ible for them at present to amass, from their
larger salaries, and more limited authority.

Burleigh entertained the queen twelve several times in his country
house; where she remained three, four, or five weeks at a time. Each
visit cost him two or three thousand pounds.[v*] The quantity of silver
plate possessed by this nobleman is surprising; no less than fourteen or
fifteen thousand pounds weight;[v**] which, besides the fashion, would
be above forty-two thousand pounds sterling in value. Yet Burleigh left
only four thousand pounds a year in land, and eleven thousand pounds in
money; and as land was then commonly sold at ten years' purchase, his
plate was nearly equal to all the rest of his fortune. It appears that
little value was then put upon the fashion of the plate, which probably
was but rude: the weight was chiefly considered.

*"She return again to some of her own, in which she
remaineth so long as she pleaseth." Book ii. chap. 15.
Surely one may say of such a guest, what Cicero says to
Atticus, on occasion of a visit paid him by Caesar. "Hospes
tamen non is cui diceres, Amabo te, eodem ad me cum
revertere." Lib. xiii. Ep. 52. If she relieved the people
from oppressions, (to whom it seems the law could give no
relief,) her visits were a great oppression on the nobility.

** Biogr. Brit. vol. iii. p. 1791.

*** Strype, vol. iii. p. 394.

**** Stowe, p. 674.

v Strype, vol. iii. p. 129. Append.

v* Life of Burleigh, published by Collins.

v** Life of Burleigh published by Collins, p. 40.

But though there were preserved great remains of the ancient customs,
the nobility were by degrees acquiring a taste for elegant luxury;
and many edifices, in particular were built by them, neat, large, and
sumptuous; to the great ornament of the kingdom, says Camden,[*] [41]
but to the no less decay of the glorious hospitality of the nation. It
is, however, more reasonable to think, that this new turn of expense
promoted arts and industry; while the ancient hospitality was the source
of vice, disorder, sedition, and idleness.[**]

Among the other species of luxury, that of apparel began much to
increase during this age; and the queen thought proper to restrain it
by proclamation.[***] Her example was very little conformable to her
edicts. As no woman was ever more conceited of her beauty, or more
desirous of making impression on the hearts of b