Captain Coxe alone, that paragon of Black-Letter antiquaries, after

twice experiencing, horse and man, the perilous leap from the bridge

into the lake, equal to any extremity to which the favourite heroes of

chivalry, whose exploits he studied in an abridged form, whether Amadis,

Belianis, Bevis, or his own Guy of Warwick, had ever been subjected

to--Captain Coxe, we repeat, did alone, after two such mischances, rush

again into the heat of conflict, his bases and the footcloth of his

hobby-horse dropping water, and twice reanimated by voice and example

the drooping spirits of the English; so that at last their victory over

the Danish invaders became, as was just and reasonable, complete and

decisive. Worthy he was to be rendered immortal by the pen of Ben

Jonson, who, fifty years afterwards, deemed that a masque, exhibited at

Kenilworth, could be ushered in by none with so much propriety as by the

ghost of Captain Coxe, mounted upon his redoubted hobby-horse.

These rough, rural gambols may not altogether agree with the reader's

preconceived idea of an entertainment presented before Elizabeth, in

whose reign letters revived with such brilliancy, and whose court,

governed by a female whose sense of propriety was equal to her strength

of mind, was no less distinguished for delicacy and refinement than her

councils for wisdom and fortitude. But whether from the political wish

to seem interested in popular sports, or whether from a spark of old

Henry's rough, masculine spirit, which Elizabeth sometimes displayed,

it is certain the Queen laughed heartily at the imitation, or rather

burlesque, of chivalry which was presented in the Coventry play. She

called near her person the Earl of Sussex and Lord Hunsdon, partly

perhaps to make amends to the former for the long and private audiences

with which she had indulged the Earl of Leicester, by engaging him in

conversation upon a pastime which better suited his taste than those

pageants that were furnished forth from the stores of antiquity. The

disposition which the Queen showed to laugh and jest with her military

leaders gave the Earl of Leicester the opportunity he had been watching

for withdrawing from the royal presence, which to the court around, so

well had he chosen his time, had the graceful appearance of leaving his

rival free access to the Queen's person, instead of availing himself of

his right as her landlord to stand perpetually betwixt others and the

light of her countenance.

Leicester's thoughts, however, had a far different object from

mere courtesy; for no sooner did he see the Queen fairly engaged in

conversation with Sussex and Hunsdon, behind whose back stood Sir

Nicholas Blount, grinning from ear to ear at each word which was spoken,

than, making a sign to Tressilian, who, according to appointment,

watched his motions at a little distance, he extricated himself from the

press, and walking towards the Chase, made his way through the crowds of

ordinary spectators, who, with open mouth, stood gazing on the battle

of the English and the Danes. When he had accomplished this, which was

a work of some difficulty, he shot another glance behind him to see that

Tressilian had been equally successful; and as soon as he saw him also

free from the crowd, he led the way to a small thicket, behind which

stood a lackey, with two horses ready saddled. He flung himself on the

one, and made signs to Tressilian to mount the other, who obeyed without

speaking a single word.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024