"My lord," said the poet, "were I permitted to explain--"

"Come to my lodging, Edmund," answered the Earl "not to-morrow, or next

day, but soon.--Ha, Will Shakespeare--wild Will!--thou hast given my

nephew Philip Sidney, love-powder; he cannot sleep without thy Venus and

Adonis under his pillow! We will have thee hanged for the veriest wizard

in Europe. Hark thee, mad wag, I have not forgotten thy matter of the

patent, and of the bears."

The PLAYER bowed, and the Earl nodded and passed on--so that age would

have told the tale; in ours, perhaps, we might say the immortal had done

homage to the mortal. The next whom the favourite accosted was one of

his own zealous dependants.

"How now, Sir Francis Denning," he whispered, in answer to his exulting

salutation, "that smile hath made thy face shorter by one-third than

when I first saw it this morning.--What, Master Bowyer, stand you back,

and think you I bear malice? You did but your duty this morning; and if

I remember aught of the passage betwixt us, it shall be in thy favour."

Then the Earl was approached, with several fantastic congees, by a

person quaintly dressed in a doublet of black velvet, curiously slashed

and pinked with crimson satin. A long cock's feather in the velvet

bonnet, which he held in his hand, and an enormous ruff; stiffened to

the extremity of the absurd taste of the times, joined with a sharp,

lively, conceited expression of countenance, seemed to body forth a

vain, harebrained coxcomb, and small wit; while the rod he held, and

an assumption of formal authority, appeared to express some sense

of official consequence, which qualified the natural pertness of his

manner. A perpetual blush, which occupied rather the sharp nose than the

thin cheek of this personage, seemed to speak more of "good life," as

it was called, than of modesty; and the manner in which he approached to

the Earl confirmed that suspicion.

"Good even to you, Master Robert Laneham," said Leicester, and seemed

desirous to pass forward, without further speech.

"I have a suit to your noble lordship," said the figure, boldly

following him.

"And what is it, good master keeper of the council-chamber door?"

"CLERK of the council-chamber door," said Master Robert Laneham, with

emphasis, by way of reply, and of correction.

"Well, qualify thine office as thou wilt, man," replied the Earl; "what

wouldst thou have with me?"

"Simply," answered Laneham, "that your lordship would be, as heretofore,

my good lord, and procure me license to attend the Summer Progress

unto your lordship's most beautiful and all-to-be-unmatched Castle of

Kenilworth."




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