Her

that Ignorance was the mother of Devotion. wars were a long time more in the auxiliary part, and affistance of foreign princes and ftates, than by invasion of any; till common policy advised it, for a fafer way, to strike first abroad, than at home to expect the war, in all which she was ever felicious and victorious.

The change and alteration of religion upon the inftant of her acceffion to the crown (the smoke and fire of her fifter's martyrdoms fcarcely quenched) was none of her least remarkable actions; but the fupport and establishment thereof, with the means of her own subsistance amidst so powerful enemies abroad, and those many domestic practices, were, methinks, works of infpiration, and of no human providence, which, on her fister's departure, fhe most religiously acknowledged, afcribing the glory of her deliverance to God above; for fhe being then at Hatfield, and under a guard, and the parliament fitting at the self-fame time, at the news of the queen's death, and her own proclamation by the general confent of the house and the public fufferance of the people, falling on her knees, after a good time of refpiration, fhe uttered this verse of the Pfalm

A Domino factum eft iftud, & eft mirabile in oculis noftris *.

This is the work of the Lord, and it is wonderful

in our fight,

And this we find to this day on the stamp of her gold, with this on her filver:

Pofui Deum adjutorem meum *.

Her minifters and inftruments of ftate, fuch as were participes curarum, or bore a great part of the burthen, were many, and thofe memorable; but they were only favourites, and not minions; fuch as acted more by her princely rules and judgements, than by their own wills and appetites; for we saw no Gavefton, Vere, or Spencer, to have swayed alone, during forty-four years, which was a well-fettled and advised maxim; for it valued her the more, it awed the most secure, it took best with the people, and it ftaved off all emulations, which are apt to rise and vent in obloquious acrimony even against the prince, where there is one only admitted into high administrations.

A Major Palatii.

THE principal note of her reign will be, that she ruled much by faction and parties, which fhe herself both made, upheld, and weakened, as her own great judgement advised; for I do difaffent from the common and received opinion, that my lord of Leicester was abfolute and alone in her grace; and, though I come fomewhat fhort of the knowmy help.

* I have chofen God for

ledge of these times, yet, that I may not err or fhoot at random, I know it from affured intelligence that it was not fo; for proof whereof, amongst many (that could prefent) I will both relate a story, and therein a known truth, and it was thus: Bowyer, the gentleman of the Black Rod, being charged by her exprefs command to look precisely to all admiffions in the Privy Chamber, one day ftaid a very gay captain (and a follower of my lord of Leicester) from entrance, for that he was neither well known, nor a sworn servant of the queen; at which repulfe, the gentleman (bearing high on my lord's favour) told him, that he might, perchance, procure him a discharge. Leicester coming to the contestation, said publicly, which was none of his wonted fpeeches, that he was a knave, and should not long continue in his office; and so turning about to go to the queen, Bowyer, who was a bold gentleman and well beloved, ftepped before him, and fell at her majesty's feet, relates the story, and humbly craves her grace's pleasure, and in fuch a manner as if he had demanded, whether my lord of Leicester was king, or her majesty queen: whereunto she replied, (with her wonted oath, God's-death) my lord, I have wished you well, but my favour is not fo locked up for you, that others fhall not participate thereof; for I have many fervants unto whom I have, and will, at my pleasure, bequeath my favour, and likewise resume the fame; and if you think to rule here, I will take a course to see you forth

G 2

coming; I will have here but one mistress, and no mafter, and look that no ill happen to him, lest it be feverely required at your hands: which fo quailed lord of Leicester, that his faint humility was, long after, one of his best virtues.

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Moreover, the earl of Suffex, then lord chamberlain, was his profeffed antagonist to his dying day; and for my lord Hunfdown, and fir Thomas Sackville, after lord treasurer, who were all contemporaries; he was wont to fay of them, that they were of the tribe of Dan, and were, Noli me tangere, implying, that they were not to be contefted with, for they were, indeed, of the queen's nigh kindred.

From whence, and in many more inftances, I conclude, that she was abfolute and sovereign mistress of her graces, and that all those to whom she distributed her favours, were never more than tenants at will, and stood on no better terms than her princely pleasure, and their good behaviour.

And this alfo I present as a known observation, that she was, though very capable of counsel, abfolute enough in her own refolution; which was ever apparent even to her last, and in that of her still averfion to grant Tyrone † the least drop of her mercy, though earnestly and frequently advised

thereunto, yea, wrought only by her whole council of state, with very many reafons; and, as the state of her kingdom then stood, I may speak it with asfurance, neceffitated arguments.

If we look into her inclination, as it was difpofed to magnificence or frugality, we fhall find in them many notable confiderations; for all her difpenfations were so poifed, as though Discretion and Juftice had both decreed to ftand at the beam, and see them weighed out in due proportion, the maturity of her paces and judgements meeting in a concurrence; and that in fuch an age that seldom lapseth to excefs.

To confider them apart, we have not many precedents of her liberality, nor any large donatives to particular men, my lord of Effex's book of parks excepted, which was a princely gift; and fome more of a leffer fize to my lord of Leicester, Hatton, and others.

Her rewards chiefly consisted in grants and leases of offices, and places of judicature; but for ready money, and in great fums, fhe was very fparing; which, we may partly conceive, was a virtue rather drawn out of neceffity than her nature; for she had many layings-out, and as her wars were lafting, fo their charge increased to the last period. And I am of opinion with fir Walter Rawleigh, that those many brave men of her times, and of the militia,