ature awaited her; and she made a
similar parade of her bashfulness, and a still greater of her erudition;
addressing this university not in Latin, but in Greek.

Of the dramatic exhibitions prepared for her recreation, an elegant
writer has recorded the following particulars[62]. "In the magnificent
hall of Christ-church, she was entertained with a Latin comedy called
Marcus Geminus, the Latin tragedy of Progne, and an English comedy on
the story of Palamon and Arcite, (by Richard Edwards gentleman of the
queen's chapel, and master of the choristers,) all acted by the students
of the university. When the last play was over, the queen summoned the
poet into her presence, whom she loaded with thanks and compliments: and
at the same time, turning to her levee, remarked, that Palamon was so
justly drawn as a lover, that he must have been in love indeed; that
Arcite was a right martial knight, having a swart and manly countenance,
yet with the aspect of a Venus clad in armour: that the lovely Emilia
was a virgin of uncorrupted purity and unblemished simplicity; and that
though she sung so sweetly, and gathered flowers alone in the garden,
she preserved her chastity undeflowered. The part of Emilia, the only
female part in the play, was acted by a boy of fourteen, whose
performance so captivated her majesty, that she made him a present of
eight guineas[63]. During the exhibition, a cry of hounds belonging to
Theseus was counterfeited without in the great square of the college;
the young students thought it a real chase, and were seized with a
sudden transport to join the hunters: at which the queen cried out from
her box, "O excellent! these boys, in very troth, are ready to leap out
of the windows to follow the hounds!"

[Note 62: Warton's "History of English Poetry."]

[Note 63: Mr. Warton apparently forgets that _guineas_ were first
coined by Charles II.]

Dr. Lawrence Humphreys, who had lately been distinguished by his
strenuous opposition to the injunctions of the queen and archbishop
Parker respecting the habits and ceremonies, was at this time
vice-chancellor of Oxford; and when he came forth in procession to meet
the queen, she could not forbear saying with a smile, as she gave him
her hand to kiss--"That loose gown, Mr. Doctor, becomes you mighty well;
I wonder your notions should be so narrow."

CHAPTER XV.

1567 AND 1568.

Terms on which Elizabeth offers to acknowledge Mary as her
successor,--reject