Shirley.—­“Even so standeth my Lord, if your disavowing of him may also stand with your Highness’s favour towards him.  Nevertheless; should this bruit of your mislike of his Lordship’s authority there come unto the ears of those people; being a nation both sudden and suspicious, and having been heretofore used to stratagem—­I fear it may work some strange notion in them, considering that, at this time, there is an increase of taxation raised upon them, the bestowing whereof perchance they know not of.  His Lordship’s giving; up of the government may leave them altogether without government, and in worse case than they were ever in before.  For now the authority of the States is dissolved, and his Lordship’s government is the only thing that holdeth them together.  I do beseech your Highness, then, to consider well of it, and if there be any private cause for which you take grief against his Lordship, nevertheless, to have regard unto the public cause, and to have a care of your own safety, which in many wise men’s opinions, standeth much upon the good maintenance and upholding of this matter.”

Queen.—­“I believe nothing of, what you say concerning the dissolving of the authority of the States.  I know well enough that the States do remain states still.  I mean not to do harm to the cause, but only to reform that which his Lordship hath done beyond his warrant from me.”

And with this the Queen swept suddenly from the apartment.  Sir Thomas, at different stages of the conversation, had in vain besought her to accept a letter from the Earl which had been entrusted to his care.  She obstinately refused to touch it.  Shirley had even had recourse to stratagem:  affecting ignorance on many points concerning which the Queen desired information, and suggesting that doubtless she would find those matters fully explained in his Lordship’s letter.  The artifice was in vain, and the discussion was, on the whole, unsatisfactory.  Yet there is no doubt that the Queen had had the worst of the argument, and she was far too sagacious a politician not to feel the weight of that which had been urged so often in defence of the course pursued.  But it was with her partly a matter of temper and offended pride, perhaps even of wounded affection.

On the following morning Shirley saw the Queen walking in the garden of the palace, and made bold to accost her.  Thinking, as he said, “to test her affection to Lord Leicester by another means,” the artful Sir Thomas stepped up to her, and observed that his Lordship was seriously ill.  “It is feared,” he said, “that the Earl is again attacked by the disease of which Dr. Goodrowse did once cure him.  Wherefore his Lordship is now a humble suitor to your Highness that it would please you to spare Goodrowse, and give him leave to go thither for some time.”

The Queen was instantly touched.

“Certainly—­with all my heart, with all my heart, he shall have him,” she replied, “and sorry I am that his Lordship hath that need of him.”