e honor of count of the
holy Roman empire, extending also, as usual, the title of counts and
countesses to all his descendants for ever. On his return to England in
the year following, the question arose whether this dignity, conferred
by a foreign prince without the previous consent of his own sovereign,
should entitle the bearer to rank, precedence, or any other privilege
in this country.

The peers naturally opposed a concession which tended to lessen the
value of their privileges by rendering them accessible through foreign
channels; and her majesty, being called upon to settle the debate,
pronounced the following judgement. That the closest tie of affection
subsisted between sovereigns and their subjects: that as chaste wives
should fix their eyes upon their husbands alone, in like manner faithful
subjects should only direct theirs towards the prince whom it had
pleased God to set over them. And that she would not allow her sheep to
be branded with the mark of a stranger, or be taught to follow the
whistle of a foreign shepherd. And to this effect she wrote to the
emperor, who by a special letter had recommended sir Thomas Arundel to
her favor. The decision appears to have been reasonable and politic, and
would at the time be regarded as peculiarly so in the instance of honors
conferred on a catholic gentleman by a catholic prince. King James,
however, created sir Thomas, lord Arundel of Wardour; and he seems to
have borne in common speech, the title of count[117].

[Note 117: Camden's Annals. Peerage, by Sir E. Brydges.]

CHAPTER XXV.

1595 to 1598.

Essex and Cecil factious--Expedition to Cadiz.--Robert Cecil appointed
secretary.--Notice of sir T. Bodley.--Critical situation of
Essex.--Francis Bacon addresses to him a letter of advice--composes
speeches for him.--Notice of Toby Matthew.--Outrages in London repressed
by martial law.--Death of lord Hunsdon--of the earl of Huntingdon--of
bishop Fletcher.--Anecdote of bishop Vaughan.--Book on the queen's
touching for the evil.

From this period nearly of the reign of Elizabeth, her court exhibited a
scene of perpetual contest between the faction of the earl of Essex and
that of lord Burleigh, or rather of Robert Cecil; and so widely did the
effects of this intestine division extend, that there was perhaps
scarcely a single court-attendant or public functionary whose interests
did not become in some mode or other involved in the debate. Yet the
quarrel