This unpremeditated buffoonery answered the purpose probably better than

the set speech would have done. The Queen laughed heartily, and swore

(in her turn) that he had made the best speech she had heard that day.

Lambourne, who instantly saw his jest had saved his bones, jumped on

shore, gave his dolphin a kick, and declared he would never meddle with

fish again, except at dinner.

At the same time that the Queen was about to enter the Castle, that

memorable discharge of fireworks by water and land took place, which

Master Laneham, formerly introduced to the reader, has strained all his

eloquence to describe.

"Such," says the Clerk of the Council-chamber door "was the blaze of

burning darts, the gleams of stars coruscant, the streams and hail of

fiery sparks, lightnings of wildfire, and flight-shot of thunderbolts,

with continuance, terror, and vehemency, that the heavens thundered, the

waters surged, and the earth shook; and for my part, hardy as I am, it

made me very vengeably afraid."

[See Laneham's Account of the Queen's Entertainment at Killingworth

Castle, in 1575, a very diverting tract, written by as great a coxcomb

as ever blotted paper. [See Note 6] The original is extremely rare,

but it has been twice reprinted; once in Mr. Nichols's very curious and

interesting collection of the Progresses and Public Processions of

Queen Elizabeth, vol.i. and more lately in a beautiful antiquarian

publication, termed KENILWORTH ILLUSTRATED, printed at Chiswick, for

Meridew of Coventry and Radcliffe of Birmingham. It contains reprints

of Laneham's Letter, Gascoigne's Princely Progress, and other scarce

pieces, annotated with accuracy and ability. The author takes the

liberty to refer to this work as his authority for the account of the

festivities.

I am indebted for a curious ground-plan of the Castle of Kenilworth,

as it existed in Queen Elizabeth's time, to the voluntary kindness of

Richard Badnall Esq. of Olivebank, near Liverpool. From his obliging

communication, I learn that the original sketch was found among the

manuscripts of the celebrated J. J. Rousseau, when he left England.

These were entrusted by the philosopher to the care of his friend

Mr. Davenport, and passed from his legatee into the possession of Mr.

Badnall.]




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