it is very difficult for me to guess
whether of the twain shall bear away the pre-eminence. This further is not
to be omitted, to the singular commendation of both sorts and sexes of our
courtiers here in England, that there are very few of them which have not
the use and skill of sundry speeches, besides an excellent vein of writing
beforetime not regarded. Would to God the rest of their lives and
conversations were correspondent to these gifts! For as our common
courtiers (for the most part) are the best learned and endued with
excellent gifts, so are many of them the worst men when they come abroad
that any man shall either hear or read of. Truly it is a rare thing with
us now to hear of a courtier which hath but his own language. And to say
how many gentlewomen and ladies there are that besides sound knowledge of
the Greek and Latin tongues are thereto no less skilful in the Spanish,
Italian, and French, or in some one of them, it resteth not in me, sith I
am persuaded that, as the noblemen and gentlemen do surmount in this
behalf, so these come very little or nothing at all behind them for their
parts: which industry God continue, and accomplish that which otherwise is
wanting!

Besides these things, I could in like sort set down the ways and means
whereby our ancient ladies of the court do shun and avoid idleness, some
of them exercising their fingers with the needle, others in caulwork,
divers in spinning of silk, some in continual reading either of the Holy
Scriptures, or histories of our own or foreign nations about us, and
divers in writing volumes of their own, or translating of other men's into
our English and Latin tongue,[205] whilst the youngest sort in the
meantime apply their lutes, citherns, pricksong, and all kind of music,
which they use only for recreation's sake when they have leisure, and are
free from attendance upon the queen's majesty or such as they belong unto.
How many of the eldest sort also are skilful in surgery and distillation
of waters, besides sundry other artificial practices pertaining to the
ornature and commendations of their bodies, I might (if I listed to deal
further in this behalf) easily declare; but I pass over such manner of
dealing, lest I should seem to glaver and curry favour with some of them.
Nevertheless this I will generally say of them all, that as each of them
are cunning in something whereby they keep themselves occupied in the
court, so there is in manner none of