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travels in england-第17部分

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f oracle; which nettled them all; yea; those that he relied on began to take this his sudden favour for an alarm and to be sensible of their own supplantation; and to project his; which made him shortly after sing …

〃Fortune; my foe; why dost thou frown?〃

So that; finding his favour declining; and falling into a recess; he undertook a new peregrination; to leave that TERRA INFIRMA {62} of the court for that of the waves; and by declining himself; and by absence to expel his and the passion of his enemies; which; in court; was a strange device of recovery; but that he then knew there was some ill office done him; yet he durst not attempt to mend it; otherwise than by going aside thereby to teach envy a new way of forgetfulness; and not so much as think of him。  Howsoever; he had it always in mind never to forget himself; and his device took so well that; in his return; he came in as rams do; by going backward with the greater strength; and so continued to the last; great in her favour; and captain of her guard:  where I must leave him; but with this observation; though he gained much at the court; he took it not out of the Exchequer; or merely out of the Queen's purse; but by his wit; and by the help of the prerogative; for the Queen was never profuse in delivering out of her treasure; but paid most and many of her servants; part in money; and the rest with grace; which; as the case stood; was then taken for good payment; leaving the arrears of recompense due for their merit; to her great successor; {63} who paid them all with advantage。 {64}


GREVILLE。


Sir Foulke Greville; since Lord Brooke; had no mean place in her favour; neither did he hold it for any short time; or term; for; if I be not deceived; he had the longest lease; the smoothest time without rubs of any of her favourites; he came to the court in his youth and prime; as that is the time; or never:  he was a brave gentleman; and hopefully descended from Willoughby; Lord Brooke; and admiral to Henry the Seventh; neither illiterate; for he was; as he would often profess; a friend to Sir Philip Sidney; and there are now extant some fragments of his pen; and of the times; which do interest him in the muses; and which show in him the Queen's election had ever a noble conduct; and it motions more of virtue and judgment than of fancy。

I find that he neither sought for nor obtained any great place or preferment in court; during all his time of attendance:  neither did he need it; for he came thither backed with a plentiful fortune; which; as himself was wont to say; was then better held together by a single life; wherein he lived and died a constant courtier of the ladies。


ESSEX。


My Lord of Essex; as Sir Henry Walton notes him; a gentleman of great parts; and partly of his times and retinue; had his introduction by my Lord of Leicester; who had married his mother; a tie of affinity which; besides a more urgent obligation; might have invited his care to advance him; his fortunes being then; through his father's infelicity; grown low; but that the son of a Lord Ferrers of Chartly; Viscount Hertford; and Earl of Essex; who was of the ancient nobility; and formerly in the Queen's good grace; could not have room in her favour; without the assistance of Leicester; was beyond the rule of her nature; which; as I have elsewhere taken into observation; was ever inclinable to favour the nobility:  sure it is; that he no sooner appeared in court; but he took with the Queen and the courtiers; and; I believe; they all could not choose but look through the sacrifice of the father on his living son; whose image; by the remembrance of former passages; was a fresh leek; the bleeding of men murdered; represented to the court; and offered up as a subject of compassion to all the kingdom。

There was in this young lord; together with a goodly person; a kind of urbanity and innate courtesy; which both won the Queen; and too much took up the people to gaze on the new…adopted son of her favour; and as I go along; it will not be amiss to take into observation two notable quotations; the first was a violent indulgence of the Queen (which is incident to old age; where it encounters with a pleasing and suitable object) towards this great lord; which argued a non…perpetuity; the second was a fault in the object of her grace; my lord himself; who drew in too fast; like a child sucking on an over uberous nurse; and had there been a more decent decorum observed in both; or either of these; without doubt; the unity of their affections had been more permanent; and not so in and out; as they were; like an instrument well tuned; and lapsing to discord。

The greater error of the two; though unwilling; I am constrained to impose on my Lord of Essex; and rather on his youth; and none of the least of the blame on those that stood sentinels about him; who might have advised better; but that like men intoxicated with hopes; they likewise had sucked in with the most of their lord's receipts; and so; like Caesars; would have all or none; a rule quite contrary to nature; and the most indulgent parents; who; though they may express more affection to one in the abundance of bequeaths; yet cannot forget some legacies; and distributives; and dividends to others of their begetting; and how hurtful partiality is; and proves; every day's experience tells us; out of which common consideration they might have framed to their hands a maxim of more discretion; for the conduct and management of their new…graved lord and master。

But to omit that of infusion; and to do right to truth; my Lord of Essex; even of those that truly loved and honoured him; was noted for too bold an ingrosser; both of fame and favour; and of this; without offence to the living; or treading on the sacred grave of the dead; I shall present the truth of a passage yet in memory。

My Lord of Mountjoy; who was another child of her favour; being newly come; and then but Sir Charles Blount (for my Lord William; his elder brother; was then living) had the good fortune to run one day well at tilt; and the Queen was therewith so well pleased; that she sent him; in token of her favour; a Queen at chess in gold; richly enamelled; which his servants had the next day fastened unto his arm with a crimson ribband; which my Lord of Essex; as he passed through the Privy Chamber; espying with his cloak cast under his arm; the better to command it to the view; enquired what it was; and for what cause there fixed:  Sir Foulke Greville told him; it was the Queen's favour; which the day before; and next after the tilting; she had sent him; whereat my Lord of Essex; in a kind of emulation; and as though he would have limited her favour; said 〃Now I perceive every fool must have a favour。〃  This bitter and public affront came to Sir Charles Blount's ear; at which he sent him a challenge; which was accepted by my lord; and they met near Marybone Park; where my lord was hurt in the thigh; and disarmed。  The Queen; missing of the men; was very curious to learn the truth; but at last it was whispered out; she sware by God's death; it was fit that some one or other should take him down and teach him better manners; otherwise there would be no rule with him; and here I note the imminution of my lord's friendship with Mountjoy; which the Queen herself did then conjure。

Now for his fame we need not go far; for my Lord of Essex; having borne a grudge to General Norris; who had unwittingly offered to undertake the action of Brittany with fewer men than my lord had before demanded; on his return with victory; and a glorious report of his valour; he was then thought the only man for the Irish wars; wherein my Lord of Essex so wrought; by despising the number and quality of the rebels; that Norris was sent over with a scanty force; joined with the relics of the veteran troops of Britain; of set purpose; and as it fell out; to ruin Norris; and the Lord Burrows; by my lord's procurement; sent at his heels; and to command in chief; and to convey Norris only to his government at Munster; which aggravated the great heart of the general to see himself undervalued; and undermined; by my lord and Burrows; which was; as the Proverb speaks; JUVENES DOCERE SENES。

Now my Lord Burrows in the beginning of his prosecution died; whereupon the Queen was fully bent to send over my Lord Mountjoy; which my Lord of Essex utterly misliked; and opposed with many reasons; and by arguments of contempt towards Mountjoy (his then professed friend and familiar) so predominant was his desire to reap the whole honour of closing up that war; and all others; now the way being paved and opened by his own workmanship; and so handled; that none durst appear to stand in the place; at last; and with much ado; he obtained his own ends; and therewith his fatal destruction; leaving the Queen and the court; where he stood impregnable and firm in her grace; to men that long had fought and waited their times to give him a trip; and could never find any opportunity; but this of his absence; and of his own creation; and those are true observations of his appetite and inclinations; which were not of any true proportion; but hurried and transported; with an over desire; and thirstiness after fame; and that deceitful fame of popularity; and; to help on his catastrophe; I observe likewise two sorts of people that had a hand in his fall:  the first was the soldiery; which all flock unto him; as it were foretelling a mortality; and are commonly of blunt and too rough counsels; and many times dissonant from the time of the court and State; the other sort were of his family; his servants and his own creatures; such as were bound by safety; and obligations of fidelity; to have looked better to the steering of that boat; wherein they themselves were carried; and not to have suffered it to fleet; and run on ground; with those empty sails of tumour of popularity and applause; methinks one honest man or other; who had but the brushing of his clothes; might have whispered in his ear; 〃My lord; look to it; this multitude that follows you will either devour you; or undo you; do not strive to overrule all; of it will cost hot water; and it will procure envy; and if needs your genius must have it so; let the court and the Queen's 
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