from their great use of sugar). She had in her
ears two pearls with very rich drops; she wore false
hair, and that red; upon her head she had a small crown,
reported to be made of some of the gold of the celebrated
Lunebourg table. Her bosom was uncovered, as
all the English ladies have it till they marry; and
she had on a necklace of exceeding fine jewels; her
hands were small, her fingers long, and her stature
neither small nor low; her air was stately, her manner
of speaking mild and obliging. That day she was
dressed in white silk, bordered with pearls of the
size of beans, and over it a mantle of black silk,
shot with silver threads; her train was very long,
and the end of it borne by a marchioness; instead of
a chain she had an oblong collar of gold and jewels.”
As she swept on in this magnificence, she spoke graciously
first to one, then to another, and always in the language
of any foreigner she addressed; whoever spoke to her
kneeled, and wherever she turned her face, as she was
going along, everybody fell down on his knees.
When she pulled off her glove to give her hand to
be kissed, it was seen to be sparkling with rings and
jewels. The ladies of the court, handsome and
well shaped, followed, dressed for the most part in
white; and on either side she was guarded by fifty
gentlemen pensioners with gilt battle-axes. In
the ante-chapel, where she graciously received petitions,
there was an acclaim of “Long live Queen Elizabeth!”
to which she answered, “I thank you, my good
people.” The music in the chapel was excellent,
and the whole service was over in half an hour.
This is Hentzner’s description of the setting
out of her table:
“A gentleman entered the room bearing a rod,
and along with him another who had a table-cloth,
which, after they had both kneeled three times, he
spread upon the table; and after kneeling again they
both retired. Then came two others, one with
the rod again, the other with a salt-cellar, a plate,
and bread; and when they had kneeled as the others
had done, and placed what was brought upon the table,
they two retired with the same ceremonies performed
by the first. At last came an unmarried lady (we
were told she was a countess) and along with her a
married one, bearing a tasting-knife; the former was
dressed in white silk, who, when she had prostrated
herself three times, in the most graceful manner approached
the table, and rubbed the plates with bread and salt,
with as much awe as if the Queen had been present.
When they had waited there a little while the Yeomen
of the Guard entered, bare-headed, clothed in scarlet,
with a golden rose upon their backs, bringing in at
each turn a course of twenty-four dishes, served in
plate, most of it gilt; these dishes were received
by a gentleman in the same order they were brought,
and placed upon the table, while the Lady Taster gave
to each of the guard a mouthful to eat, of the particular
dish he had brought, for fear of, any poison.
During the time that this guard, which consists of