Cecil.

Then here she stands! my homage. Elizabeth. She knew me, and acknowledged me

her heir,

Pray'd me to pay her debts, and keep the Faith;
Then claspt the cross, and pass'd away in peace.
I left her lying still and beautiful,

More beautiful than in life. Why would you vex yourself,

Poor sister? Sir, I swear I have no heart

To be your Queen. To reign is restless fence,
Tierce, quart, and trickery. Peace is with the dead.
Her life was winter, for her spring was nipt;
And she loved much: pray God she be forgiven!
Cecil. Peace with the dead, who never were at peace!
Yet she loved one so much I needs must say ·
That never English monarch dying left

England so little.

Elizabeth.

But with Cecil's aid

And others, if our person be secured

From traitor stabs- we will make England great.

GLORIANA

EDMUND SPENSER

(From "The Faery Queene," Book V., Canto IX)

ELIZABETH was but twenty-five years of age when she came to the throne. From her mother she inherited beauty and grace; from her father, keen perception and an imperious will. The years during which she lived under a cloud of suspicion had taught her reticence and self-control. The religious controversy that Edward VI. and Mary had so much at heart, meant nothing to Elizabeth. She loved her people and aimed to make England strong and prosperous. Be

Love will hover round the flowers when they first awaken:

Love will fly the fallen leaf, and not be overtaken; Low, my lute! oh, low, my lute! we fade and are forsaken

Low, dear lute, low!

Take it away! not low enough for me.

Alice. Your Grace hath a low voice.

Mary.

How dare you say it?

Even for that he hates me. A low voice

Lost in the wilderness where none can hear!
A voice of shipwreck on a shoreless sea!
A low voice from the dust and from the grave.

There, am I low enough now?

(Sitting on the ground.)

Alice. Good Lord! how grim and ghastly looks

her Grace,

With both her knees drawn upward to her chin.
There was an old-world tomb beside my father's,
And this was open'd and the dead were found
Sitting, and in this fashion: she looks a corpse.

SCENE V. LONDON.

(A Gallery on one side.

A Room in the Palace.

The moonlight streaming

through a range of windows on the wall opposite. Lady Clarence, Sir William Cecil, Alice.)

(Enter Elizabeth.)

Elizabeth. The Queen is dead.

Cecil.

Then here she stands! my homage. Elizabeth. She knew me, and acknowledged me

her heir,

Pray'd me to pay her debts, and keep the Faith;
Then claspt the cross, and pass'd away in peace.

I left her lying still and beautiful,

More beautiful than in life. Why would you vex yourself,

Poor sister? Sir, I swear I have no heart

To be your Queen. To reign is restless fence,
Tierce, quart, and trickery. Peace is with the dead.
Her life was winter, for her spring was nipt;
And she loved much: pray God she be forgiven!
Cecil. Peace with the dead, who never were at peace!
Yet she loved one so much I needs must say
That never English monarch dying left
England so little.

Elizabeth.

But with Cecil's aid

And others, if our person be secured

From traitor stabs- we will make England great.

GLORIANA

EDMUND SPENSER

(From "The Faery Queene," Book V., Canto IX)

ELIZABETH was but twenty-five years of age when she came to the throne. From her mother she inherited beauty and grace; from her father, keen perception and an imperious will. The years during which she lived under a cloud of suspicion had taught her reticence and self-control. The religious controversy that Edward VI. and Mary had so much at heart, meant nothing to Elizabeth. She loved her people and aimed to make England strong and prosperous.

Be

lieving that peace was better assured by separation from the church of Rome, she held to the settlement arranged by Henry VIII. and carefully avoided entangling alliances with Romanist and Protestant alike. Philip II. desired to marry her, but she refused this and similar offers, vowing that she would live and die a virgin queen. Englishmen adored her as something more than human.

They, passing by, were guyded by degree
Unto the presence of that gratious Queene;
Who sate on high, that she might all men see,
And might of all men royally be seene,
Upon a throne of gold full bright and sheene,1
Adornèd all with gemmes of endless price,
As either might for wealth have gotten bene,
Or could be fram'd by workman's rare device
And all embost with lyons and with flourdelice.2

All over her a cloth of state was spred,
Not of rich tissew, nor of cloth of gold,
Nor of ought else that may be richest red,3
But like a cloud, as likest may be told,

That her brode spreading wings did wyde unfold; Whose skirts were bordred with bright sunny beams,

4

Glistering like gold amongst the plights enrold, And here and there shooting forth silver streames, 'Mongst which crept little angels through the glittering gleames.

Seemed those little angels did uphold

The cloth of state, and on their purpled wings

1 shining.

2 fleur-de-lys.

3 described as.

4 folds.

Did beare the pendants through their nimblesse1 bold;

Besides, a thousand more of such as sings

Hymnes to High God, and carols heavenly things,
Encompassed the throne on which she sate, -
She, angel-like, the heyre 2 of ancient kings
And mightie conquerors, in royall state;

Whylest kings and kesars 3 at her feet did them prostrate.

Thus she did sit in soverayne majestie,

Holding a sceptre in her royall hand,

The sacred pledge of peace and clemencie,

With which High God had blest her happie land,

Maugre so many foes which did withstand:

But at her feet her sword was likewise layde, Whose long rest rusted the bright steely brand; Yet when as foes enforst, or friends sought ayde, She could it sternely draw, that all the world dismayde.

LAMENT OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, ON THE APPROACH OF SPRING

ROBERT BURNS

MARY STUART, daughter of James V. and sole heir to the throne, had been from her babyhood the centre of intrigue and conspiracy. She had Tudor blood in her veins and was preferred to Elizabeth by zeal us Romanists as heir to the English throne. Her marriage (1558) with the dauphin of France brought about a close alliance between Scotland and England's hereditary foe. On the death of her husband she returned to Scotland (1561); but a beautiful woman accustomed to the luxuries of the French court was ill-fitted to cope 1 nimbleness. 4 despite.

2 heir.

3 Cæsars, emperors.