Thus spoke Sussex while hastily casting around him a loose robe of

sables, and adjusting his person in the best manner he could to meet the

eye of his Sovereign. But no hurried attention bestowed on his apparel

could remove the ghastly effects of long illness on a countenance which

nature had marked with features rather strong than pleasing. Besides, he

was low of stature, and, though broad-shouldered, athletic, and fit for

martial achievements, his presence in a peaceful hall was not such as

ladies love to look upon; a personal disadvantage, which was supposed to

give Sussex, though esteemed and honoured by his Sovereign, considerable

disadvantage when compared with Leicester, who was alike remarkable for

elegance of manners and for beauty of person.

The Earl's utmost dispatch only enabled him to meet the Queen as she

entered the great hall, and he at once perceived there was a cloud

on her brow. Her jealous eye had noticed the martial array of armed

gentlemen and retainers with which the mansion-house was filled, and her

first words expressed her disapprobation. "Is this a royal garrison, my

Lord of Sussex, that it holds so many pikes and calivers? or have we by

accident overshot Sayes Court, and landed at Our Tower of London?"

Lord Sussex hastened to offer some apology.

"It needs not," she said. "My lord, we intend speedily to take up a

certain quarrel between your lordship and another great lord of our

household, and at the same time to reprehend this uncivilized and

dangerous practice of surrounding yourselves with armed, and even with

ruffianly followers, as if, in the neighbourhood of our capital, nay in

the very verge of our royal residence, you were preparing to wage civil

war with each other.--We are glad to see you so well recovered, my lord,

though without the assistance of the learned physician whom we sent

to you. Urge no excuse; we know how that matter fell out, and we have

corrected for it the wild slip, young Raleigh. By the way, my lord, we

will speedily relieve your household of him, and take him into our own.

Something there is about him which merits to be better nurtured than he

is like to be amongst your very military followers."

To this proposal Sussex, though scarce understanding how the Queen

came to make it could only bow and express his acquiescence. He then

entreated her to remain till refreshment could be offered, but in this

he could not prevail. And after a few compliments of a much colder and

more commonplace character than might have been expected from a step so

decidedly favourable as a personal visit, the Queen took her leave

of Sayes Court, having brought confusion thither along with her, and

leaving doubt and apprehension behind.




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