resent fortune; and after acknowledging
his offence in the most humble terms, he was committed to custody by
Mountjoy, who intended to bring him over captive into England, to be
disposed of at the queen's pleasure.

But Elizabeth was now incapable of receiving any satisfaction from this
fortunate event: she had fallen into a profound melancholy; which all
the advantages of her high fortune, all the glories of her prosperous
reign, were unable in any degree to alleviate or assuage. Some ascribed
this depression of mind to her repentance of granting a pardon to
Tyrone, whom she had always resolved to bring to condign punishment for
his treasons, but who had made such interest with the ministers as to
extort a remission from her. Others, with more likelihood, accounted for
her dejection by a discovery which she had made, of the correspondence
maintained in her court with her successor, the king of Scots, and by
the neglect to which, on account of her old age and infirmities, she
imagined herself to be exposed. But there is another cause assigned for
her melancholy, which has long been rejected by historians as romantic,
but which late discoveries seem to have confirmed:[*] some incidents
happened which revived her tenderness for Essex, and filled her with
the deepest sorrow for the consent which she had unwarily given to his
execution.

* See the proofs of this remarkable fact collected in
Birch's Negotiations, p. 206. And Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 481,
505, 506, etc.

The earl of Essex, after his return from the fortunate expedition
against Cadiz, observing the increase of the queen's fond attachment
towards him, took occasion to regret, that the necessity of her service
required him often to be absent from her person, and exposed him to all
those ill offices which his enemies, more assiduous in their attendance,
could employ against him. She was moved with this tender jealousy; and
making him the present of a ring, desired him to keep that pledge of her
affection, and assured him, that into whatever disgrace he should fall,
whatever prejudices she might be induced to entertain against him, yet,
if he sent her that ring, she would immediately upon the sight of it
recall her former tenderness, would afford him a patient hearing, and
would lend a favorable ear to his apology. Essex, notwithstanding all
his misfortunes, reserved this precious gift to the last extremity; but
after his trial and condemnation, he r