e papal
court, deterred him from extending his travels to Rome, an omission
which he afterwards deeply regretted; but a leisurely survey of the
northern cities of Italy, during which he became advantageously known to
many eminent characters, occupied him profitably and delightfully till
his return to his native country in 1575, after which he will again
occur to our notice as the pride and wonder of the English court.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1573 TO 1577.

Letters of lord Talbot to his father.--Connexion of Leicester with lady
Sheffield.--Anecdote of the queen and Mr. Dyer.--Queen suspicions of
Burleigh.--Countesses of Lenox and Shrewsbury imprisoned.--Queen refuses
the sovereignty of Holland.--Her remarkable speech to the
deputies.--Alchemy.--Notice of Dr. Dee--of Frobisher.--Family of
Love.--Burning of two Anabaptists.--Entertainment of the queen at
Kennelworth.--Notice of Walter earl of Essex.--General favor towards his
son Robert.--Letter of the queen to the earl of Shrewsbury respecting
Leicester.

Great as had been the injustice committed by Elizabeth in the detention
of the queen of Scots, it must be confessed that the offence brought
with it its own sufficient punishment in the fears, jealousies and
disquiets which it entailed upon her.

Where Mary was concerned, the most approved loyalty, the longest course
of faithful service, and the truest attachment to the protestant cause,
were insufficient pledges to her oppressor of the fidelity of her nobles
or ministers. The earl of Shrewsbury, whom she had deliberately selected
from all others to be the keeper of the captive queen, and whose
vigilance had now for so long a period baffled all attempts for her
deliverance, was, to the last, unable so to establish himself in the
confidence of his sovereign as to be exempt from such starts of
suspicion and fits of displeasure as kept him in a state of continual
apprehension. Feeling with acuteness all the difficulties of his
situation, this nobleman judged it expedient to cause Gilbert lord
Talbot, his eldest son, to remain in close attendance on the motions of
the queen; charging him to study with unremitting attention all the
intrigues of the court, on which in that day so much depended, and to
acquaint him with them frequently and minutely. To this precaution of
the earl's we owe several extant letters of lord Talbot, which throw
considerable light on the minor incidents of the time.

In May 1573, this diligen