r than mine." And so he died. This was the man who humbly served
Lady Warwick, the deputy, at our baby's christening.

Then other gentlemen with two basins and ewers, came to the
Countess of Sussex and the Earl of Leicester; and they
having washed, immediately came from the aforesaid place of
St. Edward's shrine, gentlemen with cups of hippocras and
wafers; that done, they all departed out of the Church
through the choir, in such order as before, the Lady Bacon
carrying the child, and so the said ladies and godfather
went into the Lady Russell's chamber.

Then the company went to dinner, "a stately and costly delicate
banquet;" and grace being said by Lord Russell's chaplain, the lords
washed, and after rose and returned to Lady Russell's rooms.

The baby Bess, like babies nowadays, had her christening presents: "By
the queen's majesty a great standing cup; Countess of Sussex a standing
cup; Earl of Leicester a great bowl."

So the pretty child's life began; ushered into that splendid and
brilliant court with all the pomp and circumstance possible. Not only is
the record of her baptism curious because it gives us a vivid picture of
the court at that time, and a glimpse of many famous men and women who
were present at it: but christenings have been few and far between at
Westminster. For a long while they ceased altogether; and during this
century up to about 1868 the few baptisms have been those of children of
members of the Abbey body. Since that date a very few children, more or
less connected with Westminster, have been christened each year in Henry
the Seventh's chapel. And on the last page of the register for 1883,
there is the name of a little grandson of Alfred, Lord Tennyson--the
Poet Laureate--a baby well-deserving such an honor, for his grandfather
claims descent from King Edward the Third; and from his mother, whose
wedding took place in the Abbey, he inherits the blood of Robert Bruce.

The next we hear about our little Bess is some years later, when we
learn that she and her younger sister, Anne, were appointed maids of
honor to the queen. Their mother, Lady Russell, who was brilliant and
vivacious, as well as learned in Latin and Greek, had considerable
influence with Queen Elizabeth, and seems to have used her "kind
enchantments" in the service of peace and goodwill at court. Towards the
close of her reign sad days had come upon the great queen. She was
growing old--th