so much time, bestow not so many hours
daily, orderly, and constantly, for the increase of learning and
knowledge, as doth the queen's majesty herself. Yea, I believe that
besides her perfect readiness in Latin, Italian, French, and Spanish,
she readeth here now at Windsor more Greek every day, than some
prebendary of this church doth Latin in a whole week. Amongst all the
benefits which God had blessed me withal, next the knowledge of Christ's
true religion, I count this the greatest, that it pleased God to call
me to be one poor minister in setting forward these excellent gifts of
learning," etc. (page 242.) "Truly," says Harrison, "it is a rare thing
with us now to hear of a courtier which hath but his own language; and
to say how many gentlewomen and ladies there are that, besides sound
knowledge of the Greek and Latin tongues, are thereto no less skilful in
the Spanish, Italian, and French, or in some one of them, it resteth
not in me, sith I am persuaded, that as the noblemen and gentlemen do
surmount in this behalf, so these come little or nothing at all behind
them for their parts; which industry God continue. The stranger, that
entereth in the court of England upon the sudden, shall rather imagine
himself to come into some public school of the university, where many
give ear to one that readeth unto them, than into a prince's palace, if
you confer thus with those of other nations." Description of Britain,
book ii. chap. 15. By this account, the court had profited by the
example of the queen. The sober way of life practised by the ladies of
Elizabeth's court appears from the same author. Reading, spinning, and
needlework occupied the elder; music the younger. Id. ibid.]

[Footnote 44: NOTE RR, p. 391. Sir Charles Cornwallis, the king's
ambassador at Madrid, when pressed by the duke of Lernia to enter into
a league with Spain, said to that minister, "Though his majesty was an
absolute king, and therefore not bound to give an account to any of his
actions, yet that so gracious and regardful a prince he was of the love
and contentment of his own subjects, as I assured myself he would not
think it fit to do any thing of so great consequence without acquainting
them with his intentions." Winwood, vol. ii. p. 222. Sir Walter Raleigh
has this passage in the preface to his History of the World: "Philip
II., by strong hand and main force, attempted to make himself not
only an absolute monarch over the Netherlands, like