isure.--My Lord of Leicester, I trust you remember we mean to taste
the good cheer of your Castle of Kenilworth on this week ensuing. We
will pray you to bid our good and valued friend, the Earl of Sussex, to
hold company with us there."

"If the noble Earl of Sussex," said Leicester, bowing to his rival with
the easiest and with the most graceful courtesy, "will so far honour my
poor house, I will hold it an additional proof of the amicable regard it
is your Grace's desire we should entertain towards each other."

Sussex was more embarrassed. "I should," said he, "madam, be but a clog
on your gayer hours, since my late severe illness."

"And have you been indeed so very ill?" said Elizabeth, looking on him
with more attention than before; "you are, in faith, strangely altered,
and deeply am I grieved to see it. But be of good cheer--we will
ourselves look after the health of so valued a servant, and to whom we
owe so much. Masters shall order your diet; and that we ourselves
may see that he is obeyed, you must attend us in this progress to
Kenilworth."

This was said so peremptorily, and at the same time with so much
kindness, that Sussex, however unwilling to become the guest of his
rival, had no resource but to bow low to the Queen in obedience to
her commands, and to express to Leicester, with blunt courtesy, though
mingled with embarrassment, his acceptance of his invitation. As the
Earls exchanged compliments on the occasion, the Queen said to her High
Treasurer, "Methinks, my lord, the countenances of these our two noble
peers resemble those of the two famed classic streams, the one so dark
and sad, the other so fair and noble. My old Master Ascham would have
chid me for forgetting the author. It is Caesar, as I think. See what
majestic calmness sits on the brow of the noble Leicester, while Sussex
seems to greet him as if he did our will indeed, but not willingly."

"The doubt of your Majesty's favour," answered the Lord Treasurer, "may
perchance occasion the difference, which does not--as what does?--escape
your Grace's eye."

"Such doubt were injurious to us, my lord," replied the Queen. "We hold
both to be near and dear to us, and will with impartiality employ both
in honourable service for the weal of our kingdom. But we will break
their further conference at present.--My Lords of Sussex and Leicester,
we have a word more with you. 'Tressilian and Varney are near your
persons--you will see that they at