tation of his master's demands, had summed up the effect thereof in a tetrastich, she instantly in one verse rejoined her answer. We will presume to English both, though confessing the Latin loseth lustre by the translation. Te veto ne pergas bello defendere Belgas: "These to you are our commands: In all points restore the Pope." THE QUEEN'S EXTEMPORE RETURN: Ad Græcas, bone rex, fient mandata, Calendas. "Worthy king, know, this your will At latter Lammas we'll fulfil." Her piety to God was exemplary; none more constant or devout in private prayers; very attentive also at sermons, wherein she was better affected with soundness of matter, than quaintness of expression. She could not well digest the affected over-elegancy of such as prayed for her by the title of "Defendress of the Faith," and not the "Defender;" it being no false construction, to apply a masculine word to so heroic a spirit. She was very devout in returning thanks to God for her constant and continual preservations; for one traitor's stab was scarce put by, before another took aim at her. But as if the poisons of treason, by custom, were turned natural unto her, by God's protection they did her no harm. In any design of consequence, she loved to be long and well advised; but where her resolutions once seized, she would never let go her hold, according to her motto, Semper eadem.* By her temperance she improved that stock of health which nature bestowed on her, using little wine and less physic. Her "Always and equally the same."-EDIT. continence from pleasures was admirable; and she the paragon of spotless chastity, whatever some Popish priests (who count all virginity hid under a nun's veil) have feigned to the contrary. The best is, their words are no slander whose words are all slander; so given to railing that they must be dumb if they do not blaspheme magistrates. One Jesuit * made this false anagram on her name, Elizabeth, JESABEL; † false both in matter and manner. For, allow it the abatement of H, (as all anagrams must sue in chancery for moderate favour,) yet was it both unequal and ominous that T, a solid letter, should be omitted, the presage of the gallows whereon this anagrammatist was afterwards justly executed. Yea, let the testimony of Pope Sixtus V. himself be believed, who professed, that, amongst all the princes in Christendom, he found but two who were worthy to bear command, had they not been stained with heresy; namely, Henry IV., king of France, and Elizabeth queen of England. And we may presume that the Pope, if commending his enemy, is therein infallible. We come to her death, the discourse whereof was more welcome to her from the mouth of her private confessor than from a public preacher; and she loved rather to tell herself, than to be told, of her mortality; because the open mention thereof made (as she conceived) her subjects divide their loyalty betwixt the present and the future prince. We need look into no other cause of her sickness, than old age, being seventy years old, (David's age,) to which no king of England since the Conquest did attain. Her weakness was increased by her removal from London to Richmond in a cold winter day, sharp enough to pierce through those who were armed with health and youth. Also melancholy (the worst natural parasite, whosoever feeds him shall never be rid of his company!) much afflicted her, being given over to sadness and silence. Then prepared she herself for another world, being more constant in prayer and pious exercises than ever before. Yet spake she very little to any, sighing out more than she said, and making still music to God in her heart. And as the red rose, though outwardly not so fragrant, is inwardly far more cordial than the damask, being more thrifty of its sweetness, and reserving it in itself; so the religion of this dying queen • Edmond Campian. + Our English Bibles call her Jezabel. + THUANI Historia, lib. lxxxii. was most turned inward, in soliloquies betwixt God and her own soul, though she wanted not outward expressions thereof. When her speech failed her, she spake with her heart, tears, eyes, hands, and other signs, so commending herself to God, the best Interpreter, who understands what his saints desire to say. Thus died queen Elizabeth; whilst living, the first maid on earth; and, when dead, the second in heaven. Surely, the kingdom had died with their queen, had not the fainting spirits thereof been refreshed by the coming-in of gracious king James. She was of person, tall; of hair and complexion, fair, wellfavoured, but high-nosed; of limbs and feature, neat; of a stately and majestic deportment. She had a piercing eye, wherewith she used to touch what metal [mettle] strangers were made of, who came into her presence. But as she counted it a pleasant conquest, with her majestic look to dash strangers out of countenance; so she was merciful in pursuing those whom she overcame; and afterwards would cherish and comfort them with her smiles, if perceiving towardliness and an ingenuous modesty in them. She much affected rich and costly apparel; and if ever jewels had just cause to be proud, it was with her wearing them. CHAPTER XVI. THE AMBASSADOR. He is one that represents his king in a foreign country, (as a deputy doth, in his own dominions,) under the assurance of the public faith, authorized by the law of nations. He is either extraordinary, for some one affair, with time limited; or ordinary, for general matters, during his prince's pleasure, commonly called "a lieger." MAXIM I. He is born, made, or, at leastwise, qualified, honourably.— Both for the honour of the sender, and him to whom he is sent; especially if the solemnity of the action wherein he is employed, consisteth in ceremony and magnificence. Lewis XI., king of France, is sufficiently condemned by posterity, for sending Oliver, his barber, in an embassage to a princess; who so trimly dispatched his business, that he left it in the suds, and had been well washed in the river at Ghent for his pains, if his feet had not been the more nimble.* II. He is of a proper, at least passable, person.-Otherwise, if he be of a contemptible presence, he is absent whilst he is present; especially if employed in love-businesses, to advance a marriage. Ladies will dislike the body for a deformed shadow. The jest is well known: When the State of Rome sent two ambassadors, the one having scars on his head, the other lame in his feet: + Mittit populus Romanus legationem, quæ nec caput habet, nec pedes; "The people of Rome send an embassy without head or feet." III. He hath a competent estate whereby to maintain his port.— For a great poverty is ever suspected; and he that hath a breach in his estate, lies open to be assaulted with bribes. COMINES, lib. v. cap. 14. + Some say they sent three, and one of them a fool; and that Cato should say, they sent an embassy without head, heart, or feet. See PLUTARCH'S "Lives." Wherefore, his means ought at least to be sufficient, both to defray set and constant charges, as also to make sallies and excursions of expenses on extraordinary occasions, which we may call "super-erogations of state." Otherwise, if he be indigent, and succeed a bountiful predecessor, he will seem a fallow field after a plentiful crop. IV. He is a passable scholar, well travelled in countries and histories.-Well studied in the pleas of the crown; I mean, not such as are at home, betwixt his sovereign and his subjects, but abroad, betwixt his and foreign princes; to this end, he is well skilled in the imperial laws. Common-Law itself is out-lawed beyond the seas; which though a most true-is too short ameasure of right, and reacheth not foreign kingdoms. V. He well understandeth the language of that country to which he is sent.—And yet he desires rather to seem ignorant of it, (if such a simulation, which stands neuter betwixt a truth and a lie, be lawful,) and that for these reasons: First, because, though he can speak it never so exactly, his eloquence therein will be but stammering, compared to the ordinary talk of the natives. Secondly, hereby he shall, in a manner, stand invisible, and view others; and as Joseph's deafness heard all the dialogues betwixt his brethren, so his not owning to understand the language shall expose their talk the more open unto him. Thirdly, he shall have the more advantage to speak and negotiate in his own language; at the leastwise, if he cannot make them come over to him, he may meet them in the midway, in the Latin, a speech common to all learned nations. VI. He gets his commission and instructions well ratified and confirmed before he sets forth.-Otherwise, it is the worst prison to be commission-bound. And seeing he must not jet out the least pent-house beyond his foundation, he had best well survey the extent of his authority. VII. He furnisheth himself with fit officers in his family.-Especially he is careful in choosing, |