travels in england-第15部分

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llet；　for　it　was　a　very　great　one；　and　therein　kept　a　wedge；　that　entered　all　knotty　pieces　that　come　to　the　table。

And　now　again　I　must　fall　back　to　smooth　and　plane　a　way　to　the　rest　that　is　behind；　but　not　from　my　purpose。　　There　have　been；　about　this　time；　two　rivals　in　the　Queen's　favour；　old　Sir　Francis　Knowles；　Comptroller　of　the　House；　and　Sir　Henry　Norris；　whom　she　had　called　up　at　Parliament　to　sit　with　the　Peers　in　the　higher　House；　as；　Henry　Norris　of　Rycot；　who　had　married　the　daughter　and　heir　of　the　old　Henry　Williams　of　Tayne；　a　noble　person；　and　to　whom；　in　her　adversity；　the　Queen　had　been　committed　to　his　safe　custody；　and　from　him　had　received　more　than　ordinary　observances；　now；　such　was　the　goodness　of　the　Queen's　nature；　that　she　neither　forgot　the　good　turns　received　from　the　Lord　Williams；　neither　was　she　unmindful　of　this　Lord　Norris；　whose　father；　in　her　father's　time；　and　in　the　business　of　her　brother；　died　in　a　noble　cause；　and　in　the　justification　of　her　innocency。


NORRIS。


My　Lord　Norris　had；　by　this　lady；　an　apt　issue；　which　the　Queen　highly　respected；　for　he　had　six　sons；　and　all　martial　and　brave　men：　　the　first　was　William；　the　eldest；　and　father　to　the　late　Earl　of　Berkshire；　Sir　John　（vulgarly　called　General　Norris）；　Sir　Edward；　Sir　Thomas；　Sir　Henry；　and　Maximilian；　men　of　haughty　courage；　and　of　great　experience　in　the　conduct　of　military　affairs；　and；　to　speak　in　the　character　of　their　merit；　they　were　persons　of　such　renown　and　worth　as　future　times　must；　of　duty；　owe　them　the　debt　of　an　honourable　memory。


KNOWLES。


Sir　Francis　Knowles　was　somewhat　near　in　the　Queen's　affinity；　and　had　likewise　no　incompetent　issue；　for　he　had　also　William；　his　eldest　son；　and　since　Earl　of　Banbury；　Sir　Thomas；　Sir　Robert；　and　Sir　Francis；　if　I　be　not　a　little　mistaken　in　their　names　and　marshalling；　and　there　was　also　the　Lady　Lettice；　a　sister　of　those；　who　was　first　Countess　of　Essex；　and　after　of　Leicester；　and　those　were　also　brave　men　in　their　times　and　places；　but　they　were　of　the　Court　and　carpet；　and　not　by　the　genius　of　the　camp。

Between　these　two　families　there　was；　as　it　falleth　out　amongst　great　ones　and　competitors　of　favour；　no　great　correspondency；　and　there　were　some　seeds；　either　of　emulation　or　distrust；　cast　between　them；　which；　had　they　not　been　disjoined　in　the　residence　of　their　persons；　as　that　was　the　fortune　of　their　employments；　the　one　side　attending　the　Court；　and　the　other　the　Pavilion；　surely　they　would　have　broken　out　into　some　kind　of　hostility；　or；　at　least；　they　would　entwine　and　wrestle　one　in　the　other；　like　trees　circled　with　ivy；　for　there　was　a　time　when；　both　these　fraternities　being　met　at　Court；　there　passed　a　challenge　between　them　at　certain　exercises；　the　Queen　and　the　old　men　being　spectators；　which　ended　in　a　flat　quarrel　amongst　them　all。　　For　I　am　persuaded；　though　I　ought　not　to　judge；　that　there　were　some　relics　of　this　feigned　that　were　long　after　the　causes　of　the　one　family's　almost　utter　extirpation；　and　the　other's　improsperity；　for　it　was　a　known　truth　that　so　long　as　my　Lord　of　Leicester　lived；　who　was　the　main　pillar　on　the　one　side；　for　having　married　the　sister；　the　other　side　took　no　deep　root　in　the　Court；　though　otherwise　they　made　their　ways　to　honour　by　their　swords。　　And　that　which　is　of　more　note；　considering　my　Lord　of　Leicester's　use　of　men　of　war；　being　shortly　after　sent　Governor　to　the　revolted　States；　and　no　soldier　himself；　is　that　he　made　no　more　account　of　Sir　John　Norris；　a　soldier；　then　deservedly　famous；　and　trained　from　a　page　under　the　discipline　of　the　greatest　captain　in　Christendom；　the　Admiral　Castilliau；　and　of　command　in　the　French　and　Dutch　Wars　almost　twenty　years。　　And　it　is　of　further　observation　that　my　Lord　of　Essex；　after　Leicester's　decease；　though　addicted　to　arms　and　honoured　by　the　general　in　the　Portugal　expedition；　whether　out　of　instigation；　as　it　hath　been　thought；　or　out　of　ambition　and　jealousy；　eclipsed　by　the　fame　and　splendour　of　this　great　commander；　never　loved　him　in　sincerity。

Moreover；　and　certain　it　is；　he　not　only　crushed；　and　upon　all　occasions　quelled　the　youth　of　this　great　man　and　his　famous　brethren；　but　therewith　drew　on　his　own　fatal　end；　by　undertaking　the　Irish　action　in　a　time　when　he　left　the　Court　empty　of　friends；　and　full…fraught　with　his　professed　enemies。　　But　I　forbear　to　extend　myself　in　any　further　relation　upon　this　subject；　as　having　lost　some　notes　of　truth　in　these　two　nobles；　which　I　would　present；　and　therewith　touched　somewhat；　which　I　would　not；　if　the　equity　of　the　narration　would　have　permitted　any　omission。


PERROT。


Sir　John　Perrot　was　a　goodly　gentleman；　and　of　the　sword；　and　he　was　of　a　very　ancient　descent；　as　an　heir　to　many　subtracts　of　gentry；　especially　from　Guy　de　Brain　of　Lawhorn；　so　was　he　of　a　very　vast　estate；　and　came　not　to　Court　for　want　and　to　these　advancements。　He　had　the　endowments　of　carriage　and　height　of　spirit；　had　he　alighted　on　the　alloy　and　temper　of　discretion；　the　defect　whereof；　with　a　native　freedom　and　boldness　of　speech；　drew　him　on　to　a　clouded　sitting；　and　laid　him　open　to　the　spleen　and　advantage　of　his　enemies；　of　whom　Sir　Christopher　Hatton　was　professed。　　He　was　yet　a　wise　man　and　a　brave　courtier；　but　rough　and　participating　more　of　active　than　sedentary　motions；　as　being　in　his　instillation　destined　for　arms。　　There　is　a　query　of　some　denotations；　how　he　came　to　receive　the　foil；　and　that　in　the　catastrophe？　for　he　was　strengthened　with　honourable　alliances　and　the　prime　friendship　in　Court　of　my　Lords　of　Leicester　and　Burleigh；　both　his　contemporaries　and　familiars；　but　that　there　might　be　（as　the　adage　hath　it）　falsity　in　friendship：　　and　we　may　rest　satisfied　that　there　is　no　dispute　against　fate；　and　they　quit　him　for　a　person　that　loved　to　stand　too　much　alone　on　his　legs；　of　too　often　regress　and　discontinuance　from　the　Queen's　presence；　a　fault　which　is　incompatible　with　the　ways　of　Court　and　favour。　　He　was　sent　Lord…　Deputy　into　Ireland；　as　it　was　then　apprehended；　for　a　kind　of　haughtiness　and　repugnancy　in　Council；　or；　as　others　have　thought；　the　fittest　person　then　to　bridle　the　insolences　of　the　Irish；　and　probable　it　is　that　both；　considering　the　sway　that　he　would　have　at　the　Board；　being　head　in　the　Queen's　favour；　concurred；　and　did　alike　conspire　his　remove　and　ruin。　　But　into　Ireland　he　went；　where　he　did　the　Queen　very　great　and　many　services；　if　the　surplusage　of　the　measure　did　not　abate　the　value　of　the　merit；　as　after…time　found　to　be　no　paradox　to　save　the　Queen's　purse；　but　both　herself　and　my　Lord　Treasurer　Burleigh　ever　took　for　good　service；　he　imposed　on　the　Irish　the　charge　for　bearing　their　own　arms；　which　both　gave　them　the　possession　and　taught　them　the　use　of　weapons；　which　provided　in　the　end　to　a　most　fatal　work；　both　in　the　profusion　of　blood　and　treasure。

But　at　his　return；　and　upon　some　account　sent　home　before；　touching　the　state　of　that　kingdom；　the　Queen　poured　out　assiduous　testimonies　of　her　grace　towards　him；　till；　by　his　retreat　to　his　Castle　of　Cary；　which　he　was　then　building；　and　out　of　a　desire　to　be　in　command　at　home　as　he　had　been　abroad；　together　with　the　hatred　and　practice　of　Hatton；　then　in　high　favour；　whom　he　had；　not　long　before；　bitterly　taunted　for　his　dancing；　he　was　accused　for　high　treason；　and　for　high　words；　and　a　forged　letter；　and　condemned；　though　the　Queen；　on　the　news　of　his　condemnation；　swore；　by　her　wonted　oath；　that　the　jury　were　all　knaves：　　and　they　delivered　it　with　assurance　that；　on　his　return　to　the　town　after　his　trial；　he　said；　with　oaths　and　with　fury；　to　the　Lieutenant；　Sir　Owen　Hopton；　〃What！　will　the　Queen　suffer　her　brother　to　be　offered　up　as　a　sacrifice　to　the　envy　of　my　flattering　adversaries？〃　　Which　being　made　known　to　the　Queen；　and　somewhat　enforced；　she　refused　to　sign　it；　and　swore　he　should　not　die；　for　he　was　an　honest　and　faithful　man。　　And　surely；　though　not　altogether　to　set　our　rest　and　faith　upon　tradition　and　old　reports；　as　that　Sir　Thomas　Perrot；　his　father；　was　a　gentleman　of　the　Privy　Chamber；　and　in　the　Court　married　to　a　lady　of　great　honour；　which　are　presumptions　in　some　implications；　but；　if　we　go　a　little　further　and　compare　his　pictures；　his　qualities；　gesture；　and　voice；　with　that　of　the　King；　which　memory　retains　yet　amongst　us；　they　will　plead　strongly　that　he　was　a　surreptitious　child　of　the　blood　royal。

Certain　it　is　that　he　lived　not　long　in　the　Tower；　and　that　after　his　decease；　Sir　Thomas　Perrot；　his　son；　then　of　no　mean　esteem　with　the　Queen；　having　before　married　my　Lord　of　Essex's　sister；　since　Countess　of　Northumberland；　had　restitution　of　his　land；　though　after　his　death　also　（which　immediately　followed）　the　Crown　resumed　the　estate；　and　took　advantage　of　the　former　attainder；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　the　priest's　forged　letter　was；　at　his　arraignment；　thought　but　as　a　fiction　of　envy；　and　was　soon　after　exploded　by　the　priest's　own　confession。　　But　that　which　most　exasperated　the　Queen　and　gave　advantage　to　his　enemies　was；　as　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　takes　into　observation；　words　of　disdain；　for　the　Queen；　by　sharp　and　reprehensive　letters；　had　nettled　him；　and　thereupon；　sending　others　of　approbation；　commending　his　service；　and　intimating　an　invasion　from　Spain；　which　was　no　sooner　proposed　but　he　said　publicly；　in　the　great　chamber　at　Dublin：　〃Lo；　now　she　is　ready　to　**　herself　for　fear　of　the　Spaniards：　　I　am　again　one　of　her　white　boys；〃　which　are　subject　to　a　various　construction；　and　tended　to　some　disreputation　of　his　Sovereign；　and　such　as　may　serve　for　instruction　to　persons　in　place　of　honour　and　command；　to　beware　of　the　violences　of　Nature；　and　especially　the　exorbitance　of　the　tongue。　　And　so　I　conclude　him　with　this　double　observation：　　the　one；　of　the　innocency　of　his　intentions；　exempt　and　clear　from　the　guilt　of　treason　and　disloyalty；　therefore　of　the　greatness　of　his　heart；　for　at　his　arraignment　he　was　so　little　dejected　with　what　might　be　alleged；　that　rather　he　grew　troubled　with　choler；　and；　in　a　kind　of　exasperation；　he　despised　his　jury；　though　of　the　Order　of　Knighthood；　and　of　the　especial　gentry；　claiming　the　privilege　of　trial　by　the　peers　an