CHAPTER XXX.
Now bid the steeple rock--she comes, she comes!-- Speak for us, bells--speak for us, shrill-tongued tuckets. Stand to thy linstock, gunner; let thy cannon Play such a peal, as if a paynim foe Came stretch'd in turban'd ranks to storm the ramparts. We will have pageants too--but that craves wit, And I'm a rough-hewn soldier.--THE VIRGIN QUEEN--A TRAGI-COMEDY.
Tressilian, when Wayland had left him, as mentioned in the last chapter,remained uncertain what he ought next to do, when Raleigh and Blountcame up to him arm in arm, yet, according to their wont, very eagerlydisputing together. Tressilian had no great desire for their societyin the present state of his feelings, but there was no possibility ofavoiding them; and indeed he felt that, bound by his promise not toapproach Amy, or take any step in her behalf, it would be his bestcourse at once to mix with general society, and to exhibit on his browas little as he could of the anguish and uncertainty which sat heavyat his heart. He therefore made a virtue of necessity, and hailed hiscomrades with, "All mirth to you, gentlemen! Whence come ye?"
"From Warwick, to be sure," said Blount; "we must needs home to changeour habits, like poor players, who are fain to multiply their persons tooutward appearance by change of suits; and you had better do the like,Tressilian."
"Blount is right," said Raleigh; "the Queen loves such marks ofdeference, and notices, as wanting in respect, those who, not arrivingin her immediate attendance, may appear in their soiled and ruffledriding-dress. But look at Blount himself, Tressilian, for the love oflaughter, and see how his villainous tailor hath apparelled him--inblue, green, and crimson, with carnation ribbons, and yellow roses inhis shoes!"
"Why, what wouldst thou have?" said Blount. "I told the cross-leggedthief to do his best, and spare no cost; and methinks these things aregay enough--gayer than thine own. I'll be judged by Tressilian."
"I agree--I agree," said Walter Raleigh. "Judge betwixt us, Tressilian,for the love of heaven!"
Tressilian, thus appealed to, looked at them both, and was immediatelysensible at a single glance that honest Blount had taken upon thetailor's warrant the pied garments which he had chosen to make, andwas as much embarrassed by the quantity of points and ribbons whichgarnished his dress, as a clown is in his holiday clothes; while thedress of Raleigh was a well-fancied and rich suit, which the wearer boreas a garb too well adapted to his elegant person to attract particularattention. Tressilian said, therefore, "That Blount's dress was finest,but Raleigh's the best fancied."
Blount was satisfied with his decision. "I knew mine was finest," hesaid; "if that knave Doublestitch had brought me home such a simpledoublet as that of Raleigh's, I would have beat his brains out with hisown pressing-iron. Nay, if we must be fools, ever let us be fools of thefirst head, say I."
"But why gettest thou not on thy braveries, Tressilian?" said Raleigh.
"I am excluded from my apartment by a silly mistake," said Tressilian,"and separated for the time from my baggage. I was about to seek thee,to beseech a share of thy lodging."
"And welcome," said Raleigh; "it is a noble one. My Lord of Leicesterhas done us that kindness, and lodged us in princely fashion. If hiscourtesy be extorted reluctantly, it is at least extended far. I wouldadvise you to tell your strait to the Earl's chamberlain--you will haveinstant redress."
"Nay, it is not worth while, since you can spare me room," repliedTressilian--"I would not be troublesome. Has any one come hither withyou?"
"Oh, ay," said Blount; "Varney and a whole tribe of Leicestrians,besides about a score of us honest Sussex folk. We are all, it seems, toreceive the Queen at what they call the Gallery-tower, and witness somefooleries there; and then we're to remain in attendance upon the Queenin the Great Hall--God bless the mark!--while those who are now waitingupon her Grace get rid of their slough, and doff their riding-suits.Heaven help me, if her Grace should speak to me, I shall never know whatto answer!"
"And what has detained them so long at Warwick?" said Tressilian,unwilling that their conversation should return to his own affairs.
"Such a succession of fooleries," said Blount, "as were never seen atBartholomew-fair. We have had speeches and players, and dogs and bears,and men making monkeys and women moppets of themselves--I marvel theQueen could endure it. But ever and anon came in something of 'thelovely light of her gracious countenance,' or some such trash. Ah!vanity makes a fool of the wisest. But come, let us on to this sameGallery-tower--though I see not what thou Tressilian, canst do with thyriding-dress and boots."
"I will take my station behind thee, Blount," said Tressilian, whosaw that his friend's unusual finery had taken a strong hold of hisimagination; "thy goodly size and gay dress will cover my defects."
"And so thou shalt, Edmund," said Blount. "In faith I am glad thouthinkest my garb well-fancied, for all Mr. Wittypate here; for when onedoes a foolish thing, it is right to do it handsomely."
So saying, Blount cocked his beaver, threw out his leg, and marchedmanfully forward, as if at the head of his brigade of pikemen, ever andanon looking with complaisance on his crimson stockings, and the hugeyellow roses which blossomed on his shoes. Tressilian followed, wraptin his own sad thoughts, and scarce minding Raleigh, whose quick fancy,amused by the awkward vanity of his respectable friend, vented itself injests, which he whispered into Tressilian's ear.
In this manner they crossed the long bridge, or tilt-yard, and tooktheir station, with other gentlemen of quality, before the outer gateof the Gallery, or Entrance-tower. The whole amounted to about fortypersons, all selected as of the first rank under that of knighthood, andwere disposed in double rows on either side of the gate, like a guard ofhonour, within the close hedge of pikes and partisans which was formedby Leicester's retainers, wearing his liveries. The gentlemen carried noarms save their swords and daggers. These gallants were as gaily dressedas imagination could devise; and as the garb of the time permitteda great display of expensive magnificence, nought was to be seen butvelvet and cloth of gold and silver, ribbons, leathers, gems, and goldenchains. In spite of his more serious subjects of distress, Tressiliancould not help feeling that he, with his riding-suit, however handsomeit might be, made rather an unworthy figure among these "fiercevanities," and the rather because he saw that his deshabille wasthe subject of wonder among his own friends, and of scorn among thepartisans of Leicester.
We could not suppress this fact, though it may seem something atvariance with the gravity of Tressilian's character; but the truth is,that a regard for personal appearance is a species of self-love,from which the wisest are not exempt, and to which the mind clings soinstinctively that not only the soldier advancing to almost inevitabledeath, but even the doomed criminal who goes to certain execution, showsan anxiety to array his person to the best advantage. But this is adigression.
It was the twilight of a summer night (9th July, 1575), the sun havingfor some time set, and all were in anxious expectation of the Queen'simmediate approach. The multitude had remained assembled for manyhours, and their numbers were still rather on the increase. A profusedistribution of refreshments, together with roasted oxen, and barrels ofale set a-broach in different places of the road, had kept the populacein perfect love and loyalty towards the Queen and her favourite, whichmight have somewhat abated had fasting been added to watching. Theypassed away the time, therefore, with the usual popular amusements ofwhooping, hallooing, shrieking, and playing rude tricks upon each other,forming the chorus of discordant sounds usual on such occasions. Theseprevailed all through the crowded roads and fields, and especiallybeyond the gate of the Chase, where the greater number of the commonsort were stationed; when, all of a sudden, a single rocket was seen toshoot into the atmosphere, and, at the instant, far heard over flood andfield, the great bell of the Castle tolled.
Immediately there was a pause of dead silence, succeeded by a deep humof expectation, the united voice of many thousands, none of whom spokeabove their breath--or, to use a singular expression, the whisper of
animmense multitude.
"They come now, for certain," said Raleigh. "Tressilian, that sound isgrand. We hear it from this distance as mariners, after a long voyage,hear, upon their night-watch, the tide rush upon some distant andunknown shore."
"Mass!" answered Blount, "I hear it rather as I used to hear mine ownkine lowing from the close of Wittenswestlowe."
"He will assuredly graze presently," said Raleigh to Tressilian; "histhought is all of fat oxen and fertile meadows. He grows little betterthan one of his own beeves, and only becomes grand when he is provokedto pushing and goring."
"We shall have him at that presently," said Tressilian, "if you sparenot your wit."
"Tush, I care not," answered Raleigh; "but thou too, Tressilian, hastturned a kind of owl, that flies only by night--hast exchanged thy songsfor screechings, and good company for an ivy-tod."
"But what manner of animal art thou thyself, Raleigh," said Tressilian,"that thou holdest us all so lightly?"
"Who--I?" replied Raleigh. "An eagle am I, that never will think of dullearth while there is a heaven to soar in, and a sun to gaze upon."
"Well bragged, by Saint Barnaby!" said Blount; "but, good Master Eagle,beware the cage, and beware the fowler. Many birds have flown as highthat I have seen stuffed with straw and hung up to scare kites.--Buthark, what a dead silence hath fallen on them at once!"
"The procession pauses," said Raleigh, "at the gate of the Chase, wherea sibyl, one of the FATIDICAE, meets the Queen, to tell her fortune. Isaw the verses; there is little savour in them, and her Grace has beenalready crammed full with such poetical compliments. She whispered tome, during the Recorder's speech yonder, at Ford-mill, as she enteredthe liberties of Warwick, how she was 'PERTAESA BARBARAE LOQUELAE.'"
"The Queen whispered to HIM!" said Blount, in a kind of soliloquy; "GoodGod, to what will this world come!"
His further meditations were interrupted by a shout of applause from themultitude, so tremendously vociferous that the country echoed for milesround. The guards, thickly stationed upon the road by which the Queenwas to advance, caught up the acclamation, which ran like wildfire tothe Castle, and announced to all within that Queen Elizabeth had enteredthe Royal Chase of Kenilworth. The whole music of the Castle soundedat once, and a round of artillery, with a salvo of small arms, wasdischarged from the battlements; but the noise of drums and trumpets,and even of the cannon themselves, was but faintly heard amidst theroaring and reiterated welcomes of the multitude.
As the noise began to abate, a broad glare of light was seen to appearfrom the gate of the Park, and broadening and brightening as it camenearer, advanced along the open and fair avenue that led towards theGallery-tower; and which, as we have already noticed, was lined oneither hand by the retainers of the Earl of Leicester. The word waspassed along the line, "The Queen! The Queen! Silence, and stand fast!"Onward came the cavalcade, illuminated by two hundred thick waxentorches, in the hands of as many horsemen, which cast a light like thatof broad day all around the procession, but especially on the principalgroup, of which the Queen herself, arrayed in the most splendid manner,and blazing with jewels, formed the central figure. She was mounted on amilk-white horse, which she reined with peculiar grace and dignity; andin the whole of her stately and noble carriage you saw the daughter ofan hundred kings.
The ladies of the court, who rode beside her Majesty, had taken especialcare that their own external appearance should not be more glorious thantheir rank and the occasion altogether demanded, so that no inferiorluminary might appear to approach the orbit of royalty. But theirpersonal charms, and the magnificence by which, under every prudentialrestraint, they were necessarily distinguished, exhibited them asthe very flower of a realm so far famed for splendour and beauty. Themagnificence of the courtiers, free from such restraints as prudenceimposed on the ladies, was yet more unbounded.
Leicester, who glittered like a golden image with jewels and cloth ofgold, rode on her Majesty's right hand, as well in quality of her hostas of her master of the horse. The black steed which he mounted hadnot a single white hair on his body, and was one of the most renownedchargers in Europe, having been purchased by the Earl at large expensefor this royal occasion. As the noble animal chafed at the slow paceof the procession, and, arching his stately neck, champed on the silverbits which restrained him, the foam flew from his mouth, and speckledhis well-formed limbs as if with spots of snow. The rider well becamethe high place which he held, and the proud steed which he bestrode; forno man in England, or perhaps in Europe, was more perfect than Dudley inhorsemanship, and all other exercises belonging to his quality. Hewas bareheaded as were all the courtiers in the train; and the redtorchlight shone upon his long, curled tresses of dark hair, and on hisnoble features, to the beauty of which even the severest criticismcould only object the lordly fault, as it may be termed, of a foreheadsomewhat too high. On that proud evening those features wore all thegrateful solicitude of a subject, to show himself sensible of the highhonour which the Queen was conferring on him, and all the pride andsatisfaction which became so glorious a moment. Yet, though neither eyenor feature betrayed aught but feelings which suited the occasion, someof the Earl's personal attendants remarked that he was unusually pale,and they expressed to each other their fear that he was taking morefatigue than consisted with his health.
Varney followed close behind his master, as the principal esquire inwaiting, and had charge of his lordship's black velvet bonnet, garnishedwith a clasp of diamonds and surmounted by a white plume. He kept hiseye constantly on his master, and, for reasons with which the reader isnot unacquainted, was, among Leicester's numerous dependants, the onewho was most anxious that his lord's strength and resolution shouldcarry him successfully through a day so agitating. For although Varneywas one of the few, the very few moral monsters who contrive to lullto sleep the remorse of their own bosoms, and are drugged into moralinsensibility by atheism, as men in extreme agony are lulled by opium,yet he knew that in the breast of his patron there was already awakenedthe fire that is never quenched, and that his lord felt, amid all thepomp and magnificence we have described, the gnawing of the worm thatdieth not. Still, however, assured as Lord Leicester stood, by Varney'sown intelligence, that his Countess laboured under an indispositionwhich formed an unanswerable apology to the Queen for her not appearingat Kenilworth, there was little danger, his wily retainer thought, thata man so ambitious would betray himself by giving way to any externalweakness.
The train, male and female, who attended immediately upon the Queen'sperson, were, of course, of the bravest and the fairest--the highestborn nobles, and the wisest counsellors, of that distinguished reign,to repeat whose names were but to weary the reader. Behind came along crowd of knights and gentlemen, whose rank and birth, howeverdistinguished, were thrown into shade, as their persons into the rear ofa procession whose front was of such august majesty.
Thus marshalled, the cavalcade approached the Gallery-tower, whichformed, as we have often observed, the extreme barrier of the Castle.
It was now the part of the huge porter to step forward; but the lubbardwas so overwhelmed with confusion of spirit--the contents of one immenseblack jack of double ale, which he had just drunk to quicken his memory,having treacherously confused the brain it was intended to clear--thathe only groaned piteously, and remained sitting on his stone seat; andthe Queen would have passed on without greeting, had not the giganticwarder's secret ally, Flibbertigibbet, who lay perdue behind him, thrusta pin into the rear of the short femoral garment which we elsewheredescribed.
The porter uttered a sort of yell, which came not amiss into his part,started up with his club, and dealt a sound douse or two on each sideof him; and then, like a coach-horse pricked by the spur, started offat once into the full career of his address, and by dint of activeprompting on the part of Dickie Sludge, delivered, in sounds of giganticintonation, a speech which may be thus abridged--the reader being tosuppose that the first lines were addressed to the throng who approa
chedthe gateway; the conclusion, at the approach of the Queen, upon sight ofwhom, as struck by some heavenly vision, the gigantic warder dropped hisclub, resigned his keys, and gave open way to the Goddess of the night,and all her magnificent train.
"What stir, what turmoil, have we for the nones? Stand back, my masters, or beware your bones! Sirs, I'm a warder, and no man of straw, My voice keeps order, and my club gives law.
Yet soft--nay, stay--what vision have we here? What dainty darling's this--what peerless peer? What loveliest face, that loving ranks unfold, Like brightest diamond chased in purest gold? Dazzled and blind, mine office I forsake, My club, my key, my knee, my homage take. Bright paragon, pass on in joy and bliss;-- Beshrew the gate that opes not wide at such a sight as this!"
[This is an imitation of Gascoigne's verses spoken by the Herculean porter, as mentioned in the text. The original may be found in the republication of the Princely Pleasures of Kenilworth, by the same author, in the History of Kenilworth already quoted. Chiswick, 1821.]
Elizabeth received most graciously the homage of the Herculean porter,and, bending her head to him in requital, passed through his guardedtower, from the top of which was poured a clamorous blast of warlikemusic, which was replied to by other bands of minstrelsy placed atdifferent points on the Castle walls, and by others again stationedin the Chase; while the tones of the one, as they yet vibrated onthe echoes, were caught up and answered by new harmony from differentquarters.
Amidst these bursts of music, which, as if the work of enchantment,seemed now close at hand, now softened by distant space, now wailing solow and sweet as if that distance were gradually prolonged until onlythe last lingering strains could reach the ear, Queen Elizabeth crossedthe Gallery-tower, and came upon the long bridge, which extended fromthence to Mortimer's Tower, and which was already as light as day, somany torches had been fastened to the palisades on either side. Mostof the nobles here alighted, and sent their horses to the neighbouringvillage of Kenilworth, following the Queen on foot, as did the gentlemenwho had stood in array to receive her at the Gallery-tower.
On this occasion, as at different times during the evening, Raleighaddressed himself to Tressilian, and was not a little surprised athis vague and unsatisfactory answers; which, joined to his leaving hisapartment without any assigned reason, appearing in an undress whenit was likely to be offensive to the Queen, and some other symptoms ofirregularity which he thought he discovered, led him to doubt whetherhis friend did not labour under some temporary derangement.
Meanwhile, the Queen had no sooner stepped on the bridge than a newspectacle was provided; for as soon as the music gave signal that shewas so far advanced, a raft, so disposed as to resemble a small floatingisland, illuminated by a great variety of torches, and surrounded byfloating pageants formed to represent sea-horses, on which sat Tritons,Nereids, and other fabulous deities of the seas and rivers, made itsappearance upon the lake, and issuing from behind a small heronry whereit had been concealed, floated gently towards the farther end of thebridge.
On the islet appeared a beautiful woman, clad in a watchet-colouredsilken mantle, bound with a broad girdle inscribed with characters likethe phylacteries of the Hebrews. Her feet and arms were bare, but herwrists and ankles were adorned with gold bracelets of uncommon size.Amidst her long, silky black hair she wore a crown or chaplet ofartificial mistletoe, and bore in her hand a rod of ebony tipped withsilver. Two Nymphs attended on her, dressed in the same antique andmystical guise.
The pageant was so well managed that this Lady of the Floating Island,having performed her voyage with much picturesque effect, landed atMortimer's Tower with her two attendants just as Elizabeth presentedherself before that outwork. The stranger then, in a well-penned speech,announced herself as that famous Lady of the Lake renowned in thestories of King Arthur, who had nursed the youth of the redoubted SirLancelot, and whose beauty 'had proved too powerful both for the wisdomand the spells of the mighty Merlin. Since that early period she hadremained possessed of her crystal dominions, she said, despite thevarious men of fame and might by whom Kenilworth had been successivelytenanted. 'The Saxons, the Danes, the Normans, the Saintlowes, theClintons, the Montforts, the Mortimers, the Plantagenets, great thoughthey were in arms and magnificence, had never, she said, caused herto raise her head from the waters which hid her crystal palace. But agreater than all these great names had now appeared, and she came inhomage and duty to welcome the peerless Elizabeth to all sport which theCastle and its environs, which lake or land, could afford.
The Queen received this address also with great courtesy, and madeanswer in raillery, "We thought this lake had belonged to our owndominions, fair dame; but since so famed a lady claims it for hers,we will be glad at some other time to have further communing with youtouching our joint interests."
With this gracious answer the Lady of the Lake vanished, and Arion,who was amongst the maritime deities, appeared upon his dolphin. ButLambourne, who had taken upon him the part in the absence of Wayland,being chilled with remaining immersed in an element to which he was notfriendly, having never got his speech by heart, and not having, like theporter, the advantage of a prompter, paid it off with impudence, tearingoff his vizard, and swearing, "Cogs bones! he was none of Arion or Orioneither, but honest Mike Lambourne, that had been drinking her Majesty'shealth from morning till midnight, and was come to bid her heartilywelcome to Kenilworth Castle."
This unpremeditated buffoonery answered the purpose probably better thanthe set speech would have done. The Queen laughed heartily, and swore(in her turn) that he had made the best speech she had heard that day.Lambourne, who instantly saw his jest had saved his bones, jumped onshore, gave his dolphin a kick, and declared he would never meddle withfish again, except at dinner.
At the same time that the Queen was about to enter the Castle, thatmemorable discharge of fireworks by water and land took place, whichMaster Laneham, formerly introduced to the reader, has strained all hiseloquence to describe.
"Such," says the Clerk of the Council-chamber door "was the blaze ofburning darts, the gleams of stars coruscant, the streams and hail offiery sparks, lightnings of wildfire, and flight-shot of thunderbolts,with continuance, terror, and vehemency, that the heavens thundered, thewaters surged, and the earth shook; and for my part, hardy as I am, itmade me very vengeably afraid."
[See Laneham's Account of the Queen's Entertainment at KillingworthCastle, in 1575, a very diverting tract, written by as great a coxcombas ever blotted paper. [See Note 6] The original is extremely rare,but it has been twice reprinted; once in Mr. Nichols's very curious andinteresting collection of the Progresses and Public Processions ofQueen Elizabeth, vol.i. and more lately in a beautiful antiquarianpublication, termed KENILWORTH ILLUSTRATED, printed at Chiswick, forMeridew of Coventry and Radcliffe of Birmingham. It contains reprintsof Laneham's Letter, Gascoigne's Princely Progress, and other scarcepieces, annotated with accuracy and ability. The author takes theliberty to refer to this work as his authority for the account of thefestivities.
I am indebted for a curious ground-plan of the Castle of Kenilworth,as it existed in Queen Elizabeth's time, to the voluntary kindness ofRichard Badnall Esq. of Olivebank, near Liverpool. From his obligingcommunication, I learn that the original sketch was found among themanuscripts of the celebrated J. J. Rousseau, when he left England.These were entrusted by the philosopher to the care of his friendMr. Davenport, and passed from his legatee into the possession of Mr.Badnall.]