would coax Mrs. Blanche to take them over that they might peer into the dark shroudings of the future. Every inch a magician looked Dr. Dee, a taU, thin man in Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 97 a long black robe, with a skuU cap on his bald pate, and a long white beard flowing down his breast. His surround ings were every whit as awesome as his appearance, and the half-frightened girls clutched one another nervously as they entered the dark library full of parchments, globes, scales, crucibles and other outward signs of occult mysteries. Chief attractions in the girls' eyes were the magic crystal wherein they might see pooled the vista of the future, and the famous mirror within whose ebony frame they expected to behold the features of their future husbands. Ehzabeth heard such accounts of the mirror from her ladies that she must needs see it herself. In consequence, one windy March day a gay company from the Court cantered over the fields from Richmond to visit the gratified Dr. Dee, who made note of the occasion: "The Queen's majestie, with her most honourable Privy Council, and other of her Lords and nobility, came purposely to have visited my library: but finding that my wife was within four hours before buried out of the house, her Majestie refused to come in, but willed to fetch my glass so famous, and show unto her some of the pro perties of it, which I did; her Majestie being taken down from her horse by the Earle of Leicester, Master of the Horse, at the Church wall of Mortlake, did see some of the properties of that glass to her Majestie's great content ment and delight."1 If Elizabeth saw a man's face in the mirror she kept the knowledge to herself; in any case it is not likely to have 1 Dr. Dee's Compendious Memorial. 98 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour been that of the Duke of Anjou or the Earl of Leicester. It is true negotiations for the French match still went on, and that Leicester openly protested his devotion as of yore, but neither suitor proffered suit in any sincerity. Leicester had at length realized that he would never occupy the proud position of Queen's consort; but, though he still wished to retain the position of chief favourite, he very seriously imperilled his position by flirtations among the ladies. Frances Howard and her married sister Douglas (Lady Sheffield) were hot rivals for his notice. They showed their feelings so openly that Lord Talbot1 commented on the matter in a letter to his father, the Earl of Shrewsbury: "My Lord of Leicester is very much with her majesty and she shews the same good affedtion to him that she was wont;' of late he has endeavoured to please her more than heretofore. There are two sisters now in the Court that are very far in love with him, as they have been long; my Lady Sheffield and Frances Howard; they (of like striving who shall love him better) are at great wars together, and the Queen thinketh not well of them nor better of him."2 Leicester made use of both ladies, and when he feU into disgrace with the Queen he persuaded Frances Howard to assist in a stratagem by which he hoped to regain favour. Writing a letter "in all fraud and base dissimulation," he addressed it to Lord Burleigh, arranging that Frances 1 Gilbert, second son of 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, m. Mary Cavendish, daughter of "Bess of Hardwick," his stepmother; sue. his father as Earl of Shrewsbury. 2 Lodge's Illustrations, VoJ. II. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 99 should give it to him in the Queen's presence in such a way that she should not fail to observe the transaction. Frances waited till Burleigh had nearly reached the door of the audience chamber, when she stepped forward to hand him the letter in seeming secrecy, "and to draw the eye and attention of her Highness the more unto it, she let fall the paper before it touched the treasurer's hand."1 Elizabeth instantly commanded the note to be brought to her, but on reading it she quickly saw through the ruse, and refused to take the contents seriously. In the end Lady Sheffield triumphed over her un married sister, so that, when Lord Sheffield died, scandal cast dark rumours as to my Lord of Leicester's proficiency in the subtle art of poisoning. The period of mourning ended, Douglas expected that Leicester would take steps to make her his lawful wife. To her dismay he evinced no particular anxiety to do any thing of the sort. As an excuse he alleged the Queen's anger, consequent on the fact that, though Elizabeth did not mean to marry him herself, she would very vehe mently object to his being the husband of any other woman. Lady Sheffield, however, became insistent, and eventu ally Leicester reluctantly agreed to a secret marriage at Esher, a few days before the birth of their child.2 1 Lycester's Commonwealth. 2 Lord Robert Dudley, 15 73-1 649. CHAPTER XI THE Duke of Anjou's positive refusal to take unto himself a bride so many years his senior placed his mother and the French Ambassador in an ex tremely difficult position. To tell Elizabeth the truth was, of course, entirely out of the question, but even two such practised dissimulators found a really plausible lie difficult to come by. Eventually they decided to make the differ ence in religion a pretext, representing the Duke as an implacable Catholic who would require all the outward pomp and ceremonial attendant on Roman Catholic observances. Elizabeth at once said that in a Protestant country this could not be; the Prince might worship as he pleased in private, but outwardly he must conform to the estabhshed religion. The ambassador, much relieved at this attitude, professed himself desolate: the Duke of Anjou would be heart-broken, so tenderly was he attached to the most beautiful Princess in Europe, but, undoubtedly, he would sacrifice himself for his religion — such was the devoutness of French princes. Catherine de' Medici, loath to forgo the prospect of being mother-in-law to the Queen of England, suggested to Fenelon that her youngest son should be offered as a substitute for his brother. The ambassador accordingly "began to tickle Queen Elizabeth's ears with love-stories about her marriage with Alengon."1 ArtfuUy he described how the young Duke had conceived a romantic affection 1 Camden. IOO Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour ioi for the beautiful Virgin Queen, and he entreated per mission to pay his addresses. Should this, the darling wish of his heart be acceded to, he promised accommodation on the score of religion. The new suitor was an ugly, undersized boy of seven teen, with an abnormally large nose, and a face deeply pitted with small-pox. This last proved the greatest detriment in Elizabeth's eyes. The Ambassador could slur over the disparity in age by representing that Alengon looked fully ten years older than he was, whilst she appeared far more than ten years less than hers, but pock-marks were a very material matter to which Ehzabeth returned over and over again. Catherine de' Medici gave positive assurance that the marks were negligible, and could easily be cured by a physician deeply skilled in restoring ruined complexions. He should set to work at once on the face of a pock marked page; if he proved successful, as doubtless he would, he should proceed forthwith on the countenance of Alengon. Before this design could be put in execution the young prince developed measles, when his mother hastened to convey the gratifying tidings that the rash of the new disease had completely obliterated the scars of the former. Elizabeth knew only too well how often the scourge of smaU-pox left its victim disfigured for life. She had been attacked by it herself and, though she recovered without blemish, Lady Mary Sidney1 who nursed her devotedly, 1 d. of sister of the Earl of Leicester and wife of Sir Henry Sidney, mother of Sir Philip Sidney. 102 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour and eventually contracted the disease, was by no means so fortunate. Sir Henry Sidney seeing her for the first time, wrote in dismay: "When I went to Newhaven, I left her a full fair lady, in mine eye at least the fairest, and when I returned I found her as foul a lady as the smaU-pox could make her; which she did take by continual attend ance of her Majesty's most precious person."1 The loss of her beauty caused Lady Mary to shun society as much as possible, and to live a retired life in the country. When Sir Henry Sidney became Lord President of Wales he and his family took up their residence at Ludlow Castle. There on February 22nd, 1575, they suffered a sad loss in the death of their younger daughter, Ambrozia. Elizabeth writing the bereaved parents a letter of condolence, made mention of their elder girl Mary: "He hath left unto you the comfort of one daughter of very good hope, whom, if you shall think good to remove from those parts of unpleasant air, if it be so, into better in these parts, and will send her unto us before Easter, or when you shaU think good, assure yourself that we will have a special care of her, not doubting but, as you are weU persuaded of our favour towards yourself, so will we make further demonstration thereof in her; if you wiU send her unto us, and so comforting you for the one, and leaving this our offer of goodwill to your own considera tion for the other we commit you to Almighty God."2 Mary of the tawny hair welcomed the idea of going to Court for the opportunity it afforded for companionship 1 Calendar of Domestic State Papers. 2 Ibid. Coll. of Duke of Buccleuch Photo Victoria aud Albert Museum MARY SYDNEY, COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 103 with her beloved brother Philip. The bond between the two was unusually close, for they had been educated together, growing up with kindred interests and an abiding interest in literature. Mary, who had studied Latin, Greek and Hebrew, had her praises sung by Philip Sidney's poet friend, Edmund Spenser, in his poem "Colin Clout's Come Home Again." "Urania sister unto Astrophel Into whose brave mind, as in a golden Coffer. All heavenly gifts and riches locked are, More rich than pearls of Ind or gold of Ophir, And in her sex more wonderful and rare." Philip Sidney's two chief friends at Court were his old school friend, Fulke Greville,1 and Edward Dyer,2 both men of studious tastes like his. Dyer, who shared with Sidney the honour of being "the two very diamondes of her maiesties Court for many special and rare qualities,"3 wrote a poem to prove that a contented mind held the secret of happiness: "My mind to me a kingdom is, Such present joys therein I find, That it excels all other bliss That earth affords or grows by kind: Though much I want which most would have, Yet still my mind forbids to crave," etc. 1 Son of Sir Fulke Greville. Entered Shrewsbury School the same day as Philip Sidney, Chancellor of the Exchequer under James I, who created him Lord Brooke, died 1628. 2 Son of Sir Thos. Dyer, of Somerset. 3 Gabriel Harvey to Spenser. (Three Proper and Wittie Familiar Letters.) 104 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Both Philip and Mary Sidney were with the Queen when she paid a nineteen days' visit to their uncle, the Earl of Leicester, at Kenilworth Castle. Great festivities were prepared in honour of the occasion, including pageants, plays, bear baitings, fireworks, dancing and sumptuous banquets. On leaving Kenilworth, Elizabeth went on to Chartley to see her cousin, the Countess of Essex, who, in the absence of her lord in Ireland, entertained the large party of guests. Married life and motherhood had in no wise diminished the charm of beautiful Lettice Knollys, and the Earl of Leicester fell once more under her spell. He had tired of his second wife, Lady Sheffield, and desired to repudiate his secret marriage at Esher, but Douglas, despite bribes or threats, utterly refused to disavow it, for the honour of her son. It had been con trived with such secrecy that Leicester had little to fear on that score; on the other hand, he would have a great deal to fear if the Queen discovered he had embarked on a second flirtation with the Countess of Essex. Both were circumspect, but the old flame which had begun in farce flickered up again, to flare in earnest, after the death of the Earl of Essex. Lettice Knollys's children had inherited their mother's good looks, the elder girl, Penelope, already at twelve giving promise of becoming an exceptionally beautiful woman. The Earl of Essex hoped to arrange a marriage between her and Philip Sidney, but the young man of twenty thought more of literary ambitions than the vivacious child who might one day be his bride. A few Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 105 years later he bitterly reproached himself for his blindness at this first meeting with the "SteUa" of his sonnets. "Not at first sight, nor with a dribbled shot, Love gave the wound which, while I breathe, will bleed: But known worth did in mine of time proceed, Till, by degrees, it had full conquest got. I saw and liked; I liked, but loved not; I loved, but straight did not what love decreed; At length to love's decrees I, forced, agreed. Yet with repining at so partial lot. Now, e'en that footstep of lost liberty Is gone, and now, like slave-born Muscovite, I call it praise to suffer tyranny; And now employ the remnant of my wit To make myself believe that all is well, While, with a feeling skill, I paint my hell."1 The Maids of Honour were somewhat aggrieved that three such popular young men as Philip Sidney, Fulke GreviUe ^nd Edward Dyer should be so indifferent to their charms. GreviUe, it is true, professed himself "a constant courtier of the ladies," but it was a detached interest which caused the Maids of Honour to make him their scapegoat. He used to say merrily, "that he was like Robin Goodfellow, for when the dairy-maids upset the milk-pans or made a romping and racket, they laid it all on Robin; so whatever gossip-tales the Queen's ladies told her, or whatever bad turns they did to the courtiers, they laid all upon him."2 For auburn-haired Philip Sidney the girls had warmer sentiments; indeed, they "ventured as far as modesty 1 Astrophel and Stella, Sonnet 2. 2 Bacon's Apophthegms. 106 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour would permit to signify their affection unto him," and showed obvious chagrin at his lack of response. "Because I breathe not love to every one, Nor nourish special lockes of vowed hair, Nor give each speech a full point of a groan, The courtly nymphs, acquainted with the moan Of them, who, in their lips, Love's standard bear, 'What he!' say they to me, 'now dare I swear, He cannot love: no, no; let him alone!' 'n If Philip Sidney preferred books to ladies, there were plenty of courtiers of a very different opinion, and the Maids of Honour tossing their pretty heads, chose new servants because they waxed merry. Young married men looked on disconsolate, and Richard Brackinbury wrote to prepare the Earl of Rutland for a cold reception on his next visit to London. "When you come to the Court you wiU scarce be known; so little account do these ladies make of us married men, and especiaUy of those that be absent for 'from new fountains the water semethe the sweetest.' You should be here a month before you could learn to speak to one and not offend the other. Yet there is one of your old acquaintance who would have friendly saluted you — my Lady Sandys."2 Eleanor Brydges, who remained in the privy chamber after her sister Catherine married Lord Sands, also retained a friendly feeling for the Earl of Rutland. She 1 Astrophel and Stella, Sonnet LIV. 2 Duke of Rutland, MSS. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 107 wrote to tell him of the commotion caused by the secret marriage of James Scudamore and Mary Shelton. The Queen in a passion at the discovery of what had taken place, "telt liberall bothe with bloes and yevell words." In fact, she handled the frightened little bride so roughly that she broke her finger. This catastrophe brought Elizabeth to her senses, and in contrition she not only sanctioned the marriage, but appointed the new Mrs. Scudamore as gentlewoman of the bedchamber. The matrimonial prospects of the Maids of Honour were always followed with interest, and it was observed that Frances Howard, who had quite discarded Thomas Coningsby, had a new admirer in the person of the Earl of Hertford. The faces in the privy chamber had changed since the Earl of Hertford had in his youth courted Lady Catherine Grey in his sister Jane's little sitting-room. Having suffered nine years' imprisonment for the offence of marrying his first wife, it behoved him to walk warily before making a second venture, especially when the lady of his second choice likewise bore relationship to the Queen. Frances Howard, who had flouted so many admirers, felt that at last she had met the man who could make her happy, but as she happened to be a favourite with Elizabeth the possibility of being allowed to marry him did not seem very bright. "No haste is made about Lord Hertford's marriage, yet love increases," wrote Richard Brackinbury in a letter which also conveyed the intelligence that Lady Mary Vere1 was ill with jaundice, and that there was talk of Mary Sidney marrying 1 Sister of the Earl of Oxford. 108 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour the Earl of Pembroke,1 though he himself doubted if anything would come of it. The Earl of Leicester was undoubtedly anxious to arrange such a marriage for his niece, and wrote to her father in Ireland on the matter. Sir Henry Sidney re plied: "I find to my exceeding great comfort, the likehhood of a marriage between my lord of Pembroke and my daughter, which great honour to me, my means lineage and kin, I attribute to my match in your noble house, and serve the same to the uttermost of my power: yea, so joyfully have I at heart that my dear child hath so happy an advancement as this is, as, in troth, I would lie a year in close prison rather than it should break. But, alas! my dearest Lord, mine estate is not unknown to your lordship, which wanteth much to make me equal that which I know my Lord of Pembroke may have. Two thousand pounds, I confess, I have bequeathed her, which your lordship knoweth I might better spare her when I were dead than one thousand living; and in troth, my Lord, I have it not, but borrow it I must, and so I will. And if your lordship will get me leave that I may feast my eyes with that joyful sight of their coupling, I will give her a cup worth five hundred pounds. Good my Lord, bear with my poverty; for if I had it, little would I regard any sum of money, but willingly give it, protest ing before Almighty God that if He and all the powers on earth would give me choice of a husband for her, I would choose the Earl of Pembroke. I write to my Lord of Pembroke, which herewith I send your Lordship; and 1 Henry Herbert repudiated his marriage with Lady Catherine Grey and married Catherine, d. of Earl of Shrewsbury. She died IS7S- Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 109 thus I end, in answering your most welcome and honour able letter; with my hearty prayer to Almighty God to perfect your lordship's good work, and requite you for the same; for I am not able."1 A month or two later the wedding took place, and Mary accompanied her husband to his beautiful home at Wilton, in Wiltshire. 1 Sydney Papers, Vol. I. CHAPTER XII ONE broiling hot day towards the end of July, 1578, the Court left London for a progress into Suffolk, the main objective being to pay a visit to Sir William Cordell, Master of the Rolls, at his fine new house at Long Melford. Forward went the green-clad harbingers; the yeomen of the guard in new red coats with the Tudor rose blazoned on their backs; gentlemen pensioners carrying their gilt battle-axes; noblemen and courtiers, richly dressed, riding according to their degrees, and followed by serving-men wearing their master's badge in silver on their left arms. Elizabeth more from pride than inclination rode in her coach, lavish with paint and gold, adorned with ostrich feathers, upholstered grandly, studded by gilt nails; of magnificent appearance, but extreme discomfort. Owing to the badness of the roads, the coach not infrequently stuck in deep ruts or holes. In the worst places serving-men supported it on either side with their shoulders, as the only means by which the right royal vehicle could be made to retain its equilibrium. The Maids of Honour, who were not yet allowed the privilege of being shaken in a coach, trotted along on their saddle horses. Behind came a seemingly endless Une of riders, terminating in two or three hundred luggage carts, toiling painfully along in clouds of dust. All other travellers "gave the road" to the royal party, whether the long covered waggons of the carriers, strings no Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour hi of pack horses laden with merchandise, country gentle men, or troupes of actors with their property carts. News of the Queen's coming caused the road to be unusuaUy populated with rogues and vagabonds who assembled in hopes of picking up an honest or dishonest penny. Vagrants in variety roamed the country-side, beg ging or stealing when or how they could. If caught, the penalty for a first offence was branding through the right ear with a hot iron. A second conviction entailed like treatment of the left; a third meant death. Of all denominations were they: fortune-teUers, bear-wards, rufflers, upright men, Hookers and Anglers, Priggers, fresh-water mariners, who had never seen the sea. Wildest looking of aU was an Abraham man, a half witted, scantily clad creature, one "that walketh bare armed, and bare legged, and f ayneth hym selfe mad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a stycke with baken on it, or such lyke toy, and nameth himselfe poore Tom."1 On village commons, where fly-tormented beeves sought shelter under the trees, and the braying of a stray donkey in the pound spread consternation among hun dreds of Court horses, Elizabeth halted her coach. Seated in state, the leathern curtains drawn back, she spoke with the villagers who crowded round the Queen they loved so well. She learnt of their desires or hardships, received petitions, heard grievances, for during progresses the humblest subject might approach and state his case with out let or hindrance, in simple faith that "Good Queen Bess" would put things right. 1 The Fraternity e of Vagabonds, John Audley, 1575. 112 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Whilst Elizabeth dispensed justice, the Maids of Honour were importuned by ballad singers, entreating them to give ear to a very passionate and beautiful ballad of "A Lover extoUing his lady." Or they might have their choice of "A merry Ballad of how a wife entreated her husband to have her own WiU"; "A baUad of a priest that lost his nose, For saying of mass as I suppose," The Lady Greensleeves, or "The lamentable ditty of The Babes in the Wood." When ballad singers ceased from troubling, the travel ling pedlars displayed the contents of their packs. "Lawn as white as driven snow; Cyprus black as e'er was crow ; Gloves as sweet as damask roses. Masks for faces and for noses; Bugle-bracelets, necklace-amber, Perfume for a lady's chamber; Golden quoifs and stomachers, For my lads to give their dears; Pins and poking-sticks of steel; What maids lack from head to heel: Come buy of me, come buy, come buy."1 On again; over lonely heaths where the remains of highwaymen clanked in chains; across waste land, scaring white-tailed conies who scudded for safety under yellow gorse bushes; skirting marshlands where lonely herons kept vigil among the rushes; through the deep silence of vast woodlands where shrill-voiced jays heralded the in trusion of their sohtude. In leafy deUs, where the sun slanted through the tree- 1 The Winter's Tale, IV, 3. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 113 tops, the travellers halted to picnic. The Queen and her ladies couched themselves among the bracken fronds, watching the squirrels who scudded along the branches, and using their long plumed fans to defend themselves from myriads of flies, whilst the serving-men unpacked provision baskets. The thirsty ladies appreciated their draughts of cool nut-brown beer, however much individual tastes differed as to the merits of the varieties known as Huff-cap, Angels-food, or Dragon's milk. "Though for quaffing as it was unfitting her sex, so she extreamely abhord it,"1 still when thirsty, Elizabeth desired a full tankard. One never-to-be-forgotten progress there was trouble over the beer; of the resulting effect on the Queen Majesty's temper Leicester wrote to Lord Burleigh: "God be thanked, she is very merry. But at her first coming, being a marvelous hott day at her coming hither, not one drop of good drink for her, so ill was she proyded for, not with standing her oft telling of her comyng hither; but we were fain to send to London with bottells, to Kenelworth, to divers other places where ale was. Her own here was such as there was no man able to drink it; it had been as good to have drunk malmsey; and yet was it laid in about three days before her majesty came. It did put her very farr out of temper, and almost all the company besides so; for none of us all was able to drink either bere or ale here. Synce by chance we have found drink for her to her lyking she is well agayn; but I feared greatly two or three days, some sickness to have fallen by reason of this drynk."2 1 England's Mourning Garment, Henry Chettle. 2 Wright's Queen Elizabeth. 114 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour On the borders of Suffolk awaited the Sheriff, Sir WiUiam Spring, accompanied by "two hundred young gentlemen clad, all in white velvet, and three hundred of the graver sort apparelled in black velvet coats and fair chains, all ready at one instant and place, with fifteen hundred serving men more on horseback, well and bravely mounted in good order, ready to receive the Queenes Highness into Suffolk, which surely was a comely troupe, and a noble sight to behold."1 Merrily chimed the bells from the old grey church on the hill as the Queen entered the decorated village of Long Melford. Husbandmen left their oxen, goodwives their wash-tubs, children their play, to watch the Queen's dust-covered coach as it rumbled past the village and splashed through the ford. The six foam-flecked horses put their necks into their collars, to pull the heavy vehicle up the last bit of hill, before they turned in under the gate house, over the moat, and into the courtyard where Lady Cordell awaited her illustrious visitor. Weary Maids of Honour slipped thankfuUy from their saddles, and made their way to the room at the top of the house which had been allotted for their dormitory. Re moving sticky riding masks, they cooled their hot cheeks in bowls of clear spring water, brushed the dust from their hair and exchanged heavy travelling clothes for crisp fresh dresses. When the Queen had rested, Sir William Cordell escorted her to the turreted banqueting house overlooking the bowling green, where several courtiers had already 1 Thomas Churchyard's Tract. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 115 started their favourite game. The Maids of Honour, not in attendance for the moment, strolled round the lovely garden where apricots ripened on the sunny walls. Reach ing the fishponds, whose cool, still depths reflected the capped towers of the hall, they sat on the grassy banks to rest and talk. Ever and anon fish jumped for their evening meal; shy water hens dived at the sound of human laughter; rooks circled overhead leaving the rookery for their evening flight. From the park came the thud of hammers as tents were erected, mingling with the hissing of grooms as they rubbed down the tired horses in the stable yard. Veritable Queen's weather it proved during those early August days, when the Suffolk gentry "made such tri umphs and devices as indeed was most noble to behold and very thankfully accepted." Day after day the royal party rode single file down narrow country lanes, where black berries hung in clusters, to pay visits to one country house after another. The most enjoyable outing for the Maids of Honour was to their old friend Elizabeth Stafford, now the wife of Sir William Drury. At her home at Hawsted House Elizabeth welcomed her mistress and many friends of her girlhood days. On the terrace overlooking the moat the visitors sat and talked, or tried to make friends with Lady Drury's four stiff-dressed, bonny children. Sir WiUiam had planted the banks of the moat with yews and variegated holly, and the Queen, being called on to admire this innovation, had the misfortune to drop her silver-handled fan into the water, from whence it could 116 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour not be recovered. Lady Drury and the ladies joined in a chorus of dismay, but the Queen good-humouredly re fused to let the loss of a mere fan mar the pleasure of her visit, and graciously accepted one of the many sub stitutes offered for her acceptance. Lady Drury, who had always been a favourite with the Queen, retained a high place in her regard, and when Sir William Drury1 died a few years later she wrote her for mer Maid of Honour a letter of sympathy : "Bee well ware, my Bess, you strive not with divine ordinance, nor grudge at irremediable harmes, leste you offend the highest Lorde, and no whitte amend ye married hap. Heape not your harmes where helpe ther is none; but since you may not that you would, wish that you can enjoye with comfort, a king for his power, and a Queene for her love, who leves not now to protedte you when your case requires care, and minds not to omitte whatever may be best for you and yours. Your most loving careful sovraigne."2 The French envoys sent to further the marriage nego tiations between Elizabeth and the Duke d' Alencon, not finding the Queen at Whitehall, came on to Melford. Elizabeth received them graciously, and proffered an in vitation to dinner, an act of hospitahty they readily ac cepted. Sir William Cordell's cooks rose to the occasion and pre pared an. elaborate banquet, whilst waiters laid the tables 1 Sir William Drury killed in a duel caused by a quarrel about precedency, 1589. Lady Drury married, 2ndly, Sir John Scott. 2 Nichols' Progresses, Vol. II. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 117 and sideboards with gilt bowls, silver tankards, ornamental salts, crystal and silver glasses, and the rest of the Court plate. Ehzabeth entered the room during the meal; but, though her bearing to the guests was all affability, the ladies in attendance guessed that something had occurred to displease her. Once out of hearing of the French en voys, the Queen flew into a rage because the sideboards had not contained a sufficient display of plate to impress the royal visitors. Having discovered the cause, the ladies lost no time in sending for the Earl of Sussex, who as the Lord Steward was the rightful object for their mistress's wrath. He received it at full blast; Elizabeth furiously up braiding him for not having brought sufficiency of gold and silver vessels, so that, wheresoever the Queen of England might be, all foreigners should be reduced to a suitable state of envy and despair at her magnificence. The Earl of Sussex, not to be browbeaten, replied that, though he had accompanied English sovereigns on their progresses for many years, not even her father, King Henry VIII, had carried so much plate as she did at present. Elizabeth, who resented excuses adequate or otherwise, told the Lord Steward "that he was a great rogue, and that the more good that was done to people like him the worse they got."1 Turning to Lord North, she asked him if he considered the sideboards contained much or little plate. 1 Calendar of State Papers, Spanish. 118 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Lord North disparaged the plate, and whilst the Queen continued her tirade the two nobles glared at each other, and their thoughts had none of the Christian virtues. Outside the presence chamber their pent-up feelings burst forth. Sussex told Lord North "he had spoken wrongly and falsely in what he said to the Queen, where upon North replied that if he, Sussex, did not belong to the Council he would prove what he said to his teeth. Sussex then went to Leicester and complained of the knavish behaviour of North, but Leicester told him that the words he used should not be applied to such persons as North. Sussex answered that, whatever he might think of the words, North was a great knave, so they remained offended with one another as they had been before on other matters."1 Quickly the quarrel spread; the Earl of Oxford re ceiving a message from the Queen asking him to dance before the visitors, said flatly that he did not wish to enter tain Frenchmen. This being softened in transmission to Elizabeth, caused her to repeat the request, when the Earl flung himself out of the room in a temper declaring he was not going to do anything that would give pleasure to Frenchmen. Eventually some sort of reconciliation was patched up for the remainder of the progress, but Ehzabeth deter mined that sooner or later Alencon's envoys should be properly impressed, and on the Court's return to London in September she immediately arranged a round of festivi ties. 1 Calendar of State Papers, Spanish. CHAPTER XIII THE Maids of Honour on looking out of their dormitory window one morning, found that the ice Queen had waved her wand during the night, transforming the palace garden at Richmond into an en chanted Fairyland. Trees and shrubs alike bent under their glistening coating; smoothly white were the lawns running down to the river, which flowed greyly between its snow-clad banks. Softly, silently, fell the snowflakes, duUing sound and blotting out the landscape. Visitors who managed to get down from London reported that snow lay two feet deep in the city; whilst deplorable accounts were received daily from the country of loss of life to both man and beast from the snow-drifts. Within doors the ladies amused themselves as best they could. They arranged vigorous matches of battledore and shuttlecock; tried their skill at trolling the ball in "TroU- madam,"1 or the ever popular slide-thrift. In the evenings were various entertainments which taxed the resources of Edward Tilney, Master of the Revels, who had to provide aU stage properties. These re ceived such hard usage that they required constant "Ayring, Repayring, spungyng, wyping, brushing, sort ing, suting, (and) putting in order."2 1 Played on a board with eleven holes at the end. Aut: A fellow, sir, that I have known to go about with troll-mydames. — The Winter's Tale, IV, 2. 2 Documents relating to the Office of Revels, A. Feuillerat. 119 120 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour The Master of the Revels needed to be a man of re source, for the actors were frequently exacting in the nature of their demands. One company sent in a request for "Hobby horses, wheat sheaves, bodies of men in timber, dishes for devil's eyes, devices for hell, the heU- mouth." Another set of players could not perform with out a vizard for an ape's face; also a monster; seven dozen imitation eggs, sham whiting, mackerel, flounders and snowbaUs. The Earl of Leicester's company proved insistent for a vizard with a black beard; one similar with a red beard, and sufficient fir poles to represent a forest. Others clamoured for a device for counterfeiting Thunder and Lightning, a country-house, a city, a live fox and a wax cake. When properties were not in stock they had to be made, and the Earl of Warwick's actors being about to present "The history of the Burnyng Rock," were particular that the rock should be adequately represented. The Master of Revels, wishful to please, borrowed a cloud for the pur pose; thereafter trouble and expense fell heavily upon him. Painters set to work to transform the cloud into a rock, but the paint refused to dry, so fires had to be kept burn ing day and night. As it still partook more of a cloud than rock in appearance, a load of ivy was sent for, to cover its obvious deficiencies. Then aqua-vitae being burnt on the rock, twelvepence had to be expended in order "to alay the smeU thereof." The next performers raised trouble over the damaged cloud, so Edward Tilney had to get "a hoope and blewe Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 121 lynnen cloth to mend the cloude that was borowed and cut to serve the rock in the plaie of the burning knight."1 Often there arose difficulty in recovering the proper ties, much bitterness arising over six silver horns "which horns the maskers detayned and yet doth keep them against the will of the officers." During the New Year festivities, especially elaborate in honour of the French envoys, the Maids of Honour and their special friends among the courtiers arranged a double masque of Amazons and Knights. The girls wore helmets, yeUow buskins and suits of silver-gilt armour, over lawn and crimson velvet skirts. They carried javelins and shields, the latter causing much amusement, as, foUowing the fashion at tournaments, each lady bore a device and motto of her own choosing. The knights appeared in burnished armour and plumed helmets. They carried truncheons, and like the Amazons shields with "a poesy written on every one of them." The masque ended in a miniature fight at barriers, the ladies being adjudged victors. Alencon heard such accounts of Elizabeth's wealth from the much feted envoys, that he became more and more anxious to secure her for his bride. For the further ance of his suit, he sent over Monsieur Simier, "a man of wit and parts, and one thoroughly versed in love- fancies, pleasant conceits, and other gallantries."2 The witty, vivacious Frenchman soon found his way 1 Documents of the Revels' Office, P. Cunningham. 2 Camden's Annales. 122 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour into the Queen's good graces, and she lavished such flattering attentions upon him that for once the incensed favourites made common cause together. Being quite unable to see the attractions of Monsieur Simier, who bowed so gracefully as he kissed the Queen's finger-tips, they unanimously attributed his success to witchcraft. By the unholy possession of love philtres he had charmed Elizabeth's affections away from them — the rightful objects for her favours. The Earl of Leicester, in particular, showed such open enmity to the visitor that, when Monsieur Simier's spies apprised him of the fact that my Lord was secretly married to the widowed Countess of Essex1 he used the information to put him out of Court by teUing the Queen. Elizabeth, in her anger at the news, ordered the Earl to be confined at a fort in Greenwich Park, and would have sent him to the Tower had not the Earl of Sussex, his lifelong enemy, once again intervened to pacify the Queen, "being of opinion that no man was to be troubled for lawful marriage, which amongst aU men had ever been held in honour and esteem."2 Leicester regained his freedom, and a partial return to favour, but towards her former friend, Lettice Knollys, Elizabeth remained implacable. The new Countess of Leicester certainly did not demean herself in a manner likely to soothe the feelings of her injured cousin. 1 On hearing of Leicester's marriage, Lady Sheffield married Sir Edward Stafford, of Grafton, brother of Lady Drury (Eliza beth Stafford). 2 Camden. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 123 Instead, her marriage being openly acknowledged, she did aU in her power to demonstrate that Lettice, Countess of Leicester, was every whit as great a personage as Ehzabeth, Queen of England. She came to Whitehall in dresses whose magnificence exceeded those of the Queen's Majesty. Ehzabeth expressed displeasure, but my Lady of Leicester paid no heed. Ehzabeth, goaded beyond endurance, soundly boxed the Countess of Leicester's ears, at the same time declaring that as but one sun hghted the earth, so there should be but one at the Court, which henceforward would be closed to the Countess of Leicester. Lettice departed unrepentant, and the next news the Queen had of her was to the effect that she drove about London in a magnificent coach drawn by four milk- white horses. Footmen in black velvet escorted the equip age, and behind came other coaches filled with ladies and pages, so that the inhabitants of Cheapside cranned their necks out of their gabled houses, supposing some great princess to be passing by. Further, when the Earl of Leicester went abroad to the Netherlands in 1586: "It was told her majesty, that my lady was prepared presently to come over to your exceUency, with such a train of ladies, gentlewomen, and such rich coaches, Utters, and side-saddles, as her Majesty had none such, and that there should be such a court of ladies as should far pass her majesty's Court here. This information, though most false, did not a httle stir her majesty, to extreme choler and dislike of aU your doings there, saying, with great oaths, she would have no more courts under 124 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour her obeisance but her own, and would revoke you from thence with all speed."1 Monsieur Simier took the opportunity of Leicester's disgrace to press for a favourable reply to Alencon's suit. Elizabeth, though now more inclined to listen, still refused to commit herself definitely without seeing the prince in person. Party feeling at Court ran high; the Earl of Oxford supported the French match; Philip Sidney and his friends vigorously opposed it on the score of unsuitability in age and religion. The younger courtiers gave whole hearted support to the latter party, for they had grown accustomed to the romantic attitude of avowed wor shippers of a Virgin princess, and they very much resented the idea of a foreign prince intruding on their v domain. , Despite the two factions, on the surface at any rate the gay life at Court appeared undisturbed. In honour of the French envoys there were even more festivities than usual, and all the big town houses were filled with ladies anxious to obtain invitations to the Court functions. The Countess of Leicester, stiU forbidden the Court, might not take her rightful place as one of the London hostesses, but her two girls, Penelope and Dorothy Devereux, were not barred by their mother's disgrace, and could always be sure of a warm welcome from the Queen. Penelope had fulfilled the promise of her childhood, and grown into a lovely girl, the admiration of Mr. Philip Sidney, who regarded her as his destined bride. Calling 1 Leicester's Correspondence. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 125 her "SteUa" and himself ' Astrophel, he wrote sonnets in her praise, which were circulated in manuscript about the Court, causing Penelope to be envied by all the other girls. " To her he vow'd the service of his days;1 On her he spent the riches of his wit; For her he made hymns of immortal praise; Of only her he sung, he thought, he writ. Her and but her, of love he worthy deemed; For all the rest but little he estemed." At a tournament, when Sidney carried off the prize, he attributed his success to the fadt that "SteUa" had been among the onlookers in the gaUery: " Having this day my horse, my hand, my lance, Guided so well that I obtained the prize, Both by the judgment of the English eyes And of some sent from that sweet enemy France, Horsemen, my skill in horsemanship advance, Townsfolk my strength; a daintier judge applies His praise to sleight, which from good use doth rise; Some lucky wits impute it but to chance; Others, because of both sides I do take My blood from them who did excel in this, Think nature me a man of arms did make. How far they shoot awry! the true cause is, Stella looked on, and from her heavenly face Sent forth the beams which made so fair my race."2 Sidney's dishke of the French match eventuaUy broke out into an open quarrel on the tennis-court with the Earl of Oxford, who favoured the proposed marriage. The gaUeries were filled with spectators watching a game between Philip and his friends, when the Earl of Oxford 1 Spenser, 'Astrophel, II, 61-66. 2 Astrophel and Stella, Sonnet XLI. 126 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour entered, and demanded the use of the Court. Sidney refused. The Earl of Oxford caUed him a puppy; Phihp indignantly denied canine parentage; "in which progress of heat, as the tempest grew more and more vehement within, so did their hearts breath out their perturbations in a more loud and shrill accent."1 Elizabeth, hearing of the quarrel, endeavoured to make PhUip, as the lesser in rank, apologize. This he refused to do; further, he got deeper into disgrace by writing a letter to the Queen plainly setting forth arguments against the French match. Philip, wearied at the constraints of Court life, and longing to utihze his brains and manhood in useful work, took the opportunity of the Queen's disfavour to obtain leave to pay a visit to his sister, Mary, at Wilton. Once more the two studied together as in the days of their happy childhood, and jointly translated The Psalms of David. At Mary's wish Philip commenced The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia. "You desired me to do it, and your desire to my heart is an absolute commandment," he wrote in the dedication, offering the book to her, his "most dear, and most worthy to be most dear Lady." Of its writing, "your own dear self can best witness the manner, being done in loose sheets of paper, most of it in your presence, the rest by sheets sent unto you as fast as they were done." During Sidney's absence from Court, Penelope Devereux's guardian, the Earl of Huntingdon, arranged a marriage for her with a wealthy suitor, Lord Rich, son of the late Lord Chancellor. Penelope's wishes were con- 1Fulke Greville's Life of Sir Philip Sidney. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 127 sidered of no moment, and the Queen having given her consent the marriage was hastily concluded, despite the pathetic protests of the bride, who had the heartiest dislike of the man destined to be her husband. Philip at Wilton heard the news with dismay, expressing his bitterness in a sonnet punning on the bridegroom's name. "Rich fools there be, whose base and filthy heart Lies hatching still the goods wherein they flow, And, damning their own selves to Tantal's smart, (Wealth breeding want), more blest, more wretched grow; Yet to those fools Heaven doth such wit impart, As what their hands do hold, their heads do know; And knowing, love, and loving, lay apart As sacred things, far from all danger's show. But that Rich fool who, by blind Fortune's lot, The richest gem of love and life enjoys, And can with foul abuse such beauties blot; Let him — deprived of sweet but unfelt joys, Exiled for aye from those high treasures which He knows not — grow in only folly Rich." Philip Sidney returned to Court with a halo of bhghted affedtion, which made him more interesting than ever in the eyes of the Maids of Honour. But though "full many maidens often did him woo," PhUip gave them no encouragement. As Lady Rich came constantly to Court Philip's love for her intensified, and he continued to write sonnets commemorative of his love and despair. No other woman could awake in him the rapture of love as "SteUa" had done, but during Philip's visits to his friend, Sir Francis Walsingham, there graduaUy grew up a "joyful love and great hking" betwixt him and his host's young daughter Frances, which ultimately ended in marriage. CHAPTER XIV AS Elizabeth flatly refused to become engaged to a prince she had not seen, there seemed every reason to anticipate that negotiations for the French match would continue for a pleasantly indefinite period, whoUy to the liking of Ehzabeth and Monsieur Simier. Not so to Alencon, Duke of Anjou, since the death of his elder brother, who at length lost patience, and determined to hazard aU on a secret visit to England. With only two attendants he appeared suddenly at Greenwich and requested an audience of the Queen. The Palace hummed with excitement; after years of fruitless diplomatic negotiations a real hve suitor had actually come in person to woo the Maiden Queen of England. The ladies were aU agog to see if Monsieur would prove as ugly as common report credited, or the captivating Adonis depicted by the French envoys. When eventuaUy they caught a ghmpse of the grotesque httle French prince, they unanimously gave the palm for veracity to general opinion, and prepared to hear their mistress wax sarcastic over the physical defects of her proposed consort. Contrary to aU expedtation Elizabeth did nothing of the sort. Instead she very nearly, if not quite, fell in love with the "pock marked boy." Ugly undoubtedly he was; young enough to be her son; but withal original, witty, and fuU of the most pleasing conceits of flattery. Alencon's secret visit, though of brief duration, proved so eminently satisfadtory that he returned to France 128 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 129 uUy confident of becoming the English Queen's affianced nusband. There followed much coming and going >etween the two countries, and great preparations for Monsieur's public arrival. Elizabeth ordered a grand >anqueting house to be erected at Whitehall, and made lurchase of six grey Hungarian horses to pull her coach ; o render their appearance more impressive she had their nanes and tails dyed orange colour. Also, since the Countess of Leicester's ladies drove in coaches, Elizabeth, Lot to be outdone, bade her coach builder hie him to work idth all speed on fourteen coaches for the ladies of her irivy chamber. Whether Elizabeth really meant to marry the Duke of uijou no one could tell, "everyone fishing to catch the )ueen's humour in it."1 Sir Francis Walsingham, who rent over to France to arrange for either the match or league against Spain, received such contradictory sports that he wrote to Burleigh in despair: "When her Majesty is pressed to the marriage, then she semeth to affect a league; and when the league is yielded 0, then she liketh better a marriage; and when thereupon le is moved to assent to a marriage, she hathe recourse 3 the league; and when the motion for the league, or any equest is made for money, then Her Majesty returneth 0 the marriage."2 The country generally disliked the proposed match, nd John Stubbes, a gentleman of Lincoln's Inn, voiced tie general discontent in a book called The Discovery of gaping gulf, wherein England is like to be swallowed by 1 Fulke Greville's Life of Sir Philip Sidney. K 2 Digges's Complete Ambassador. 130 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour another French match. In it he set forth all the ills con sequent on the nuptials between "the crowned nymph of England," and "an imp of the house of France." Elizabeth ordered the book to be suppressed, and sentenced both writer and publisher to have their right hands struck off in the market place at Westminster. "God save the Queen," said John Stubbes, raising his hat with his left hand as the right fell off. In November, Alencon arrived on a second visit, Eliza beth evincing the greatest possible delight at his return. At forty-eight she still retained a measure of her good looks, and left nothing undone to minimize the apparent disparity of years between herself and her boy lover. If silver threads glistened among her once auburn locks, only tirewomen were wiser, for a periwig1 covered all de ficiencies. Moreover, it added the charm of variety, for being fashionable and so wore without disguise she could select wigs of size or shape to match her different gowns. Then, too, if nature's roses no longer bloomed in her cheeks, there was no need to despair when there were means whereby she might at will assume the bold blush, or demurer tints of modest maidenhood. Court ladies followed where the Queen led, citizen's wives were no whit behind, so that makers of wigs and cosmetics flourished exceedingly. Morahsts declaimed bitterly against both customs, f ore- 1 " Her hair is auburn, mine a perfect yellow: If that be all the difference in his love I'll get me such a colour'd periwig." The Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV, 4. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 131 telhng awesomely that, "whosoever doe colour their faces or their haire with any unnaturaU colour they begin to prognosticate of what colour they shaU be in heU."1 Dramatists, too, were not backward in hinting that ladies, with "their cheeks sugar-candied and cherry blusht so sweetly,"2 dare not come out in the rain "for fear their colour should be wash'd away."3 Threats and sarcasms were alike thrown away on the ladies, aU bent on making themselves "prodigiously nice" in the eyes of the French visitors. Long and elaborate were their preparations on those days when Alencon waited in the presence chamber to lead forth the Queen. In Elizabeth's bedroom she and her ladies held anxious consultation beneath the star-spangled gUt ceihng. A large sUver-topped table held array of toUet requisites, whUst the silken-hung four-post bedstead, and inlaid coffer chests, were ahke covered with articles of dress. Seated on a pile of gold-covered cushions Ehzabeth passed her wardrobe in review, as one by one Mary Scudamore and her helpers brought forward dresses for inspection. Many and of infinite variety were they: of richest silks, velvets and satins, diversely embroidered in designs of figures, animals, fruit, flowers, insects, cobwebs and landscapes. Mary Scudamore, who had hundreds of gowns under her charge, kept careful inventory of them all: "a forepart of white satten, embrodered aU over with pansies, httle roses, knotts, and a border of mulberries, 1 The Anatomie of Abuses, Philip Stubbes. 2 Nash's Pierce Penilesse. 3 Love's Labour's Lost, IV, 3. 132 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour pillars, and pomegranets, of Venice golde, sylver, and sylke of sondrye colours. One forepart of greene satten, embrodered all over with sylver, like beasts, fowles, and fishes. A pettitcoat, embrodered all over slightly with snakes of Venice gold and silver and some O's, with a faire border embrodered hke seas, cloudes, and rainebowes. One forepart of white satten, embrodered all over with spiders, flies, and roundells, with cobwebs, of Venice golde and tawny silk." The Queen's ladies had helped to swell the contents of her wardrobe with many contrivances of their nimble fingers. Lady Mary Vere had worked a "forepart of. purple taphata, set with roses of white syphers and cheynes be tween of Venice golde"; Frances Howard, and a new comer, Elizabeth Throckmorton,1 both gave beautiful embroidered ruffs, whilst Her Majesty's large stock of fancy handkerchiefs were almost entirely of the girls' making. When the apparel for the day had been decided upon and the tirewomen had finished their handiwork, they left to make way for Lady Howard, who had succeeded Blanche Parry as keeper of the jewels. "Kate Carey," Elizabeth's closest friend and confidante, now had a grown-up family, and Elizabeth Howard, her eldest girl and the Queen's god-daughter, had recently come to Court as Maid of Honour. Years had changed "Kate Carey" into a staid matron, but they made scant alteration in her royal cousin, who bridled and prattled over her latest love affair as she had done in the days when she and Kate Carey were girls together. 1 d. of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton. 'i 40 r*^m 1 9 4 in ' ^ • &Mfii r ¦ • . spi itl y JnEKM ;| * < 1 1" jy^Lil :* ¦ v wis* - ?^&^5^ *ff i (§T s fi J |B!£5|i£jifi!»Elw9ffiMraSI \ ¦¦ 25l«l5i^i 1 ifeilfil - ;-"¦¦ WBm^Mmm TLXSZOgCT-W^ZXljCi:*. ^¦f-~T ¦ Coll. of Major the Hou. Harold Pearson Photo Messrs. Sotheby's KATE CARRY, COUNTESS OF NOTTINGHAM Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 133 Trinkets of aU kinds, result of many New Year's gifts, sparkled on the trays which lay between the two women. Lady Howard's own contributions were by no means in considerable, including several jeweUed animals; a gold and ruby dolphin, a gold greyhound with diamond- studded coUar and "a jeweU of golde being a catt and myce playing with her garnished with smaU diyamonds and perles." Blanche Parry's presents were even more numerous, amongst them being an elaborate pendant representing "Adam and Eve enamuled in white." Ann RusseU (Countess of Warwick), and Ann Cedl (Countess of Oxford), were each responsible for handsome bracelets; Katherine Knevett (Lady Paget-Carey), a pair of emerald ear-rings; May Sidney (Countess of Pembroke), a gold and diamond-encrusted mermaid; a hair ornament of a heart set in a wreath of pearls came from Penelope Devereux (Lady Rich). The Maids of Honour, though they possessed less com prehensive wardrobes and jewel chests, were no wise be hind their mistress in their anxiety to create a good impression on the French visitors. Elizabeth constantly exhorted them, "that decent attire is good thoughe it be not costly," but the ladies were vehemently of the opinion that "unlesse it be deere it is not comely."1 As usual, when in waiting they wore shimmering dresses of white and sUver; dainty ruffs framed their bright hair gleaming with ghttering jewels; sparkling pendants swung beneath their clear-cut chins; chased and scented poman ders and fans hung from their girdles. 1 Letters of Eupbues, John Lyly. 134 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Never had the Court been so gay, for though the ladies were quite unable to discern Monsieur's fascinations they found the gentlemen of his entourage entirely to their liking. They envied Frances Howard the ease with which she could talk French, but still they were aU quite capable of making themselves understood, any deficiencies in lan guage being adequately filled by glances from bright eyes, or coquettish flirting with fans. English courtiers looked on deeply affronted; like the Queen's disconsolate favourites, they viewed the visitors with extreme disfavour. Never had the fickle beauties of the privy chamber seemed more attractive; Mary Rad cliffe so comely, Elizabeth Trentham1 so fair, Margaret Edgecumbe2 so modest, or Elizabeth Throckmorton and Elizabeth Howard so entirely desirable, now that their smiles were so lavishly bestowed on the perfidious French men. Day after day there were amusements, and feasting in the new banqueting hall. The Queen and Monsieur at one table, and below them a long one down the room for the ladies and their companions the French gentlemen. Enghsh courtiers stood, or sat where they could, glowering on the scene, whilst up above in the leafy ceiling birds warbled sweetly. It is true that most of the entertainments had to take place within the precincts of Whitehall, it not being deemed advisable to display the person of Monsieur to the unedified eyes of London citizens. The palace, however, 1 d. of Thomas Trentham, of Rowchester, Stafford. 2 d. Pierce Edgecumbe of Mount Edgcumb, M.P. for Cornwall. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 135 had its own resources; the guests hunted in St. James's and Hyde Parks; amused themselves with cock-fighting, bowls, tennis, or exercising in the tilt yard. Raze Bowes, master of the Queen's game at Paris Garden,1 brought the most famous bears over from Southwark to be baited by dogs in Whitehall. The annual tournament in honour of the Queen's acces sion was held, as usual, at Whitehall on November 17th. Ehzabeth in the gaUery paid scant attention to her champion, Sir Henry Lee, and other valiant knights, so engrossed was she by Alengon, who wooed her with per suasive tongue and ardent eyes. Elizabeth, fairly carried off her feet, forgot she was a Queen, forgot her years, her austere virginity; everything, indeed, save the magic of love. Taking a ring from her finger, she gave it to Alencon, so openly that he, and aU who saw the act, regarded it as a definite pledge of betrothal. Ambassadors hastened back to despatch special couriers with the news; Londoners heard the report with dolour; pedlars leaving town that night advertized it through the provinces along with their wares. At the palace excitement ran high. The ladies were be sieged with petitions to use all their influence to prevent the engagement, if possible, but in any case to ascertain exactly how far matters had gone. The ladies who had no wish for their mistress to marry, 1 The noise at these entertainments became proverbial, any rowdy assemblage being termed a "perfect bear garden." From the same source came the synonym for bad temper, "a bear with a sore head." 136 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour promised whole-hearted support, and before the Queen returned to the privy chamber they evolved a plan of campaign. When Elizabeth, already repenting of her rash ness, rejoined them she found them all in tears and very Job's comforters: "The Queene's women with whom she was familiar, wailed, and by laying terrors before her, did so vex her mind with anguish, that she spent the night in doubteful care without sleepe, amongst her women which did nothing but weepe."1 Ladies of the bedchamber foretold diminution of her power and loss of the nation's affection; Blanche Parry re called the unhappiness of her sister Mary with Philip of Spain; Mary Radcliffe requoted Elizabeth's own argu ments on the superiority of virginity; Maids of Honour with gusto repeated reasons the Queen had used to thwart their own love affairs. In united chorus they wrung their hands and besought her not to throw herself away upon a beardless boy. Morning found the ladies exhausted but triumphant, and Elizabeth resolved to remain a spinster. Having dried their eyes and repaired the damage to their complexions^ Maids of Honour assured the anxious courtiers without that all would be well, as Her Majesty had sent a message to Sir Christopher Hatton, requesting him to come at once in order to help her out of a very difficult situation. Alencon paid an early visit with aU the confidence of an assured lover, but his eager protestations of affection were 1 Camden's Annales. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 137 chiUed by the Queen's evident agitation, and the presence of an undoubtedly hostile third party. Elizabeth in eulogistic terms professed the deepest affection for Monsieur, and though she had decided never to marry she begged that he would think of her as a sister. Monsieur, angry and mortified, flatly refused to do any thing of the sort: he declared that Englishwomen were as fickle as their climate, and burst into tears. Elizabeth could not bear to see her "little frog" cry, and drying his eyes with her own handkerchief, endea voured to console him with words "even more tender than the occasion demanded." Altogether it proved a sad ending to a pleasantly pro tracted flirtation, and when Monsieur left Elizabeth and the ladies accompanied the departing visitors to Canter bury, where "the departure was mournful between her majesty and Monsieur, she loth to let him go and he as loth to depart." Equally regretful were the French gentlemen to say good-bye to the ladies, "to all of whom it was like grief to depart after they had conversed and lived friendlie and brotherlie together for the space of three months."1 To do Monsieur all honour a number of prominent courtiers attended him as far as Antwerp, among them being the Earl of Leicester,Charles Howard,Philip Sidney, Fulke Greville, Edward Dyer, William Knollys, Walter Raleigh and Peregrine Bertie. 1 Talbot Papers. CHAPTER XV PEREGRINE BERTIE, one of the escort who right gladly accompanied Elizabeth's rejected suitor out of England, was the only son of the Duchess of Suffolk by her second husband, Mr. Richard Bertie. Peregrine gained his name by the accident of his birth, which took place at Wesel during his parents' wan derings on the Continent in the reign of Queen Mary. On the accession of Ehzabeth, and restoration of the Protestant religion, the family returned to England. Peregrine went early to Court, where he feU in with a rollicking set of young courtiers whose riotous doings caused their parents no httle anxiety. The Duchess of Suffolk wrote in alarm to Lord Burleigh, "intreating him for God's sake to give the young man, her son, good counsel to bridle his youth," and to send him down into the country to his father before he got into worse mischief. Having sown his wild oats, Peregrine settled down into a sober, honest soldier, who held that "a court became a souldier of good skiU and great spirit, as a bed of down would one of the Tower lions."1 He had, however, f aUen deeply in love with one of the Court ladies, Lady Mary Vere, and her he very earnestly desired to make his wife. She was willing, but her brother, the Earl of Oxford, not only withheld his consent, but did everything possible to thwart the match. 1 Fuller's Worthies. The lions kept in the Tower menagerie were famous and considered one of the sights of London. 138 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 139 Fearing Lady Mary would think him neglectful in not coming to see her, Peregrine wrote to explain how matters stood. "My owne good lady, I am not a httle grieved that I have not on this time resolved the doubts I left you in, and so much the more as I feare it hath caused your un- quietness, in whom I make more account of than myselfe or hfe, and therefore resolve yourself that if I had fit time I would not shghtly overpass it. But the truth is, by other trobles, I have yet hard nothinge of that matter worthie the sendinge, yet did I think not to lose so much occasyon since I know not whan to recover it agayne, as to let understand how uncurteously I am delte with by my Lord your brother, who, as I heare, bandeth against me and sweareth my death, which I feare not nor force not, but lest his displeasure shold withdraw your affection to wards me, otherwise I think no way to be so offended as I can not deffend. And thus good lady parsuade yourselfe no lesse than you shaU find I wiU give cause to perf ourme. Above aU things if you wishe me well let nothing greve you whatsoever you shaU heare do happe. For my own parte my good or iU fortune consisteth only in you, whom I must request to accepet as weU this scribbled weU mean ing as eloquence, which are locked upp so fast as I could skarce get pen and paper to be the present messengers of my pore good wiU, and thus end a wyfuU man, having received new occasyon by your letter of this instant to troble you more hereafter withal. From Willoughbie house. Yours more than his owne and so tiU his end."1 Peregrine Bertie's family were quite as much opposed to the match as the Earl of Oxford, and Lady Mary Vere paid a visit to the Duchess of Suffolk in the hope of coming 1 Earl of Ancaster's MSS., Hist. MSS. Com. 140 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour to some understanding. The Duchess said frankly she would rather her son "had matched in any other place,"1 and if Lady Mary proved like her brother she would not have her for a daughter-in-law if an empire followed her. Lady Mary pleaded that she could neither rule her brother's tongue nor help his faults; but for herself she would prove such a dutiful daughter that her mother- in-law "should have no cause to mishke her." If the Duchess and Mr. Bertie would but give their goodwill to the marriage, she and Peregrine asked for nothing else. The Duchess replied that they would require something more tangible than that on whch to start housekeeping. She feared her husband would be so much against the match that he would give little more than his goodwill, even if he gave that. Also the Queen's consent to Peregrine's marrying anybody had to be obtained, for as the Duchess pointed out, "if her majesty mislike of it, sure we turn him to the wUd world." Lady Mary replied that they had already thought of this, and had begged Lord Sussex and Sir Christopher Hatton to speak in their favour. If only the Duchess would write to ask Lord Burleigh's assistance, then surely with three such powerful champions the Queen would not withhold the desired permission. The Duchess promptly pointed out that the Earl of Oxford had treated Ann Cecil so badly that she could hardly ask a favour for his sister. Lady Mary persisted that Lord Burleigh could not be so unjust as to visit her 1 Salisbury MSS. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 141 brother's offences on her. Moreover, she flatteringly insinuated that the Duchess had such influence with the lord treasurer that she could make him do anything she wanted. The Duchess refused to make any definite promise, and did her best to keep her son from Court. At this the Queen took umbrage, thinking it a slight against herself. The Duchess of Suffolk then did as Lady Mary wanted, and wrote to ask Lord Burleigh to do what he could for the young people. The Queen, on being approached, would not at first say ay or nay, but after keeping the lovers in suspense for some time she eventually gave her consent. Mary exchanged a gay Court life for a quiet one full of domestic interests, when she started housekeeping at the famUy mansion in the Barbican. Peregrine, who on the death of his mother became Lord Willoughby de Eresby, liked an orderly life, for the furtherance whereby he drew up a code of rules to be observed by all in his service. At the end of the list he added a general exhorta tion: "I do wish and heartily desire that all my servants should be of godly virtuous and honest conversation, refraining from vicious living, unseemly talk, excessive drinking, seditious language, mocking, scoffing, or mis naming, and that by abstaining from variance, dissensions, debates, frays, sowing of discord, malice, envy and hatred, they shaU live and continue in all friendly affection to gether, as it becometh the body of one family, to love the one the other; and towards all strangers to be of honest and conrteous entertainment. By which doings, God will 142 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour the sooner bless my proceedings, prosper your doings, and myself will not fail in what I possibly may to do you good."1 The Queen had too high opinion of Lord WiUoughby to allow him to remain long at home, and in 1582 he went as ambassador to Denmark, leaving Mary behind "to playe the good huswyf e." Luckily the young wife had a counseUor in John Stubbes who had lost his hand for opposing the French marriage. When trouble arose over some suits of armour which Lord WiUoughby's cousin demanded, but Mary refused to let go without more direct authority, John Stubbes upheld her decision to Lord WiUoughby: " Good my Lord, my lady your wife takes upon herself for guardian of your house and what is therein during your absence ... it would remedy all to delyver your pleasure in a few written words. To say the truth, it is no tryfelyng matter to empty your store of armour. It is a man's other threshory, therefore requireth some warrant from yourself. A man shall hardly get a robbinet out of her majesty's armoury without a warrant."2 Mary's nursery fiUed quickly, for though she had the sorrow to lose her first little girl, four boys — Peregrine, Henry, Vere and Roger — foUowed in quick succession. During her periods of enforced idleness Mary lay in state in her "great chamber," the large room upstairs dedicated to the important events of family life. Heirs were born in the great chamber, where again in the fuUness of years they lay statuesque in death. Young mothers in a white hung bed received congratulations; 1 Earl of Ancaster's MSS. 2 Ibid. Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour 143 widows environed by black curtains accepted condolences. Babies were frequently christened in the State bedroom; often the same surroundings saw them united in the bonds of holy matrimony. Lady WiUoughby's household treasures were under her immediate eye as she waited in readiness for her visitors, whose coaches could be heard rumbling over the cobbles of the Barbican. Mary's immense four-post bedstead had curtains of white satin enriched with a design carried out in gleaming silk and mother of pearl; the bedspread, exquisite in colour and needlework, had been worked by her own hands. Rose petals covered the floor; the richest set of tapestry the house afforded hung on the walls; handsome cabinets displayed chased silver ware and tinted china; small tables inlaid with tortoiseshell and sUver stood about bearing jars of potpourri. Lady Willoughby's eyes brightened when her friends entered the room, for time hung heavy on her hands so that she longed for some one to come and play cards, or enliven her solitude with the latest Court gossip. Of the latter the ladies usuaUy had plentiful supply. They told of disagreements between the Earl and Countess of Leicester; the unhappy married life of Lord and Lady Rich; the latest stories of the Queen's favourites; or discussed with bated breath the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. In the privy chamber they spoke of many changes: Frances Howard and the Earl of Hertford, after nine years of waiting, had at length married with the "joyful wiU and good liking of the Queen." They were living in 144 Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honour Canon Row, but as Elizabeth had stipulated that Frances should not leave her entirely, she would probably be in residence when the Court moved to Greenwich. Her Majesty had been present at the marriage of Elizabeth Howard to Sir Robert Southwell,1 and had signified her affedtion for Margaret Edgecumbe, by presenting her with a pair of richly embroidered gloves, when she left Court to become the bride of Edward Denny.2 There arose some difficulty over a name for Mary's second daughter, born during Lord Willoughby's absence as Ambassador to Denmark. Mary thought it would please him if she caUed the baby Frederick after the Danish King. The new baby proving a girl upset this plan, but Mary decided to caU her Sophia after the Frederick's Queen, and to ask the Danish ambassador to stand "gossip." John Stubbes, as usual caUed for consultation, approved and promised to wait on the ambassador. A cautious friend, however, advised him not to do so before Lady Willoughby had obtained the Queen's sanction. Elizabeth might be pleased; on the other hand she might not, when there would be trouble for aU concerned. So, indeed, it proved, for Elizabeth when approached on the matter "liked that he should be banqueted but not gossipped." Other godparents were found, but the question of the baby's name remained undecided. The Countess of Huntingdon, chief gossip, handed the child to the clergyman, giving the name Sophia as she knew the 1 Son of Thomas Southwell, vide p. 90. 2 Sir E. Denny, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, son of Sir Anthony Denny, Gentleman ofthe Privy Chamber to Henry VIII. TTHAYHLniJH AdV'I 'flHVAVOH HJL3HVZI'ia M^W/MS*"' i*-*-3-fl o;o:/j uoh-tvJd p]0.tvf[ no// .n/t