During the short reign of this lamented prince Sidney had received the
honor of knighthood, and had been intrusted, at the early age of one or
two and twenty, with an embassy to the French king, in which he
acquitted himself so ably that he was soon afterwards sent in a
diplomatic character to Scotland. He had likewise formed connexions
which exerted important influence on his after fortunes. Sir John Cheke
held him in particular esteem, and through his means he had contracted a
cordial friendship with Cecil, of which in various ways he found the
benefit to the end of his life. A daughter of the all-powerful duke of
Northumberland had also honored him with her hand,--a dangerous gift,
which was likely to have involved him in the ruin which the guilty
projects of that audacious man drew down upon the heads of himself and
his family. But the prudence or loyalty of Sidney preserved him from
the snare. No sooner had his royal master breathed his last, than,
relinquishing all concern in public affairs, he withdrew to the safe
retirement of his own seat at Penshurst, where he afterwards afforded a
generous asylum to such of the Dudleys as had escaped death or
imprisonment.

Queen Mary seems to have held out an earnest of future favor to Sidney,
by naming him amongst the noblemen and knights appointed to attend
Philip of Spain to England for the completion of his nuptials; and this
prince further honored him by becoming sponsor to his afterwards
celebrated son and giving him his own name. But Sidney soon quitted a
court in which a man of protestant principles could no longer reside
with satisfaction, if with safety, and accompanied to Ireland his
brother-in-law viscount Fitzwalter, then lord-deputy. In that kingdom he
at first bore the office of vice-treasurer, and afterwards, during the
frequent absences of the lord-deputy, the high one of sole lord-justice.

The accession of Elizabeth enabled lord Robert Dudley to make a large
return for the former kindness of his brother-in-law; and supported by
the influence of this distinguished favorite, in addition to his
personal claims, sir Henry Sidney rose in a few years to the dignities
of privy-councillor and knight of the garter. After his embassy to
France he was appointed to the post of lord-president of Wales, to
which, in 1565, the still more important one of lord-deputy of Ireland
was added;--an union of two not very compatible offices, unexampled in
our annals before o