she called for a staff, and was much wearied in walking about
the house, and said she wished to come another day. Six drums and six
trumpets waited in the court, and sounded at her approach and departure.
My wife did bear herself in wonderous good liking, and was attired in a
purple kirtle fringed with gold; and myself in a rich band and collar of
needlework, and did wear a goodly stuff of the bravest cut and fashion,
with an under body of silver and loops. The queen was much in
commendation of our appearances, and smiled at the ladies who in their
dances often came up to the step on which the seat was fixed to make
their obeisance, and so fell back into their order again. The younger
Markham did several gallant feats on a horse before the gate, leaping
down and kissing his sword, then mounting swiftly on the saddle, and
passing a lance with much skill. The day well nigh spent, the queen went
and tasted a small beverage that was set out in divers rooms where she
might pass, and then in much order was attended to her palace; the
cornets and trumpets sounding through the streets." &c.

[Note 137: The mysterious affair of the Gowrie conspiracy is
probably here alluded to.]

* * * * *

The fate of Essex was now drawing to a crisis. The mixture of severity
and indulgence with which he had been treated;--her majesty's
perseverance in refusing to readmit him to her presence, though all
other liberty was restored to him;--her repeated assurances that she
meant only to chastise, not to ruin him, contrasted with the tedious
duration of her anger and the utter uncertainty when, or by what means,
it was to be brought to an end;--had long detained him in the mazes of a
tormenting uncertainty: but he at length saw the moment when her
disposition towards him must be brought to a test which he secretly
assured his adherents that he should regard as decisive.

The term for which the earl had held the lucrative farm of sweet wines
would expire at Michaelmas; he was soliciting its renewal; and on the
doubtful balance of success or failure his already wavering loyalty was
suspended. He spared on this occasion no expressions of humility and
contrition which might soften the heart of the queen:--He professed to
kiss the hand and the rod with which he had been corrected; to look
forward to the beholding again those blessed eyes, so long his Cynosure,
as the only real happiness which he could ever enjoy; and h