Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-07-11
Death Of Queen Elizabeth.

A historical romance, lately published in
London closes with the following striking
scene, in which the reader is introduced to
the death-bed of Queen Elizabeth. Her
Majesty has summoned Lucy Fenton to wait
upon her. The scene is powerful and meo-
dramatic =
The Queen lay in her bed she had or
dered her attendants not to draw the cur
tains over her windows, and she watched
the leahess trees waving to and fro before
them, and the ruddy flame of her fire dam
cling upon the tapestry. Elizabeth had
sunk into that partial torpor in which, al
thoughthe mind has not altogether yielded
to the influence Of sleep, the memories, the
visions that pass over it have the indistinct-
ness Of dream. A long train of shadows
fitted before the mental eye of Elizabeth:
there was the fair face of Gertrude Harding,
and another face as fair the features too of
the Inflated Essex rose to fright her in her
sleep; but ever were those female faces pres
ent, even when the others had passed away.
Suddenly Elizabeth started up-she was
wide awake, but an unuiterable horror had
seized upon her soul-any thing to escape
from that bed and when her dismal shrek
had summoned her attendants to her apart
ment, they found her standing in her night
dress on the hoor, her hands clenched, her
eyes fixed as in CONFUSION, and specks of
foam upon her parted lips. 1t was fright
iu spectacle, the strongly marked but with
cred features and stony blue eyes ofthe mis-
cradle Queen
! But what needs it TO prolong the descrip-
ton Of scenes so horrible; the struggles of
soul which had used its greatness TO de-
siroy: and which summoned TO quit that
world it hath too much loved, shrunk from
the contemplation of its past career.
No entreaties could prevail upon the
wretched Queen to return to her bed she
raved screamed, and wept at the proposal.
Cushions were brought and upon them she
was extended, bitterly ben,oaning her miser-
able fate, and refusing all reireshment and
consolation.
Who does not know that for ten days the
unhappy Queen thus remained, still refu-
sing to enter her bed. The Bishops and the
Lords of the Council, alike in vain entreat-
ed her to alter this resolution. To Lucy
Wllloughton, whom she still sustained in at
tendance, she expressed strong indignation
against Secretary Cecil the son of her old
favorite Burleigh
He teleth the people, Mistress Wilough-
ton,' said Elizabeth, that | am mad but
| am not mad oh, would to God that l
wereP
Gracious madam, be comforted = said
Lucy, who was moved by the pitiable con-
dtion ofthe Queen.
DO not thus mock me, fair dame, with
such empty words, replied Elizabeth, had
thy poor cousin seen me thus, she had
known me better than to talk Of comfort
Alas, alas, why does her face still pursue
me! God knows how bitterly mourned
her fate; but it comeh, it cometh forever,
and still accompanied by another, which my
soul sickeneth to behold While Eliza
beth spoke, entered Sir Robert Cecil, with
the Lord Admiral, a relation of the Queen;
they came to entreat that she would suffer
herself to be conveyed TO bed.
Elizabeth looked round, shudderng, at
her costly couch oh, never, never, = she
exclaimed oh Cecil, if thou hadst seen
there what have seen, thou woudst not
drive thy mistress to that couch of hor-
rors
what has your Grace there beheld I? ask
ed Cecil, have you there behed the dwell
/
'Nayl answered Elizabeth, surely this
is an idle question, and beneath our notice
In sooth yonr Grace must retire to bed,
persisted Cecil if it be but to satisfy the
affection of your peope!'
AT these words, the embers of an almost
extinguishablc fire again blazed in the heart
Of Elizabeth, and lighting up her worn fea-
lures with something Of the dignity of old,
she raised herself on her cushions.
Must she exclaimed, is must word to
be addressed to princes! Little man, little
man, thy father, if he had been alive, burst
not have used that word. But alas, alas
continued the Queen, wringng her hands
and speaking in tone Of deep detection,
thou art grown presumptuous, because thou
knowest that shall die
Good madam, be comforted' said the
Lord Admiral, again approaching the
Queen.
She again raised herself, with Lucy's as
sistance and grasping him by the hand she
looked him pieously in the face, then burst
ing into tears, she exclaimed, My Lord, my
Lord, / am tied with an iron collar about
my neck (; | am tied fast, and the case is al
tered with mel
From this time the Queen gradually sunk,
falling into lethargy which released her
from those mental torments which it had
wrung the compassionate heart of Lucy to
behold during this lethargy she was placed
in bed. As her end was now evidently fast
approaching, the Lord Keeper, the Admiral
and the Secretary Cecil, were deputed by
the council to learn Elizabeth's will with re-