But To Omit That Of Infusion, And To Do Right To Truth, My Lord Of
Essex, Even Of Those That
Truly loved and honoured him, was noted
for too bold an ingrosser, both of fame and favour; and of this,
Without offence to the living, or treading on the sacred grave of
the dead, I shall present the truth of a passage yet in memory.
My Lord of Mountjoy, who was another child of her favour, being
newly come, and then but Sir Charles Blount (for my Lord William,
his elder brother, was then living) had the good fortune to run one
day well at tilt, and the Queen was therewith so well pleased, that
she sent him, in token of her favour, a Queen at chess in gold,
richly enamelled, which his servants had the next day fastened unto
his arm with a crimson ribband; which my Lord of Essex, as he passed
through the Privy Chamber, espying with his cloak cast under his
arm, the better to command it to the view, enquired what it was, and
for what cause there fixed: Sir Foulke Greville told him, it was
the Queen's favour, which the day before, and next after the
tilting, she had sent him; whereat my Lord of Essex, in a kind of
emulation, and as though he would have limited her favour, said "Now
I perceive every fool must have a favour." This bitter and public
affront came to Sir Charles Blount's ear, at which he sent him a
challenge; which was accepted by my lord, and they met near Marybone
Park, where my lord was hurt in the thigh, and disarmed. The Queen,
missing of the men, was very curious to learn the truth, but at last
it was whispered out; she sware by God's death, it was fit that some
one or other should take him down and teach him better manners,
otherwise there would be no rule with him; and here I note the
imminution of my lord's friendship with Mountjoy, which the Queen
herself did then conjure.
Now for his fame we need not go far, for my Lord of Essex, having
borne a grudge to General Norris, who had unwittingly offered to
undertake the action of Brittany with fewer men than my lord had
before demanded; on his return with victory, and a glorious report
of his valour, he was then thought the only man for the Irish wars;
wherein my Lord of Essex so wrought, by despising the number and
quality of the rebels, that Norris was sent over with a scanty
force, joined with the relics of the veteran troops of Britain, of
set purpose, and as it fell out, to ruin Norris; and the Lord
Burrows, by my lord's procurement, sent at his heels, and to command
in chief, and to convey Norris only to his government at Munster;
which aggravated the great heart of the general to see himself
undervalued, and undermined, by my lord and Burrows, which was, as
the Proverb speaks, JUVENES DOCERE SENES.
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