E

CHAPTER XV

THE END OF "SWEET ROBIN"

SSEX and his family are scattered in the country places. Mountjoy is in Ireland, my Lord Rich convalescent, for Penelope has saved his life. Let us go back some years and read a part of a letter written by Thomas Fowler in Edinburgh to Lord Burghley as far back as 1589, when Essex and his sister were evidently desirous to court the goodwill of James I betimes. Nicknames and cyphers, it must be understood, were the order of the day. The former were employed both in fun and earnest in this case surely the last, for Burghley had his spies of all degrees and nationalities in every quarter and in every court.

"Your Lordship may be pleased to know that I learn that Mr. Richard Douglas, coming last from London, brought down one Ottoman (Robert Dale). The said Mr. Richard . . . himself delivered a letter from the Earl of Essex to His Majesty, with credit: both these (gentlemen) were in commission from the Earl to deal largely with His Majesty, to assure him of the Earl's service and fidelity, and Ottoman to carry back the answer, what was not meet to be committed in writing. He had a letter from this king back again to the Earl besides this. These two had to deal with the King for the like assurance of Ricardo (Lord Rich) and lady, but no writings from the lord, yet two several letters from Ryalta (Lady Rich) written to Mr. Richard Douglas,

235 whereby she remembers him of his charge for his friends, and a nickname for everyone that is partaker in the matter; whereof the said Mr. Richard hath a long scroll as an alphabet of cipher to understand them by. I can tell few of their names, but the Queen's Majesty is Venus, and the Earl (Essex) the Weary Knight, as I remember, but always that he is exceedingly weary, accounting it a thrall that he lives now in, and wishes the change. She is very pleasant in her letters, and writes the most part thereof in her brother's behalf, so as they should be showed to Victor (the King), which they were; and the dark parts thereof expounded to him. He commended much the fineness of her wit, the invention, and well writing. For the more assurance, Mr. Douglas took back from the King both the Earl's letters to him, and Ryalta's to himself. The said Ottoman had many secret conferences with the King, which pleased him exceedingly; and Mr. Douglas won credit where before he had none: but I trow some of them went too far in persuading the poor King to hope for help shortly, and that Her Majesty could not live above a year or two, by reason of some imperfection, I know not what. Ryalta writes almost every week to Mr. Richard . . . all in their own devised terms: but Mr. Richard hath not so much credit with the King but he would fain have my help in these matters. Whereupon he told me that the Earl of Essex and all his friends would be mine in anything I had to do. Ryalta especially would be so, and had willed him to assure me of it, and needs he must have me write some few words of thanks, that she might know he had done her message, which I did; And he sent it, and received a letter from her to me in a short time, which letter contains but courteous promise of her friendship and the Earl's, when I will in particular let them know how they may stand me in stead, and a postscript how much Mr. Richard Douglas loves me. This is all I know of this matter: but this day Mr. Richard showed

the King two of her letters and expounded them. I am no further trusted in these matters, but in general terms by Mr. Richard, how much the Earl loves the King and honours him, and would fain the King were so persuaded thoroughly. I have not showed myself willing to deal in any of those matters, because I told Mr. Richard they were not secret in this country. Now have I written to your Lordship of this, that though it be no matter of great importance, yet that you shall not be ignorant of anything that is handling here: and yet if it should be discovered at least if I were the actor, it would be my great trouble and danger of life; and sure if it be taken knowledge of there, at least a good whiles, it will be thought to come from me. To avoid these I commit it only to your Lordship, and write thereof to no living creature but yourself, nor will; and I shall long to know that your Lordship hath received it safely."1

A month later Fowler once more has news of the Rich couple. A certain Roger Dalton, he says, has had secret conference several times with "Victor" (King James. He had a commission from " Ryalta" and

Ricardo," and has brought with him the lady's picture as an offering to the King. Roger Dale's companion, one Constable, who has brought the picture, has been well received by James and "would have had Victor write to Ryalta, but he could not bring it to pass, for Victor was troubled otherways."

By these extracts it is plain that when service under Elizabeth became dangerous, difficult, and insupportable, Essex and his friends looked with eagerness to the possibilities of relief which might come with a new sovereign. The Queen, despite her daily galliards, her sublime disregard of her increasing years, her love of compliments to her beauty, was marching visibly into 1 Murdin's State Papers.

senility. To the general public she was still a great Queen. Here and there an eye-witness breaks forth into praise and loyalty. We have glimpses in history of pedestrians who suddenly come upon her as she goes to Court by torch-light, and the emotions excited by the sudden vision of her in her jewels and splendour. But for all that, her wrinkles and decrepitude could not be hidden. "In her old age," testifies one who saw her, "she had a goggle throat, a great gullet hanging out, as her grandfather, Henry VII, is ever painted withal. . And truly there was there a report that the ladies had gotten false looking-glasses that the Queen might not see her own wrinkles." This sad little farce must be played to the finish, while all about her knew that the days of change were not very far off. All these considerations prompted the emotions which surged to high tide in the mind of Essex when he propounded the aforementioned plan of his rescue to Mountjoy in combination with Scottish reinforcements.

Less risky were the alternatives suggested-that he should escape to France and live in voluntary exile, that he should summon the aid of friends in Wales, that he should by a bold stroke go to Court, dominate it, and gain the Queen's presence at last by sheer determination. His friends were unanimous as to the wisdom of flight, and Southampton and Sir Henry Danvers were ready to accompany him and sacrifice their lives and fortunes as his comrades. This prospect of exile, this fall from greatness to poverty and unimportance Essex could not stomach. His pride was still too great, his spirit too untameable. As regards the Scottish matter, negotiations on the part of himself and Mountjoy were warily instituted. The latter sent an emissary North to exonerate Essex from the treasonable and ambitious scheme

attributed to him-i.e. his object to claim the crown for himself as Elizabeth's successor-and to declare that the Earl's desire was to see James named as her heir in her lifetime.

When Mountjoy later was ordered to Ireland it occurred to both of them that in the event of a sudden change of sovereign at this time, the fortunes of Essex were likely to remain in abeyance for ever. Once more, therefore, the two worked to secure the support of the Scottish King. This time the suggestion was far bolder. James was to attack Elizabeth as to the succession problem, while Essex and his supporters worked on his behalf, and Mountjoy, leaving Ireland sufficiently guarded, should back up the Scottish King with a force numbering between four and five thousand. When Southampton joined Mountjoy in Ireland he carried an additional suggestion from Essex. The new Lord Deputy was now to go straight over with the above force to Wales, whence, of course, it would be far easier to menace Queen and Court. Mountjoy-as we know-refused. He was not sure of James's approval and co-operation. Without them he would risk nothing. Nor did he deem it necessary to stake so much while Essex, though in disgrace, was no longer a prisoner of state in danger of his life.

Presently Southampton returned from Ireland and went temporarily to the Netherlands while Essex turned an ear to evil counsellors. Once me he appealed to Mountjoy and was refused. Officially the latter would do nothing. His aid must he postponed till the campaign was over and he could interest himself as a private individual in the restoration and rehabilitation of the Earl. Essex did not wait for his reply or his recommendations to patience and caution. He sent an