in one of his letters.

"Yet I will adventure to give her majesty five hundred pounds in money,
and some pretty jewel or garment, as you shall advise, only praying her
majesty to further my suit with some of her learned counsel; which I
pray you to find some proper time to move in; this some hold as a
dangerous adventure, but five and twenty manors do well justify my
trying it."

How notorious must have been the avarice and venality of a sovereign,
before such a mode of insuring success in a law-suit could have entered
into the imagination of a courtier!

But the fortunes of Harrington, as of persons of more importance, now
become involved in the state of Irish affairs, to which the attention of
the reader must immediately be directed.

CHAPTER XXVII.

1599 TO 1603.

Irish affairs.--Essex appointed lord deputy.--His letter to the
queen.--Letter of Markham to Harrington.--Departure of Essex and
proceedings in Ireland.--His letter to the privy council,--conferences
with Tyrone,--unexpected arrival at court.--Behaviour of the
queen.--State of parties.--Letters of sir J. Harrington.--Further
particulars respecting Essex.--His letter of submission.--Relentlessness
of the queen.--Sir John Hayward's history.--Second letter of
Essex.--Censure passed upon him in council.--Anecdote of the
queen.--Essex liberated.--Reception of a Flemish ambassador.--Discontent
of Raleigh.--Traits of the queen.--Letter of sir Robert Sidney to sir
John Harrington.--Crisis of the fortune of Essex.--Conduct of lord
Montjoy.--Proceedings at Essex house.--Revolt of Essex.--He defends his
house.--Is taken and committed to the Tower.--His trial and that of lord
Southampton.--Conduct of Bacon.--Confessions of Essex.--Behavior of the
queen.--Death of Essex.--Fate of his adherents.--Reception of the
Scotch ambassadors.--Interview of the queen and Sully.--Irish
affairs.--Letter of sir John Harrington.--A parliament summoned.--Affair
of monopolies.--Quarrel between the Jesuits and secular
priests.--Conversation of the queen respecting Essex.--Letter of sir J.
Harrington.--Submission of Tyrone.--Melancholy of Elizabeth.--Story of
the ring.--Her death.--Additional traits of her character.--Her eulogy
by bishop Hall.

The death in September 1598 of Philip II., and the succession of the
feeble Philip III., under whom the Spanish monarchy advanced with
accelerated steps towards its decline, had finally released the queen
from all apprehensions of