Queen came to make it could only bow and express his
acquiescence。 He then entreated her to remain till refreshment
could be offered； but in this he could not prevail。 And after a
few compliments of a much colder and more commonplace character
than might have been expected from a step so decidedly favourable
as a personal visit； the Queen took her leave of Sayes Court；
having brought confusion thither along with her； and leaving
doubt and apprehension behind。
CHAPTER XVI。
Then call them to our presence。 Face to face；
And frowning brow to brow； ourselves will hear
The accuser and accused freely speak；
High…stomach'd are they both； and full of ire；
In rage deaf as the sea； hasty as fire。 RICHARD II。
〃I am ordered to attend court to…morrow；〃 said Leicester；
speaking to Varney； 〃to meet； as they surmise； my Lord of Sussex。
The Queen intends to take up matters betwixt us。 This comes of
her visit to Sayes Court； of which you must needs speak so
lightly。〃
〃I maintain it was nothing；〃 said Varney； 〃nay； I know from a
sure intelligencer； who was within earshot of much that was said；
that Sussex has lost rather than gained by that visit。 The Queen
said； when she stepped into the boat； that Sayes Court looked
like a guard…house； and smelt like an hospital。 'Like a cook's
shop in Ram's Alley； rather；' said the Countess of Rutland； who
is ever your lordship's good friend。 And then my Lord of Lincoln
must needs put in his holy oar； and say that my Lord of Sussex
must be excused for his rude and old…world housekeeping； since he
had as yet no wife。〃
〃And what said the Queen？〃 asked Leicester hastily。
〃She took him up roundly；〃 said Varney； 〃and asked what my Lord
Sussex had to do with a wife； or my Lord Bishop to speak on such
a subject。 'If marriage is permitted；' she said； 'I nowhere read
that it is enjoined。'〃
〃She likes not marriages； or speech of marriage； among
churchmen；〃 said Leicester。
〃Nor among courtiers neither；〃 said Varney； but； observing that
Leicester changed countenance； he instantly added； 〃that all the
ladies who were present had joined in ridiculing Lord Sussex's
housekeeping； and in contrasting it with the reception her Grace
would have assuredly received at my Lord of Leicester's。〃
〃You have gathered much tidings；〃 said Leicester； 〃but you have
forgotten or omitted the most important of all。 She hath added
another to those dangling satellites whom it is her pleasure to
keep revolving around her。〃
〃Your lordship meaneth that Raleigh； the Devonshire youth；〃 said
Varney〃the Knight of the Cloak； as they call him at court？〃
〃He may be Knight of the Garter one day； for aught I know；〃 said
Leicester； 〃for he advances rapidlyshe hath capped verses with
him； and such fooleries。 I would gladly abandon； of my own free
will； the partI have in her fickle favour； but I will not be
elbowed out of it by the clown Sussex； or this new upstart。 I
hear Tressilian is with Sussex also； and high in his favour。 I
would spare him for considerations； but he will thrust himself on
his fate。 Sussex； too； is almost as well as ever in his health。〃
〃My lord；〃 replied Varney； 〃there will be rubs in the smoothest
road； specially when it leads uphill。 Sussex's illness was to us
a godsend； from which I hoped much。 He has recovered； indeed；
but he is not now more formidable than ere he fell ill； when he
received more than one foil in wrestling with your lordship。 Let
not your heart fail you； my lord； and all shall be well。〃
〃My heart never failed me； sir；〃 replied Leicester。
〃No； my lord；〃 said Varney； 〃but it has betrayed you right often。
He that would climb a tree； my lord； must grasp by the branches；
not by the blossom。〃
〃Well； well； well！〃 said Leicester impatiently； 〃I understand
thy meaningmy heart shall neither fail me nor seduce me。 Have
my retinue in ordersee that their array be so splendid as to
put down； not only the rude companions of Ratcliffe； but the
retainers of every other nobleman and courtier。 Let them be well
armed withal； but without any outward display of their weapons；
wearing them as if more for fashion's sake than for use。 Do thou
thyself keep close to me； I may have business for you。〃
The preparations of Sussex and his party were not less anxious
than those of Leicester。
〃Thy Supplication； impeaching Varney of seduction；〃 said the Earl
to Tressilian； 〃is by this time in the Queen's handI have sent
it through a sure channel。 Methinks your suit should succeed；
being； as it is； founded in justice and honour； and Elizabeth
being the very muster of both。 ButI wot not howthe gipsy〃
（so Sussex was wont to call his rival on account of his dark
complexion） 〃hath much to say with her in these holyday times of
peace。 Were war at the gates； I should be one of her white boys；
but soldiers； like their bucklers and Bilboa blades； get out of
fashion in peace time； and satin sleeves and walking rapiers bear
the bell。 Well； we must be gay； since such is the fashion。
Blount； hast thou seen our household put into their new
braveries？ 〃But thou knowest as little of these toys as I do；
thou wouldst be ready enow at disposing a stand of pikes。〃
〃My good lord；〃 answered Blount； 〃Raleigh hath been here； and
taken that charge upon himyour train will glitter like a May
morning。 Marry； the cost is another question。 One might keep an
hospital of old soldiers at the charge of ten modern lackeys。〃
〃He must not count cost to…day； Nicholas；〃 said the Earl in
reply。 〃I am beholden to Raleigh for his care。 I trust； though；
he has remembered that I am an old soldier； and would have no
more of these follies than needs must。〃
〃Nay； I understand nought about it；〃 said Blount； 〃but here are
your honourable lordship's brave kinsmen and friends coming in by
scores to wait upon you to court； where； methinks； we shall bear
as brave a front as Leicester； let him ruffle it as he will。〃
〃Give them the strictest charges；〃 said Sussex； 〃that they suffer
no provocation short of actual violence to provoke them into
quarrel。 They have hot bloods； and I would not give Leicester
the advantage over me by any imprudence of theirs。〃
The Earl of Sussex ran so hastily through these directions； that
it was with difficulty Tressilian at length found opportunity to
express his surprise that he should have proceeded so far in the
affair of Sir Hugh Robsart as to lay his petition at once before
the Queen。 〃It was the opinion of the young lady's friends；〃 he
said； 〃that Leicester's sense of justice should be first appealed
to； as the offence had been committed by his officer； and so he
had expressly told to Sussex。〃
〃This could have been done without applying to me；〃 said Sussex；
somewhat haughtily。 〃I at least； ought not to have been a
counsellor when the object was a humiliating reference to
Leicester； and I am suprised that you； Tressilian； a man of
honour； and my friend； would assume such a mean course。 If you
said so； I certainly understood you not in a matter which sounded
so unlike yourself。〃
〃My lord；〃 said Tressilian； 〃the course I would prefer； for my
own sake； is that you have adopted； but the friends of this most
unhappy lady〃
〃Oh； the friendsthe friends；〃 said Sussex； interrupting him；
〃they must let us manage this cause in the way which seems best。
This is the time and the hour to accumulate every charge against
Leicester and his household； and yours the Queen will hold a
heavy one。 But at all events she hath the complaint before her。〃
Tressilian could not help suspecting that； in his eagerness to
strengthen himself against his rival； Sussex had purposely
adopted the course most likely to throw odium on Leicester；
without considering minutely whether it were the mode of
proceeding most likely to be attended with success。 But the step
was irrevocable； and Sussex escaped from further discussing it by
dismissing his company； with the command； 〃Let all be in order at
eleven o'clock； I must be at court and in the presence by high
noon precisely。〃
While the rival statesmen were thus anxiously preparing for their
approaching meeting in the Queen's presence； even Elizabeth
herself was not without apprehension of what might chance from
the collision of two such fiery spirits； each backed by a strong
and numerous body of followers； and dividing betwixt them； either
openly or in secret； the hopes and wishes of most of her court。
The band of Gentlemen Pensioners were all under arms； and a
reinforcement of the yeomen of the guard was brought down the
Thames from London。 A royal proclamation was sent forth；
strictly prohibiting nobles of whatever degree to approach the
Palace with retainers or followers armed with shot or with long
weapons； and it was even whispered that the High Sheriff of Kent
had secret instructions to have a part of the array of the county
ready on the shortest notice。
The eventful hour； thus anxiously prepared for on all sides； at
length approached； and； each followed by his long and glittering
train of friends and followers； the rival Earls entered the
Palace Yard of Greenwich at noon precisely。
As if by previous arr