His {50} co-rival was Thomas Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, who in his
constellation was his direct opposite, for
Indeed he was one of the
Queen's martialists, and did her very good service in Ireland, at
her first accession, till she recalled him to the Court, whom she
made Lord Chamberlain; but he played not his game with that cunning
and dexterity as the Earl of Leicester did, who was much the fairer
courtier, though Sussex was thought much the honester man, and far
the better soldier, but he lay too open on his guard; he was a godly
gentleman, and of a brave and noble nature, true and constant to his
friends and servants; he was also of a very ancient and noble
lineage, honoured through many descents, through the title of
Fitzwalters. Moreover, there was such an antipathy in his nature to
that of Leicester, that, being together in Court, and both in high
employments, they grew to a direct frowardness, and were in
continual opposition, the one setting the watch, the other the
guard, each on the other's actions and motions; for my Lord of
Sussex was of so great spirit, which, backed with the Queen's
special favour and support, {51} by a great and ancient inheritance,
could not brook the other's empire, insomuch as the Queen upon
sundry occasions had somewhat to do to appease and atone them, until
death parted the competition, and left the place to Leicester, who
was not long alone without his rival in grace and command; and, to
conclude this favourite, it is confidently affirmed that, lying in
his last sickness, he gave this CAVEAT to his friends:-
"I am now passing into another world, and I must leave you to your
fortunes and the Queen's grace and goodness; but beware of gipsy"
(meaning Leicester), "for he will be too hard for you all; you know
not the beast so well as I do."
SECRETARY WILLIAM CECIL.
I come now to the next, which was Secretary William Cecil, for on
the death of the old Marquis of Winchester he came up in his room:
a person of a most subtle and active spirit.
He stood not by the way of constellation, but was wholly attentive
to the service of his mistress, and his dexterity, experience, and
merit therein challenged a room in the Queen's favour which eclipsed
the other's over-seeming greatness, and made it appear that there
were others steered and stood at the helm besides himself, and more
stars in the firmament of grace than Ursa Major.
He was born, as they say, in Lincolnshire, but, as some aver upon
knowledge, of a younger brother of the Cecils of Hertfordshire, a
family of my own knowledge, though now private, yet of no mean
antiquity, who, being exposed, and sent to the City, as poor
gentlemen used to do their sons, became to be a rich man on London
Bridge, and purchased {52} in Lincolnshire, where this man was born.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 42 of 65
Words from 21961 to 22464
of 35052
