Flanders.  Stanley was meanly dressed, in the Spanish fashion, and as young Cecil, passing through the chamber, looked him in the face, he abruptly turned from him, and pulled his hat over his eyes. “’Twas well he did so,” said that young gentleman, “for his taking it off would hardly have cost me mine.”  Cecil was informed that Stanley was to have a commandery of Malta, and was in good favour with the Duke, who was, however, quite weary of his mutinous and disorderly Irish regiment.

In the bed-chamber, Farnese—­accompanied by the Marquis del Guasto, the Marquis of Renty, the Prince of Aremberg, President Richardot, and Secretary Cosimo—­received the envoy and his companion.  “Small and mean was the furniture of the chamber,” said Cecil; “and although they attribute this to his love of privacy, yet it is a sign that peace is the mother of all honour and state, as may best be perceived by the court of England, which her Majesty’s royal presence doth so adorn, as that it exceedeth this as far as the sun surpasseth in light the other stars of the firmament.”

Here was a compliment to the Queen and her upholsterers drawn in by the ears.  Certainly, if the first and best fruit of the much-longed-for peace were only to improve the furniture of royal and ducal apartments, it might be as well perhaps for the war to go on, while the Queen continued to outshine all the stars in the firmament.  But the budding courtier and statesman knew that a personal compliment to Elizabeth could never be amiss or ill-timed.

The envoy delivered the greetings of her Majesty to the Duke, and was heard with great attention.  Alexander attempted a reply in French, which was very imperfect, and, apologizing, exchanged that tongue for Italian.  He alluded with great fervour to the “honourable opinion concerning his sincerity and word,” expressed to him by her Majesty, through the mouth of her envoy.  “And indeed,” said he, “I have always had especial care of keeping my word.  My body and service are at the commandment of the King, my lord and master, but my honour is my own, and her Majesty may be assured that I shall always have especial regard of my word to so great and famous a Queen as her Majesty.”

The visit was one of preliminaries and of ceremony.  Nevertheless Farnese found opportunity to impress the envoy and his companions with his sincerity of heart.  He conversed much with Cecil, making particular and personal inquiries, and with appearance of deep interest, in regard to Queen Elizabeth.

“There is not a prince in the world—­” he said, “reserving all question between her Majesty and my royal master—­to whom I desire more to do service.  So much have I heard of her perfections, that I wish earnestly that things might so fall out, as that it might be my fortune to look upon her face before my return to my own country.  Yet I desire to behold her, not as a servant to him who is not able still to maintain war, or as one that