metimes assures James of the tenderness of
her affection and her disinterested zeal for his welfare in that tone of
hypocrisy which was too congenial to her disposition; at other times she
breaks forth into vehement invective against the weakness and mutability
of his counsels, and offers him excellent instructions in the art of
reigning; but clouded by her usual uncouth and obscure phraseology and
rendered offensive by their harsh and dictatorial style. When she
regards herself as personally injured by any part of his conduct, her
complaints are seasoned with an equal portion of menace and contempt; as
in the following specimen.

* * * * *

_Queen Elizabeth to the king of Scots:_

"When the first blast of a strange, unused, and seld heard of sound had
pierced my ears, I supposed that flying fame, who with swift quills oft
paceth with the worst, had brought report of some untruth, but when too
too many records in your open parliament were witnesses of such
pronounced words, not more to my disgrace than to your dishonor, who did
forget that (above all other regard) a prince's word ought utter nought
of any, much less of a king, than such as to which truth might say Amen:
But you, neglecting all care of yourself, what danger of reproach,
besides somewhat else, might light upon you, have chosen so unseemly a
theme to charge your only careful friend withal, of such matter as (were
you not amazed in all senses) could not have been expected at your
hands; of such imagined untruths as were never thought of in our time;
and do wonder what evil spirits have possessed you, to set forth so
infamous devices void of any show of truth. I am sorry that you have so
wilfully fallen from your best stay, and will needs throw yourself into
the hurlpool of bottomless discredit. Was the haste so great to hie to
such opprobry as that you would pronounce a never thought of action
afore you had but asked the question of her that best could tell it? I
see well we two be of very different natures, for I vow to God I would
not corrupt my tongue with an unknown report of the greatest foe I have;
much less could I detract my best deserving friend with a spot so foul
as scarcely may be ever outrazed. Could you root the desire of gifts of
your subjects upon no better ground than this quagmire, which to pass
you scarcely may without the slip of your own disgrace? Shall ambassage
be sent to foreign princes laden with ins