tune of their employments, the one side attending the court, the other the pavilion, surely they would have broken out into some kind of hostility, or at least they would have wrestled one in the other like trees encircled with ivy; for there was a time when both these fraternities being met at court, there passed a challenge between them at certain exercises, the Queen and the old men being spectators, which ended in a flat quarrel amongst them all ; and I am persuaded, though I ought not to judge, that there were some relics of this feud that were long after the causes of the one families (almost utter) extirpation, and of the others improsperity. For it was a known truth, that so long as my Lord of Leicester lived, who was the main pillar of the one side, as having married the sister, none of the other side took any deep rooting in the court; though otherwise they made their ways to honour by their swords: and that which is of more note, (consider

ing my Lord of Leicester's use of men of arms, being shortly after sent governor to the revolted states, and no soldier himself,) is, that he made no more account of Sir John Norris, a soldier then deservedly famoused, * and trained from a page, under the discipline of the great Captain of Christendom, the Admiral Castilion, and of command in the French and Dutch wars almost twenty years. It is of further observation, that my Lord of Essex, after Leicester's decease, though initiated to arms, and honoured by the general, in the Portugal expedition; whether out of instigation, as it hath been thought, or out of ambition and jealousy, to be eclipsed and overshadowed by the fame and splendour of this great commander, loved him not in sincerity. Moreover, certain it is, he

*Witness his memorable retreat at the head of a thousand men only, through the Prince of Parma's whole army for three miles together.

Sir Francis Drake, and Sir John Norris, in conjunction, undertook an expedition, called at the time

not only crushed, and, upon all occasions, quelled the growth of this brave man, and his famous brethren, but therewith drew on his own fatal end, by undertaking the Irish action, in a time when he left the court, empty of friends, and full fraught with his profest enemies. * But I forbear to extend myself in any further relation upon this subject, as having lost some notes

"The Journey of Portugal," having for its object the invasion of that kingdom. Essex stole from court, and joined them without the Queen's leave, at which she was highly displeased.

* Sir John Norris was sent into Ireland in 1596, with the title of lord-general. But his success against the rebels did not correspond with his high military character. He was imposed upon by Tyrone, and was at constant variance with the Lord-Deputy Russell. When the latter was recalled, Norris expected to succeed him in his office; but through the influence of Essex, Lord Bourg was sent over as deputy, and Sir John was ordered in a sort of disgrace to his government of Munster. This slight is supposed to have broken his heart, and he died in the arms of his brother Sir Edward in 1597. Essex, by disgracing this brave general, meant to pave the way for his own Irish expedition, and the success of his intrigue proved the immediate cause of his ruin.

of truth, in these two noble families, which I would present, and therewith touched somewhat, which I would not, if the equity of the narration would have admitted an intermission.

SIR JOHN PERROT.

Sir John Perrot was a goodly gentleman, and of the sword; and as he was of a very ancient descent, as an heir to many abstracts of gentry, especially from Guy de Bryan of Lawhern, so was he of a vast estate, and came not to the court for want; and to these adjuncts, he had the endowments of courage and height of spirit, had it lighted on the allay of temper and discretion, the defect whereof, with a native freedom and boldness of speech, drew him on to a clouded setting, and laid him open to the spleen and advantage of his enemies, amongst whom Sir Christopher Hatton was profest. He was yet a wise man, and a brave courtier, but rough, and participating more of active than sedentary motions, as being in his constellation destinated for arms. There is a query of some denotations, how