ip answered, that he knew he would be
happy to obey her commands. "No," said she, "do you bid him go, for I
have nothing to do with him." Robert Cary thought it hard to be sent off
without first seeing the queen; "Sir," said he to his father, who urged
his going, "if she be on such hard terms with me, I had need be wary
what I do. If I go to the king without her license, it were in her power
to hang me at my return, and that, for any thing I see, it were ill
trusting her." Lord Hunsdon "merrily" told the queen what he said. "If
the gentleman be so distrustful," she answered, "let the secretary make
a safe-conduct to go and come, and I will sign it." On his return with
letters from James, Robert Cary hastened to court, and entered the
presence-chamber splashed and dirty as he was; but not finding the queen
there, lord Hunsdon went to her to announce his son's arrival. She
desired him to receive the letter, or message, and bring it to her. But
the young gentleman knew the court and the queen too well to consent to
give up his dispatches even to his father; he insisted on delivering
them himself, and at length, with much difficulty gained admission.

The first encounter was, as he expresses it, "stormy and terrible,"
which he passed over with silence; but when the queen had "said her
pleasure" of himself and his wife, he made her a courtly excuse; with
which she was so well appeased, that she at length assured him all was
forgiven and forgotten, and received him into her wonted favor. After
this happy conclusion of an adventure so perilous to a courtier of
Elizabeth, Cary returned to Carlisle; and his father's death soon
occurring, he had orders to take upon himself the government of Berwick
till further orders. In this situation he remained a year without
salary; impairing much his small estate, and unable to obtain from court
either an allowance, or leave of absence to enable him to solicit one in
person. At length, necessity rendering him bold, he resolved to hazard
the step of going up without permission. On his arrival, however,
neither secretary Cecil nor even his own brother would venture to
introduce him to the queen's presence, but advised him to hasten back
before his absence should be known, for fear of her anger. At last, as
he stood sorrowfully pondering on his case, a gentleman of the chamber,
touched with pity, undertook to mention his arrival to her majesty in a
way which should not displease her: and he ope