flavor so much distasted by her majesty, there is good
evidence.

"In the house of pure Emanuel
I had my education,
Where some surmise I dazzled my eyes
With the light of revelation;"

says "the Distracted Puritan," in a song composed in king James's days
by the witty bishop Corbet.

Mildmay was succeeded in his office by sir John Fortescue, master of the
wardrobe, a gentleman whose accomplishments in classical literature had
induced the queen to take him for her guide and assistant in the study
of the Greek and Latin writers. In the discharge of his new functions he
too was distinguished by moderation and integrity, so that in this
important department of administration no oppression was exercised upon
the subject during the whole of the reign;--a circumstance highly
conducive both to the popularity of the queen, and to the alacrity in
granting supplies usually exhibited by her parliaments.

The late attempt at invasion, so gloriously and happily frustrated, had
given a new impulse to the public mind; the gallant youth of the country
were seized with an universal rage for military enterprise, and burned
at once for vengeance and renown. The riches and the weakness of the
Spanish empire, both of them considerably exaggerated in popular
opinion, tempted the hopes and the cupidity of adventurers of a
different class; and by means of the united stimulus of gain and glory,
a numerous fleet was fitted out in the spring of 1589 for an expedition
to Portugal, which was equipped and manned almost entirely by the
exertions of individuals, the queen contributing only sixty-six thousand
pounds to the expenses, and six of her ships to the armament.

It will be remembered, that on the death in 1580 of Henry king of
Portugal, Philip of Spain had possessed himself of that kingdom as
rightful heir; having compelled don Antonio, an illegitimate nephew of
the deceased sovereign, who had ventured to dispute the succession, to
quit the country, and take refuge first in France and afterwards in
England.

This pretender had hitherto received little support or encouragement at
the hands of Elizabeth; in fact, she had suffered him to languish in the
most abject poverty; for there is a letter extant from a person about
him to lord Burleigh[99], entreating that he would move her majesty
either to advance don Antonio two hundred thousand crowns out of her
share of the rich Portuguese carrack captured by sir Francis Drake,