She was

written on her heart when she was dead; and she died the same year, in the 43rd year of her age and 6th of her reign. buried at Westminster. Mary had no issue.

In ap

pearance, she was tall and of light complexion, with lofty 1558 brow and aquiline nose; in manner, graceful and queenly;

and in character, active, shrewd, self-willed, self-controlled, and vain. "Few sovereigns of England succeeded to the throne in more difficult circumstances; and none ever conducted the government with such uniform success and felicity."* So peaceful and yet glorious was her sway, that Englishmen love to look back on it as that of "good Queen Bess:" and so great a personal interest did she take in the adventures of her seamen who sailed round the world, and in the exploits of her navy, that she is also known as the "Queen of the Seas."

Her first care was for the Church of England. The reforms which had been therein effected up to the time of Edward VI., had all been overturned in the late reign; but Elizabeth, to the great joy of the people, again restored them. As she knew no more, however, about toleration than her predecessors, some 200 persons were put to death during her reign for their religious convictions, and many others were fined, imprisoned, or exiled.

A former parliament had declared Elizabeth to be illegitimate, but the act was of course abolished on her coming to the throne. Had she really been so, the crown ought as a matter of right to have devolved upon her cousin, Mary Stuart, the Scottish queen, who accordingly laid claim to it, styling herself "Queen of Scotland and England." As Mary was a Roman Catholic, her claim was encouraged by all the Romish princes in Europe; but troubles in her own country prevented her from enforcing it by war. There, she was no favourite; first of all, because she was a Catholic; and again, because she was suspected of having something to do with the death of her husband, (Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley); whom she had persuaded to retire to a country 1567 residence, where he was murdered. This suspicion was all the stronger, because two months afterwards she married the very man who is supposed to have been the murderer. These things roused the indignation of her subjects, and they rose in arms against her. Mary fled to England for refuge; but Elizabeth said she would not allow her cousin to enter her presence, till she had cleared herself of such grave charges. A commission of

English and Scottish nobles therefore met to inquire into their truth, but failed to arrrive at any satisfactory conclusion. Now, however, that Mary was within her power, Elizabeth thought it safest to detain as prisoner, one who had already laid claim to her crown. Those among the English nobles, and others who sympathised with Mary's religion, began to form plots for her escape, and for setting her on the English throne. The most formidable of these was the Babington conspiracy, headed by a

*Hume.

gentleman of that name in Derbyshire, who sought to assassinate Elizabeth. Fourteen persons were discovered 1586 as engaged in this plot, and executed. Mary herself was accused of having been also concerned in it, and was tried before a commission of English nobles and judges at Fotheringay Castle (in Northamptonshire). She at first protested against the trial, on the ground that she was an independent sovereign; but afterwards, lest this refusal might be taken to imply guilt, she consented to plead. Certain letters supposed to have passed between her and Babington were produced; but her two secretaries (in whose handwriting the letters attributed to her, were said to be) had been forbidden to attend, and gave in their constrained evidence in writing. She demanded the presence of these witnesses, but it was refused; yet on their evidence chiefly she was condemned to die. Elizabeth, after much hesitation, signed the warrant of her death; and then sought to withdraw it, but was too late; for the Queen of Scots,' her famous beauty now dimmed by an imprisonment of nearly 19 years, and her hair "quite gray with cares and sorrows," was already in the hands of the executioner. While one of these rudely tried to aid her in uncovering her neck for the block, "she gently checked him, and said, with a smile, that she had not been accustomed to undress before so many spectators, nor to be served by such valets. With calm but undaunted fortitude she laid her neck on the block; and while one executioner held her hands, the other, at the second stroke, cut off her head."* The treatment of 1587 her kinswoman forms a sad blot on Elizabeth's illustrious

memory.

·

These plots in England, were but part of a grand European conspiracy to overthrow the Reformation. Philip II. of Spain (the husband of the late Queen of England) was at the head of it; and besides being the Pope's tool in the matter, he had certain reasons of his own for wishing to direct his chief energies against England. First of all, he was angry with the English, because parliament had refused to allow him to become king of England. Then, it is said, he once asked Elizabeth to marry him, but she refused further, the English sailors, according to the piratical custom of those times, had taken from him several ships laden with treasures. For all these reasons, but chiefly because the Pope urged him, Philip determined to invade England. He prepared for this purpose a large fleet, and felt so sure of success, that he called it the "Invincible Armada." It consisted of 130

* Robertson.

large ships, manned by 8,000 sailors, and carrying 22,000 soldiers and 2,630 brass cannons. He had also 50,000 troops stationed near Dunkirk, (in France), with flat-bottomed boats, ready to land and assist the invaders. The whole English army then consisted of only 70,000 soldiers, and the navy of only 36 small ships. The principal part of the former was stationed at Tilbury Fort (in Essex), where Elizabeth greatly encouraged them by her brave words, as she rode through their ranks with a corslet and plume on her head, and a general's staff in her hand. To make up for the smallness of the navy, merchants freely gave their ships, and the nobles their money. The admiral was Lord Howard, of Effingham (in Surrey); and he was supported by three of the most daring commanders that ever lived-Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher. From Plymouth (in Devonshire), he caught the first sight of the Armada, and at once set out to meet it. It presented the form of a crescent, and was seven miles broad. So close did he venture to it, that the shot from the great Spanish ships went clean over the little English ones; which in turn kept up such vigorous firing, as caused the Armada to move further and further along the Channel, till at length it reached Calais (in France). Here, thinking that they would soon be helped by those at Dunkirk, the Spaniards cast anchor; but the English sent eight small fire-ships among them, which created such a panic that the Armada cut cable and fled. Now, the wind was not favourable for returning to Spain along the Channel; and the only other way the Armada could return, (as you may see by the map), was round the north of Scotland. Thither, therefore it took its flight but of all this proud fleet, only 49 broken hulks ever reached Spain again. Of the rest, some were taken by the English, and the others were wrecked on the coasts of Norway, Scotland, and Ireland. Elizabeth caused a medal to be struck, on 1588 one side of which was a fleet wrecked by a tempest; and on the other were the words, "He blew with his winds, and they were scattered." The news of this great event was also made known to the nation, by means of a small printed sheet called the English Mercurie.' In the British Museum is a copy, of this the first newspaper ever published in England; but we hear no more of newspapers till fifty years after.

6

Literary works of much greater merit however characterize this reign. The world-renowned, and immortal Shakspeare wrote his plays; introducing a far higher standard of public amusement than cock-fighting, bull-baiting, and bear-whipping, the favourite sports of the people. Spencer too, wrote his "Faerie Queen ;" and Lord Bacon laid the foundation of modern science.

Several others might be named: but Sir Philip Sydney, were it only for the touching scene at the close of his life, deserves special mention. He wrote a prose-poem called "Arcadia;" and was at once a scholar, a statesman, a soldier, and a christian. He died on the battle-field of Zutphen (in Holland). While lying wounded on the ground, perishing of thirst and fever, wine was placed to his lips; but seeing the sufferings of a common soldier who lay close by, he handed to him the beverage, saying, "Poor fellow, thou hast greater need of it than even me!" and died. To describe the adventures of Drake, Raleigh, Hawkins, and other naval heroes of this reign, would require as many pages as there are in this history. From Santa Fé (in North America), Drake first brought potatoes to England; aud Raleigh introduced them into Ireland soon after. Tobacco is so called because Raleigh first brought it from Tobago, one of the Carribee Islands, (in the West Indies). To Hawkins, though a brave, and in many respects a good man, belongs the dishonour of having introduced the slave trade. Most of the vegetables now in common use, were first brought to England about this time. A writer who lived some fifty years after, refers to those then living in Surrey, as remembering "the first gardener who came there to plant cabbages and cauliflowers, and to sow turnips, carrots, and parsnip, to sow early-ripe peas, all of which at that time were great wonders, we having few or none in England but what came from Holland." Peaches were also now introduced from Persia, and the horsechestnut tree from the Levant (in Asiatic Turkey). But hops, apples, pears, plums, gooseberries, and cherries, though formerly imported, now grew in such quantities as to render importation unnecessary; while the grape had grown in England from the time of the Romans. Luxuries of other kinds were also introduced, such as coaches from Holland. Till now, a lady when travelling used to ride on a pillion behind the servant, whom she held by the belt. Houses began to be furnished with some degree of taste; and wainscotting, gilding, and elaborate carving came into use. Beefsteaks and ale were the common food for breakfast in those days; and all sat with their hats on during meals, except at grace. They breakfasted at eight o'clock, dined at eleven, and supped at six. Elizabeth and her courtiers were very extravagant in dress. The gentlemen's shirts cost nearly £100 a-piece, and Elizabeth had a wardrobe of no less than 3,000 dresses. One of these had a serpent made of gems, curiously worked on the arm, to denote wisdom; and the lining was covered with eyes and ears, to denote watchfulness. It is said that she encouraged *Hartlib.