the experiment in which he had failed. Notwithstanding her short and
capricious fits of pride and anger, it was manifest that Leicester still
exercised over her mind an influence superior on the whole to that of
any other person; and the high distinction with which she continued to
treat him, both in public and private, alarmed the jealousy and provoked
the hostility of all who thought themselves entitled by rank, by
relationship, or by merit, to a larger share of her esteem and favor, or
a more intimate participation in her councils.

One nobleman there was, who had peculiar pretensions to supersede
Leicester in his popular appellation of "Heart of the Court," and on
whom he had already fixed in secret the watchful eye of a rival. This
was Thomas duke of Norfolk. Inheriting through several channels the
blood of the Plantagenets,--nearly related to the queen by her maternal
ancestry, and connected by descent or alliance with the whole body of
the ancient nobility; endeared also to the people by many shining
qualities, and still more by his unfeigned zeal for reformed
religion,--his grace stood first amongst the peers of England, not in
degree alone or in wealth, but in power, in influence, and in public
estimation.

He was in the prime of manhood and lately a widower; and when, in the
parliament of 1566, certain members did not scruple to maintain that the
queen ought to be compelled to marry for the good of her country, the
duke was named by some, as the earl of Pembroke was by others and the
earl of Leicester by a third party, as the person whom she ought to
accept as a husband. It does not however appear that the duke himself
had aspired, openly at least, to these august but unattainable nuptials.

Elizabeth seems to have entertained for him at this period a real
regard: he could be to her no object of distrust or danger, and the
example which she was ever careful to set of a scrupulous observance of
the gradations of rank, led her on all occasions to prefer him to the
post of honor. Thus, after the peace with France in 1564, when Charles
IX. in return for the Garter, which the queen of England had sent him,
offered to confer the order of St. Michael on two English nobles of her
appointment, she named without hesitation the duke of Norfolk and the
earl of Leicester.

The arrogance of Dudley seldom escaped from the control of policy; and
as he had the sagacity to perceive that the duke was a competitor over
whom