e speech, though well conned, deserted him, and he stood
red-faced, hesitating, and ready to cry, when suddenly from the midst
of the spectators there issued a childish voice, "Go on, Humfrey!

"Philidaspes am I, most valorous knight,
Ever ready for Church and Queen to fight.

"Go on, I say!" and she gave a little stamp of impatience, to the
extreme confusion of the mother and the great amusement of the
assembled company. Humfrey, once started, delivered himself of the
rest of his oration in a glum and droning voice, occasioning fits of
laughter, such as by no means added to his self-possession.

The excellent Sniggius and his company of boys had certainly, whether
intentionally or not, deprived the performance of all its personal
sting, and most likewise of its interest. Such diversion as the
spectators derived was such as Hippolyta seems to have found in
listening to Wall, Lion, Moonshine and Co.; but, like Theseus, Lord
Shrewsbury was very courteous, and complimented both playwright and
actors, relieved and thankful, no doubt, that Queen Zenobia was so
unlike his royal mistress.

There was nothing so much enforced by Queen Elizabeth as that strangers
should not have resort to Sheffield Castle. No spectators, except
those attached to the household, and actually forming part of the
colony within the park, were therefore supposed to be admitted, and all
of them were carefully kept at a distant part of the hall, where they
could have no access to the now much reduced train of the Scottish
Queen, with whom all intercourse was forbidden.

Humfrey was therefore surprised when, just as he had come out of the
tiring-room, glad to divest himself of his encumbering and gaudy
equipments, a man touched him on the arm and humbly said, "Sir, I have
a humble entreaty to make of you. If you would convey my petition to
the Queen of Scots!"

"I have nothing to do with the Queen of Scots," said the
ex-Philidaspes, glancing suspiciously at the man's sleeve, where,
however, he saw the silver dog, the family badge.

"She is a charitable lady," continued the man, who looked like a groom,
"and if she only knew that my poor old aunt is lying famishing, she
would aid her. Pray you, good my lord, help me to let this scroll
reach to her."

"I'm no lord, and I have naught to do with the Queen," repeated
Humfrey, while at the same moment Antony, who had been rather longer in
getting out of his female attire,