Hildebrand; or, The Days of Queen Elizabeth, An Historic Romance, Vol. 3 of 3

by Anonymous

  CHAPTER XIV.

  On the day previous to the events described in the last chapter,and the morning subsequent to the review at Tilbury, there sattogether, in Essex House, and in an upper chamber, looking out onthe river, two individuals, who conversed with each other withgreat earnestness. One of these was the Earl of Essex himself;and the other, though of a mean and slovenly appearance, which(for he was yet scarcely thirty) assorted ill with his years,was a person no less distinguished: it was the immortal butdespicable Francis Bacon.

  They had been conversing for some time, and, at the momentat which it is deemed advisable to take cognizance of theirconversation, the young Earl, irritated at something Bacon hadsaid, was speaking with some vehemence.

  “Think’st thou, then, thy kinsman Burleigh shall thwart me,Francis?” he said. “Be of good heart! An’ my voice can speedthee, no other than thou shall be Attorney-General.”

  “I thank your Lordship,” answered Bacon. “Yet do I know rightwell, from what I have heard, that both my uncle Burleigh, and mygentle cousin, Sir Robert, will plead hard for another.”

  “Give them no heed,” returned Essex. “Thou shalt have the office;but, meanwhile, as I do nought without requital, thou must renderme a small service.”

  “That will I gladly, my dear Lord,” said Bacon.

  “Thou must even let me present thee with my little manor atTwickenham, then,” cried Essex. “Psha, now! no words! ’T is notworth a word!”

  He caught up the philosopher’s hand while he spoke, and, as aprincely smile suffused his lip, seconded his munificent proposalwith his looks.

  “Oh, my Lord! ’t is worth full three thousand pounds!” said Bacon.

  “Tut, a pin!” laughed the Earl. “’T is thine, an’ thou lovest me!But some one comes. No more words, now!”

  Master Bacon, though he was evidently greatly moved, wouldprobably have spoken further, notwithstanding the young Earl’srequest; but before he could give utterance to his sentiments,a servant opened the chamber-door, and two cavaliers, aboutthe middle age, and of graceful and prepossessing appearance,thereupon pushed in.

  “See, see, my Lord Rutland,” cried the foremost cavalier to theother; “if we have not caught him with philosophy, let me die!Thou hast lost thy wager!”

  “And prithee what doth the wager affect, my Lord Bedford?” criedEssex, with a smile.

  “Rutland here, in his exquisite conceit, wagered me thou hadstdeparted for Portsmouth,” answered the Earl of Bedford. “Thewager is no less than ten angels.”

  “Give thee joy of it!” said the Earl of Rutland. “I had ratherlose the angels, than lose my gossip’s company to Portsmouth.”

  “I’faith, now,” cried Essex, “thou makest me sorry that thou hastlost. I am simply waiting for Hal Tracey, and then I am off.”

  “We will with thee, then,” cried the other two Earls together.

  “Thanks, thanks!” returned Essex. “I volunteer with Drake. Whoserve you with?”

  “Oh, Drake!” answered Rutland. “And if we fight bravely, he hathpromised us, by way of guerdon, a jorum of liquor anon, at thesign of the ’Three Jolly Mariners.’”

  This announcement drew from his auditors a loud laugh, but thespeaker himself, with a happy craft, looked quite grave, asthough he considered the promised guerdon a matter of moment.While the laughter was yet in progress, the chamber-door, whichwas right behind Rutland, was again opened, and another cavalierentered.

  “All hail, lag-behind!” cried Rutland, glancing at the new comer.

  “Lag-behind in thy teeth, slanderous peer!” answered the personaddressed. “I should have been here an hour agone, only that thatgossiping wight, Squire Harrington, met me on the way; and whocould ever break from him?”

  “None, none, I’ll warrant thee, good Cromwell!” said the Earl ofBedford. “But, prithee, tell us Master Harrington’s news. Howmany fair ladies hath he given over for lost?”

  “As thou art courteous, I will even tell thee,” answered LordCromwell. “He hath advised me, first, that fair MistressThrockmorton hath a mortal passion for Sir Walter Raleigh”----

  “Oh! oh!” cried Rutland.

  “Peace, brawler!” resumed Cromwell. “Second, that my LadyNottingham, for some hidden reason, is affronted with my LordEssex. Third, that my Lady Warwick hath given her lord”----

  “What?” cried Rutland.

  Lord Cromwell was silent.

  “An heir, mayhap?” said the Earl of Essex.

  “A _hare?_ fie!” answered Cromwell. “A deer would mark nearer.”

  “Ha! ha! ha!” roared Bedford and Rutland.

  “Now, fie on thee, talebearer!” cried Essex, yet smiling. “Wemust be on our guard against thee. But who comes now?”

  The door opened as he spoke, and loud cries of “Sweet Hal Tracey!good Hal!” in which he himself joined, greeted the person whoentered.

  Sir Henry Tracey--for such was the real designation of the newcomer--answered this welcome in the same spirit, and saluted eachof the company separately. That done, he turned to Essex, and,with a familiarity that, of its single self, denoted them to beon the most intimate relations, drew him aside.

  “Art ready to depart?” he inquired.

  “I wait only for thee, Hal,” answered Essex.

  “Then, in good sooth, we will even go round by Durham House, andcall for Sir Walter Raleigh,” said Tracey.

  The Earl changed colour. “What mean’st thou?” he demanded. “Havenot I told thee, over and over again, that Sir Walter likes menot?”

  “And have not I told thee, with the same perseverance, that thouwast misled?” returned Tracey. “Let me tell thee what he did lasteven. He was bidding farewell to her Highness, and she, with manyloving words, was thanking him that he had that morning doneher a good service, by helping her with her horse, when, to theadmiration of the court, Sir Walter denied the service was his,and affirmed it was rendered by my Lord Essex. Nay, hear me out!Her Highness, on the outset, would not have it so; but, by andby, Sir Walter did make his words apparent, and righted thee athis own cost. Was this like an enemy?”

  “By my hand, no!” exclaimed the impetuous Earl. “Say no moreon’t. We will even call for him, and be friends.”

  While he was engaged in preparing to carry his purpose intoeffect, the distinguished personage whom he proposed to visit,like himself, was meditating a journey to Portsmouth. He had justequipped himself for his expedition, when, after a preliminaryknock on the door, a servant entered the library, where he wassitting, and solicited access for Sir Robert Cecil.

  “Bring him hither quickly,” answered Sir Walter.

  Sir Robert Cecil, who had followed the servant unperceived up thestairs, and was listening at the door, overheard what was said,and thereupon entered unbidden.

  “Worthy Sir Walter, give thee good morrow!” he cried, with asmile. “I had feared thou hadst set forth for the fleet, and Ihave that to tell thee, on the part of my Lady Nottingham, whichmust hold thee here a space longer.”

  “It must be a matter of moment, then, gentle Sir Robert,” saidRaleigh. “Prithee, what doth it import?”

  “Briefly, then, last even,” replied Cecil, “young Henry Tracey,being at court, advised her Ladyship he would this morning bringhither the Earl of Essex, and make you friends again.”

  Sir Walter Raleigh coloured. “I’faith, I thank good Tracey forhis friendly intents,” he said; “but be thou assured, gentle SirRobert, they will fail him. The Earl will not come.”

  “Well, an’ he do, do thou make up with him,” answered Cecil; “andI beseech thee, as I have lost favour with him in thy service,commend me also to his Lordship. By my troth, his ill-report hathdone me grievous detriment.”

  “An’ he come here, I will have you friends,” returned Raleigh.“But he will not come.”

  At this moment, the door opened, and a servant appeared in theaperture.

  “My Lord Essex would speak a word with your worship,” he said toRaleigh.

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p; Raleigh and Cecil exchanged glances. “Wait thou here, gentle SirRobert,” said Raleigh. “I will go meet his Lordship.”

  Waving the servant on, he passed out of the chamber, and pushedon for the adjacent stairs. As he was about to descend thestairs, he perceived the Earl of Essex, marshalled by one of theservants, coming up. He extended him his hand directly.

  “Your Lordship’s fair presence makes me proud,” he said. “I hopeall is well with your Lordship.”

  “Now that I hold thy hand, Sir Walter, all is well indeed,”answered Essex. “I have come to thank thee for the good reportof me, which, in my absence, thou didst render her Highnessyesterday.”

  “Tut! name it not, my Lord!” said Raleigh.

  “I name it, and will remember it, good Sir Walter,” returnedEssex. “But here are a troop of gallants without, bound for thefleet: may we have your worship’s company?”

  “’Tis what I would heartily desire,” smiled Sir Walter. “Howbeit,before we go, I must even present your Lordship to anotherfriend--gentle Sir Robert Cecil.”

  “Name him not!” said Essex. “Whatever he may be to me, he is nofriend of thine.”

  “Ah, my good Lord, I have approved him a right trusty one,”answered Raleigh. “Beseech thee, let me make him friends withthee.”

  “Well, well, an’ thou art content, be it so!” smiled the youngnobleman.

  Sir Walter said no more; but, with a bow, and a gay smile,led the way up the stairs, and on to the library. There, inaccordance with the injunction of Sir Walter, Cecil awaited them,but, to Sir Walter’s surprise, was taken quite aback at theappearance of the Earl of Essex. Although, however, he seemed tobe so overwhelmed with astonishment to find the Earl of Essex aninmate of Durham House, he was no way slow to avail himself ofSir Walter’s offer, on their entry, to make him friends with thatpersonage; and, accordingly, such a reconciliation was thereuponeffected.

  These matters being settled, both Essex and Raleigh prepared toset out forthwith for Portsmouth. The appearance of a troop ofmounted gallants at Sir Walter’s door, equipped for a journey,had caused a rumour to spread abroad, through all that part ofthe town, that such was their intention; and an immense crowd hadcollected to bid them farewell. Loud acclamations saluted them asthe two popular favourites appeared at the door. Again and again,after the manner of the time, they bowed to their horses’ necksin acknowledgment, but the popular applause no way diminished;and they rode off, at last, amidst hearty and renewed cries of“Hurrah for Raleigh! Long life to noble Essex! God speed you,England’s glory!”