his instructions being to "consume, and not to compound," with a view of intercepting the early probability of a second invasion. On his return from this service, Elizabeth, attributing, the honour of the achievement chiefly to his exertions, created him Earl of Nottingham. This gave birth to the quarrel between the Admiral and Essex, which ended only with the death of the latter,

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T

In 1599, the nation was alarmed with the project of another Spanish invasion; and Essex being in Ireland, the Queen, to manifest her entire confidence in Nottingham, gave him the command of her fleets and armies with the addition of a new title, as Lieutenant-General of all England, investing him with more ample powers than had ever before been granted to any subject. But this extraordinary commission expired with the occasion, which gave birth to it. However, he became her chief minister soon afterward, and by the death of Essex the sole administrator of the government. To pave the way to this high station, it is strongly suspected that he aggravated every act of rashness committed by his impetuous rival, and widened the quarrel between him and his royal mistress into an irreparable breach..

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. From the moment that Essex surrendered himself, Elizabeth, who had been terrified by so daring an insurrection in the heart of her capital, was extravagant in her praises of the Lord Admiral, and publicly declared that he was born to be the saviour of his country.' Thus raised to the summit of his ambition, and not very unreasonably fearing a relapse on the part of the Queen in behalf of her old favourite, he too probably intercepted the token sent by that unfortunate nobleman on his last application for mercy.

For many years after the event, the following re markable anecdote was discredited by our best historians: but later discoveries have left little room to doubt it's truth. Essex, soon after his return from his successful expedition against Cadiz, grew extremely jealous of being supplanted in the royal favour; and accordingly resolved to secure himself against such reverse, while the Queen's attachment to him remained in it's full vigour. With this view having obtained a private audience, he took occasion to regret, that her Majesty's service should so frequently obligé him to be absent from her person; by which he was exposed to all those ill offices, which his enemies, in the course of their constant attendance upon her, had it in their power to do him by misre presentations of his conduct.' Elizabeth, greatly moved by his remonstrances, took a ring (it is said) from her finger, and desired him to keep it as a pledge of her affection; assuring him, that 'whatever prejudices she might be induced to conceive against him, if he sent her that ring, she should instantly call to mind her former regard, and grant him all his requests. After sentence of death had been passed upon him, it is well known that he requested the favour of a visit from the Countess of Nottingham, at that time principal lady of the bed-chamber to the Queen; wishing perhaps through her hands to transmit this ring to her Majesty, and at the same

* The reader will recollect, that Henry VIII, acted thus in the case of Archbishop Cranmer; and he will farther observe, that in many instances Elizabeth affected to imitate her father, This circumstance, which has escaped the notice of our historians in their warm contests upon the credibility of this story, is a presumptive proof of it's authenticity.

The

time to crave her intercession in his favour. Countess, unhappily, was prevailed upon by her husband to suppress her commission: and the Queen, who hourly expected this last appeal, found various excuses to delay signing the warrant for the execution of Essex; till female resentment, seconding Cecil's importunities, induced her at last, with great reluctance, to consent to his death.

Toward the close of the year 1602 the Countess of Nottingham, finding her dissolution fast approaching, despatched a special messenger to entreat a private visit from Elizabeth, alleging that she had something of importance to impart to her Majesty. At this interview, she revealed the fatal secret, imploring at the same time her royal mistress' forgiveness. She implored it in vain: the Queen, in the transport of her rage shook the dying lady in her bed, and exclaiming with great vehemence," God may forgive you, but I cannot," rushed out of the apartment.

To her rage succeeded a deep melancholy, which visibly preyed upon her strength: still, however, she affected to conceal it, and caused her inaugurationday to be observed with the usual magnificence. But the courtiers, according to custom, beginning already to turn their eyes to the young king of Scotland, her presumptive heir, she was heard to lament in bitter terms that 'she was neglected, betrayed, and deserted.' And, when she found the pardon of the Earl of Tyrone pressed upon her by the very ministers who had urged her to refuse that of Essex, she could not forbear instituting a comparison between the guilt of the arch-rebel who had desolated a considerable part of Ireland, and the single act of mad desperation committed by her executed favourite.

She now utterly neglected the care of her health, removing from Westminster to her palace at Sheen in very tempestuous weather on the last day of January, 1603. Here she continued languishing, in a most deplorable condition, nearly two months; occasionally however joining in prayers with Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was constantly in waiting: and on the twenty-third of March, she breathed her last.*

It remains only to observe, that Nottingham's zeal in the affair of the succession procured for him the honour of officiating as High Steward at the coronation of James I.; that he was sent on a splendid embassy to Spain, to conclude a treaty of friendship with that crown; and that subsequently, resigning his office of Lord High Admiral to Villiers Duke of Buckingham, he retired into the country, where he died in 1624.

He was a great lover of magnificence, we are informed by Fuller, having no less than "seven standing houses at the same time;" and, in his embassy to Spain, being attended by a splendid train of five hundred persons. The ignorant Spaniards, who had heard much of the Kentish long-tails and other monsters in this nation of 'heretics,' were astonished when he made his public entry, not only at seeing the human form, but at seeing it in superior health and beauty † to what it appeared in their own country.

* A minute detail of her concluding moments is given in the interesting' Memoirs of Robert Cary, Earl of Monmouth. See the Life of Sackville, p. 271.

+ It is observable, that M. Buffon includes the seat of beauty within two particular latitudes, so as to comprehend the greatestpart of France, and to exclude England!

259

THOMAS SACKVILLE,

EARL OF DORSET.*

[1536-1608.]

THOMAS SACKVILLE, the son of Richard Sackville Esq. by Winifred, daughter of Sir John Bruges Lord-Mayor of London (who afterward married Powlet, Marquis of Winchester) was born at Buckhurst in the parish of Withiam, Sussex, the seat of the ancient family of the Sackvilles, in 1536. Toward the latter end of the reign of Edward VI., he was sent to Hart Hall, Oxford; but he subsequently removed to Cambridge, where he took the degree of M. A. Thence he migrated to London, and entered himself a member of the Inner Temple; not with a view of following the profession of the law, but in order to qualify himself, by the study of it, for the service of his country in parliament.

Near the close of Mary's reign, he obtained a seat in the House of Commons; and having now become a public character, he in some degree neglected the Muses, to whom he had previously devoted so considerable a portion of his leisure, that at the Univer

*AUTHORITIES. Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses; Naunton's Fragmenta Regalia; and Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors.