ert
herself with her friends and attendants, and if they made her no answer
would put them upon mirth and pleasant discourse with great civility.
She would then also admit Tarleton, a famous comedian and pleasant
talker, and other such men, to divert her with stories of the town and
the common jests and accidents."

"She would recreate herself with a game of chess, dancing or singing....
She would often play at cards and tables, and if at any time she
happened to win, she would be sure to demand the money.... She was
waited on in her bed-chamber by married ladies of the nobility; the
marchioness of Winchester widow, lady Warwick, and lady Scrope; and here
she would seldom suffer any to wait upon her but Leicester, Hatton,
Essex, Nottingham, and Raleigh.... Some lady always slept in her
chamber; and besides her guards, there was always a gentleman of good
quality and some others up in the next chamber, to wake her if any thing
extraordinary happened[147]."

[Note 147: Bohun's Character of Queen Elizabeth.]

"She loved a prudent and moderate habit in her private apartment and
conversation with her own servants; but when she appeared in public she
was ever richly adorned with the most valuable clothes; set off again
with much gold and jewels of inestimable value; and on such occasions
she ever wore high shoes, that she might seem taller than indeed she
was. The first day of the parliament she would appear in a robe
embroidered with pearls, the royal crown on her head, the golden ball in
her left hand and the sceptre in her right; and as she never failed then
of the loud acclamations of her people, so she was ever pleased with
it, and went along in a kind of triumph with all the ensigns of majesty.
The royal name was ever venerable to the English people; but this
queen's name was more sacred than any of her ancestors.... In the
furniture of her palaces she ever affected magnificence and an
extraordinary splendor. She adorned the galleries with pictures by the
best artists; the walls she covered with rich tapestries. She was a true
lover of jewels, pearls, all sorts of precious stones, gold and silver
plate, rich beds, fine couches and chariots, Persian and Indian carpets,
statues, medals, &c. which she would purchase at great prices.
Hampton-court was the most richly furnished of all her palaces; and here
she had caused her naval victories against the Spaniards to be worked in
fine tapestries and laid up among the riches