full, they would have told pretty tales of the times but I must now close up, and rank him amongst the Togati, yet chief of those that laid the foundation of the Dutch and French wars, which was another piece of his finesse, and of the times, with one observation more, that he was one of the great allays of the Austerian embracements ; * for both himself, and Stafford that preceded him, might well have been compared to the fiend in the gospel, that sowed his tares in the night, so did they their seeds of division in the dark; and it is a likely report that they father on him, at his return, that the Queen said unto him, with some sensibility, of the Spanish designs on France, madam, I beseech you be content not to fear; the Spaniard hath a great appetite, and an excellent digestion; but I have fitted him with a bone for these twenty years, that your Majesty shall have no cause to doubt

* Sir Robert quaintly intimates, that he disconcerted the alliances formed by Austria.

him, provided, that if the fire chance to slack which I have kindled, you will be

ruled by me, and now and then cast in some English fuel, which will revive the flame.

WILLOUGHBY. *

My Lord Willoughby was one of the Queen's first swordsmen; he was of the ancient extract of the Bartues, but more ennobled by his mother, who was Duchess of Suffolk.

He was a great master of the art military, and was sent general into France, and commanded the second of five armies, that the Queen sent thither in the aid of the French. I have heard it spoken, that had he not slighted the court, but applied himself to the Queen, he might have enjoyed a plentiful portion of her grace; and it was his saying, (and it did him no good,)

* Peregrine Bertie, Lord Willoughby of Eresby, distinguished popularly by the epithet of "Brave Lord Willoughby." He was general of the English forces in Flanders, after the recal of Leicester, and distinguished himself greatly.

that he was none of the reptilia, intimating, that he could not creep on the ground, and that the court was not in his element; for indeed as he was a great soldier, so was he of a suitable magnanimity, and could not brook the obsequiousness and assiduity of the court, and as he then was somewhat descending from youth, happily he had an animam revertendi, and to make a safe retreat.

SIR NICHOLAS BACON.*

I come to another of the Togati, Sir Nicholas Bacon, an arch piece of wit and wisdom; he was a gentleman, and a man of law, and of great knowledge therein whereby, together with his other parts of learning and dexterity, he was promoted to be keeper of the great seal: And being of kin to the Treasurer Burleigh, had also the help of his hand to bring him into the Queen's favour, for he was abundantly facetious, which took much with the Queen, when it was suited with the season, as he was well able to judge of his times; he had a very quaint saying, and he used it often to good purpose, that he loved the

* Lord-keeper of the great seal, and the first who, in that office, was invested with the powers of a lord chancellor.