your famous fine gallants, now, who must needs dress themselves up in silk doublets, and look as melancholy as a woman without a lover, mayhap I should have been all the worse for the treatment I had whilst a prisoner, but I was of no such trumpery sort, I promise you; and the only thing that vexed me was, when I heard the great guns of the castle and the other ordnance and learned for what it was, I could not get to have any share of the fighting."

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I would you had been with us," observed Raleigh, "some of our commanders had wonderful need of your experience. There hath been famous blundering, and monstrous loss of excellent great profit to the queen in consequence.'

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Alack! for me not to have been at the taking of Cadiz is a thing to grieve at all my days," replied the colonel in some dejection, and then swallowed a cup of wine, as if to wash down his disappointment.

"I see not why you should so much lament it," observed Raleigh. "You have been at so many important actions, that methinks having no part of one only should be of no moment to you."

"But it is of exceeding moment to me!" exclaimed Colonel Harquebus sharply. "To have missed seeing so much excellent fine fighting is monstrous to think of. "Tis abominable -intolerable, villanous !"

"I must now to the captain of my ship," said Sir Walter, rising from his seat. "And to see how go on the wounded. Master Francis, remain you here till I return."

Master Francis had noted but little of the preceding conversation, for his thoughts had the most of the time been engaged upon the melancholy death of Joanna; but what he had seen and heard of his companion did not make him feel in any sort of comfort when he found himself left alone with him. There was something so stern in his look and uncourteous in his manner his heart felt chilled at it. A silence for a minute or so ensued after Sir Walter had left them. Master Francis felt too humbled to speak, and the other appeared not inclined for conversing. The colonel seemed scrutinising more severely than ever the appearnce of the young secretary, who was of too modest a disposition to find himself so rudely stared at without looking somewhat confused. He imagined that his companion might have heard from some one in the ship what gross affront the queen had put upon him before all her court, and believing there was

sufficient cause for it, was determined to use him despisingly. Colonel Harquebus drunk off another cup of wine, and seemed to be in some impatience. He beat the table with his knuckles-coughed a little-made too or three slight hems as as if he were about to speak, and ever and anon glanced frowningly at his companion. Master Francis wished that Sir Walter would return. Still never a word was spoke by either. Presently the colonel rose, stalked haughtily from the table, and just as he passed the other, he put on his face the scornfullest look he had yet used, and left the cabin muttering with a most contemptuous expression the words, "Paltry secretary!"

CHAPTER XI.

It is a work of charity, God knows,
The reconcilement of two mortal foes.

MIDDLETON.

Hold my heart-strings, whilst contempt
Of injuries, in scorn may bid defiance
To this base man's foul language.

FORD.

Peace, damn'd enchantress-peace! I should look on you
With eyes made red with fury; and my hand,

That shakes with rage, should much outstrip my tongue,
And seal my vengeance.

MASSINGER.

“I

"I LIKE it not, Master Bacon," observed my Lord Essex, as he flung himself into a chair in a spacious and well appointed chamber in his own stately mansion, with a countenance that showed he was chafed at something. like it not, I promise you. Here the first thing I find on my return is this fellow Cecil appointed secretary of state; and on my telling of the queen how little it pleased me, seeing I had wished Sir Thomas Bodley should have the place, he being much the properer man, she rated me soundly for questioning of her appointments, and said haughtily, she would have for her servants such as she liked."

"I do not see how your interest can suffer by this," replied Master Francis Bacon, looking up from a huge volume

he had in his lap. "Sir Robert Cecil doubtless knoweth what be his best policy. The man who hath his fortune to make beginnneth not by setting of himself against one whose fortune is established."

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Nay, 'tis not for that I care," answered my lord disdainfully. "I heed not a rush any of those Cecils, busy as they make themselves; but I looked to have the place for my friend; and it vexeth me monstrously to find, after perilling myself so often as I have done-put myself to great charges, and borne with her humours-whilst I was fighting of her battles, the queen should put such a slight on me as to appoint this fellow to the neglecting of Sir Thomas Bodley, whose fitness and worthiness I had earnestly spoke to her upon." "I pray you make the best of it, my lord," said Master Bacon. 66 Though Sir Thomas hath not been made secretary, it was not from lack of zeal in you for his advancement: therefore have you naught to complain of yourself. And now that Sir Robert hath been appointed to that office, it must be to little purpose your seeming vexed in any way; for your vexation will in no way serve your friend, or disparage his rival. All that can be said of it amounteth to this-that the appointment is a disappointment."

"And a miss appointment, or I'm hugely mistaken," replied the other in some bitterness.

"Then shall no blame be attached to you in the appointing," added his companion.

"But it be monstrous of the queen to have used me thus !" exclaimed my Lord Essex sharply, as he left off playing with the gold buttons upon his green velvet doublet, and threw himself back in his chair, looking more discontented than ever. "It seemeth that every fool must have influence with her now, whilst they who have perilled life and limb for her are to be slighted at every turn of her pestilent humour."

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My lord," replied Master Bacon, gazing upon the other with exceeding seriousness. "It hath pleased you to take me to be your friend and counsellor-more from your infinite sweet nobleness of heart than from any merit of mine-therefore must you excuse any seeming over-boldness in me seek I the proper performing of the counsellor's part. It must be apparent on the very slightest reflection, that her majesty hath been a most bountiful mistress to you. Mayhap she hath some qualities of temper you approve not of; but where will you find any one human creature, more particularly a woman,

still more a sovereign, that hath so happy a disposition naught could be taken away to better it? I know not of the queen's majesty's ill qualities of mine own knowledge, but I know of her very many princely virtues; and have seen with how singular admirable a friendliness she hath been disposed towards you on divers occasions, to the making of you the chiefest in her court. That your marvellous great worth, excellent valour, and very perfect discretion, deserved no less of her, be true enough; but it speaketh famous things of her discrimination that she should have found out your truly noble excellences; and she deserveth the like praise in proving she knew how to appreciate them. Touching this appointment of Sir Robert Cecil, it must be known unto you, the queen's majesty must needs have a voice in the matter. She hath used it; her will is absolute, and all opposition fruitless. Perchance Sir Thomas Bodley was the properer man; and having recommended him as such, you should reconcile yourself to another being preferred in his stead, by remembering you have done your duty as a subjeet in stating to your sovereign who was the fittest person, and fulfilled all that your friend could have expected of you by lauding and bringing forward. his qualifications. The thing is ended. Now you can neither serve your friend in the matter, nor yourself by making any stir in it; and if Sir Robert Cecil hath any ill will against you, or any of his family-I say not they have, for I should be loath to attribute bad feelings to any honourable personthey would like nothing so well as seeing you setting of yourself against the queen's pleasure, which they know well enough can only end in your discomfort, and their further profit. I pray you, pardon me, my lord, if, in my earnest zeal for your welfare, I may have seemed to put myself too forward in saying what I have; but no consideration for mine own interests would allow me to see you risking your favour with the queen without giving you proper caution."

My Lord Essex had listened to what fell from Master Bacon rather impatiently at first-looking haughtily, pulling down the sleeves of his doublet, adjusting his cloak, and changing of his position; but towards the end of it, he seemed better satisfied, and looked with a more pleased aspect. The reasoning was too convincing to be disputed; and it was so properly put forward, that one even of so proud a nature as was my Lord of Essex, and spoiled child of Fortune as he was, could find no offence in it.

"I will endeavour to think no more of the matter," observed he, rising from his seat and proceeding to the window. "But I like not these Cecils. My lord treasurer seemeth to be ever opposing me and I would rather any man than Sir Robert had been made secretary."

My Lord of Essex stood a few minutes silently looking out into the court-yard, and Master Bacon quietly returned to the perusing of his book.

"Ha!" exclaimed the former in a note of pleased surprise. "Here cometh Raleigh." At the first hearing of this intelligence Master Bacon closed the volume he held and placed it on the table before him, looking also in some degree gratified.

"I can say naught of his ability as a commander," observed he," that not being of my province; but a riper scholar than Sir Walter Raleigh have I rarely met with."

"And a famous gallant commander is he," added my lord, " and I do believe a truly noble gentleman. May hap he hath sometimes presumed somewhat, and took on him too much of the oracle, but his showing of the valiant spirit he did at the attacking of the Spanish fleet, hath made many by whom he was hugely misliked for his presumption, to speak of him more worthily than they used."

Presently, preceded by a serving-man in a gorgeous livery, to announce him, Sir Walter Raleigh made his appearance, and the reception he met with was wonderfully cordial.

"Master Bacon, I am heartily glad in meeting with you again," said Raleigh, turning courteously to the other, "tis an infinite pleasure to have an argument with so able an opponent-nay, not a pleasure only, but as great a profit; for although he that disputeth with one of such marvellous learning and perfect judgment must needs come off but second best, still what he heareth of the other bringeth such additions to his own knowledge, that he gaineth by his loss."

"That could not be with one who argueth after the fashion of Sir Walter Raleigh," answered Master Bacon, "even supposing it could be with any other: for in the first place, I have ever found you to have such mastery of your subject, I have felt at my wit's end to answer you with any sort of discretion; and, in the next place, what you could get from my poor ability I know not, seeing you are a perfect Croesus in learning, and I but a mere beggar, as it were, who must needs put in his wallet what he getteth of others."