d strongly supported by the speeches of several
members, for reiteration of the suit. At this her majesty was so
incensed, that she communicated by sir Francis Knowles her positive
command to the house to proceed no further in this business, satisfying
themselves with the promise of marriage which she had made on the word
of a prince. But that truly independent member Paul Wentworth could not
be brought to acquiesce with tameness in this prohibition, and he moved
the house on the question, whether the late command of her majesty was
not a breach of its privileges? The queen hereupon issued an injunction
that there should be no debates on this point; but the spirit of
resistance rose so high in the house of commons against this her
arbitrary interference, that she found it expedient, a few days after,
to rescind both orders, making a great favor however of her compliance,
and insisting on the condition, that the subject should not at this time
be further pursued.

In her speech on adjourning parliament she did not omit to acquaint both
houses with her extreme displeasure at their interference touching the
naming of a successor; a matter which she always chose to regard as
belonging exclusively to her prerogative;--and she ended by telling
them, "that though perhaps they might have after her one better learned
or wiser, yet she assured them none more careful over them. And
therefore henceforth she bade them beware how they proved their prince's
patience as they had now done hers. And notwithstanding, not meaning,
she said, to make a Lent of Christmas, the most part of them might
assure themselves that they departed in their prince's grace[61]."

[Note 61: Strype's "Annals."]

She utterly refused an extraordinary subsidy which the commons had
offered on condition of her naming her successor, and even of the
ordinary supplies which she accepted, she remitted a fourth, popularly
observing, that it was as well for her to have money in the coffers of
her subjects as in her own. By such an alternation of menaces and
flatteries did Elizabeth contrive to preserve her ascendency over the
hearts and minds of her people!

The earl of Leicester had lately been elected chancellor of the
university of Oxford, and in the autumn of 1566 the queen consented to
honor with her presence this seat of learning, long ambitious of such a
distinction. She was received with the same ceremonies as at Cambridge:
learned exhibitions of the same n