To take him in the observations of his letters and writings, (which should best set him off,) for such as fell into my hands, I never yet saw a style or phrase more seeming religious, and fuller of the streams of devotion, and were they not sincere, I doubt much of his well being, and I may fear he was too well seen in the aphorisms and principles of Nicholas the Florentine, and in the reaches of Cæsar Borgia; and hitherto I have only touched him in his courtship. I conclude him in his lance: he was sent governor by the Queen to the United States of Holland, where we read not of his wonders, for they say that he had more of Mercury than Mars, and that his device

rently accused of having poisoned her husband to make way for the match.

*He ordinarily affected an extravagant zeal for the Protestant religion, received the eucharist frequently, and pretended great respect for the more strict clergy, who, in turn, attached themselves to his party. See Memoirs of the Sidneys, Vol. I. p. 54. Grotius de Rebus Belgicis, Lib. 5.

might have been, without prejudice to the great Cæsar,-veni, vidi, redii. *

* The preceding Memoirs of Cary have a sneer at Leicester's Low-Country exploits, p. 11.

SUSSEX.

His co-rival, before mentioned, was Thomas Ratcliff, Earl of Sussex, who in his constellation was his direct opposite, for he was indeed one of the Queen's martialists, and did very good service in Ireland, at her first accession, till she recalled him to the court, where she made him Lord Chamberlain; but he played not his game with that cunning and dexterity as Leicester did, who was much the more facere courtier, though Sussex was thought much the honester man, and far the better soldier, but he lay too open on his guard.

He was a goodly gentleman, and of a brave noble nature, true and constant to his friends and servants; he was also of a very noble and ancient lineage, honoured through many descents by the title of Viscounts Fitzwalters: Moreover there was

such an antipathy in his nature to that of Leicester's, that, being together in court, and both in high employments, they grew to a direct frowardness, and were in continual opposition, the one setting the watch, the other the centinel, each on the other's actions and motions; for my Lord of Sussex was of a great spirit, which, backed with the Queen's special favour, and supported by a great and ancient inheritance, could not brook the other's empire: Insomuch as the Queen, upon sundry occasions, had somewhat to do to appease and attain them, until death parted the competition, and let the place of Leicester, who was not long alone without his rival in grace and command; and to conclude, this favourite, it is confidently affirmed, that, lying in his last sickness, he gave this caveat to his friends: I am now passing into another world, and I must now leave you to your fortunes, and to the Queen's grace and goodness; but beware of the gipsey, meaning Leicester,

for he will be too hard for you all; you know not the best so well as I do. *

In the libels called "Leicester's Commonwealth" and "Leicester's Ghost," he is accused of having caused Sussex to be poisoned: and that he endeavoured to poison his favour with the Queen, is evident from many passages in the correspondence of Sir Ralph Sadler, during the great Northern Insurrection in 12th Elizabeth.