howed
himself more than ever solicitous to improve the favor of his sovereign,
received confirmation from the unparalleled magnificence of the
reception which he provided for her when, during her progress in the
summer of 1575, she honored him with a visit in Warwickshire.

The "princely pleasures of Kennelworth," were famed in their day as the
quintessence of all courtly delight, and very long and very pompous
descriptions of these festive devices have come down to our times. They
were conducted on a scale of grandeur and expense which may still
surprise; but taste as yet was in its infancy, and the whole was
characterized by the unmerciful tediousness, the ludicrous
incongruities, and the operose pedantry of a semi-barbarous age.

A temporary bridge 70 feet in length was thrown across a valley to the
great gate of the castle, and its posts were hung with the offerings of
seven of the Grecian deities to her majesty; displaying in grotesque
assemblage, cages of various large birds, fruits, corn, fishes, grapes,
and wine in silver vessels, musical instruments of many kinds and
weapons and armour hung trophy-wise on two ragged staves. A poet
standing at the end of the bridge explained in Latin verse the meaning
of all. The Lady of the Lake, invisible since the disappearance of the
renowned prince Arthur, approached on a floating island along the moat
to recite adulatory verses. Arion, being summoned for the like purpose,
appeared on a dolphin four-and-twenty feet long, which carried in its
belly a whole orchestra. A Sibyl, a "Salvage man" and an Echo posted in
the park, all harangued in the same strain. Music and dancing enlivened
the Sunday evening. Splendid fireworks were displayed both on land and
water;--a play was performed;--an Italian tumbler exhibited his
feats;--thirteen bears were baited;--there were three stag-hunts, and a
representation of a country bridal, followed by running at the quintin:
finally, the men of Coventry exhibited, by express permission, their
annual mock fight in commemoration of a signal defeat of the Danes.

Nineteen days did the earl of Leicester sustain the overwhelming honor
of this royal visit;--a demonstration of her majesty's satisfaction in
her entertainment quite unexampled, but which probably awakened less
envy than any other token of her peculiar grace by which she might have
been pleased to distinguish her favorite.

No domestic incident had for a long time excited so strong a