, and admiring the grand equipments of
the gentlemen, to feel tired.

At length the blast of trumpets announced the coming of the Queen to the
balcony before the window whence she was to see the pageant. A burst of
applause and loud cries of 'God save the Queen' greeted Elizabeth, who,
gorgeously arrayed, smiled and bowed graciously to the assembled people.
Behind her was the Earl of Leicester, and Lord Burleigh and the French
Ambassador at either side, with a bevy of ladies-in-waiting in the
background. The large window had a temporary balcony erected before it, and
those who occupied it were for a few minutes the centre of observation.

Lucy Forrester had never before had so good a view of the Queen, and her
astonishment was great when she saw, with the critical eye of youth, the
lady about whose beauty and charms so many sonnets and verses had been
written by every rhymester in the land, as well as by the chief poets of
the day. It was a generally accepted fact throughout the country, that the
Queen was as beautiful as she was wise, and that her charms led captive
many a noble suitor, who pined, perhaps in vain, for her favours.

Lucy whispered to her companion,--

'I thought to see a young and fair Queen, and she is old and--'

'Peace, I tell you!' said her companion sharply. 'You are a little fool to
dare to say that! You had best hold your tongue!'

Lucy ventured at no further remark, and very soon the heralds came riding
into the tilt-yard and proclaimed the coming of the four knights who were
to carry the Fortress of Beauty by their prowess against those who defended
it; and summoned the Queen to surrender her Fortress to the Four Foster
Children of Desire.

The Earl of Arundel led the way with Lord Windsor, both magnificently
attired, with a large following of attendant esquires. But Lucy's eyes
dilated with an admiration that was too deep for words, as Philip Sidney
rode into the yard in blue and gilt armour, seated on a splendid horse, on
which he sat with graceful ease as it curveted and pranced, perfectly
controlled by the skill of its rider. Four spare horses, richly
caparisoned, were led behind him by pages, and thirty gentlemen and yeomen,
amongst whom were Humphrey and George Ratcliffe, with four trumpeters
dressed in cassock coats and caps, Venetian hose of yellow velvet adorned
with silver lace, and white buskins. A silver band passing like a scarf
over the shoulder and under the arm bore the mo