The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
THE SUN, SUNDAY, MAY III 1896


1.-THE Electors family. and he showed them TO the
pueen, but he records that she only asked Dud.
ley's opinion Of them, and would have none OF
them.' ~ had also sure that, first
and last, she despised Duke Caslmir.' Now, in
October, Melyil again found himself on friendly
terms with Elizabeth. In his frst interview In
an alley" in the gardens of whitehall, he
told the Queen that his mistress had not con-
sidered the proposal for her to marry Dudley
until a Joint commission OF Scotch and
English statesmen should have met; and
Melvil suggested that the English COM
missioners should be the Earl OF Bedford
and Lord Robert Elizabeth, ~ seems,
took offence at the order In which
the names were mentioned. She said,' writes
Melvll. " that I appeared to make small account
of my Lord Robert, seeing that | named the
Earl Of Bedford before him.. but she said that,
ere Ions, she would make him n far greater Earl,
and | should ace II done before I returned home.
For she esteemed him MS her brother and best
friend. whom she would herself have married
had she ever minded TO have taken a husband.
but, being determined to end her life In virgin
ity, she wished the Queen, her sister, might
marry him. as meetcst Of all others whom she
could find in her heart to declare her sec
ond person. Elizabeth's alleged reason for
her recommendation was that she trusted
hNhN Nv 'ibilAlNN1 INV ~ MI" NhHb
II he married Mary, he would not allow any at
tempt to usurp tho throne Of England while
she elizabeth lived. The Queen was as good
as her word, and before Melville left he saw
Dudley made Earl of Leicester and Baron Dem
beigh. The ceremony of invcsttture was a splen-
did one, and the Queen herself helped tn dec
crate the new Earl with the insignia Of his rank,
The sitting on his knees before her with great
gravity. But she could not refrain from put
ting her hand in his neck, smilinSlv tickling
him, the French Ambassador and | standing by.
Then she turned, asking at me: How l liked
it2'" Melvil gave n courtly answer. yet
says she. you like better OF yonder long
lad pointing to my Lord Darnlev. who, as
nearest prince of the blood. did bear the
sword OF honor that day before her. My an
swer was that no woman OF spirit would mako
choice OF such a man, who more resembled n
woman than n man. For he was handsome,
heardless. and lady faced" As q matter of fact,
1t was Melvil's chief purpose In England to OBJ
tain permission for Darnlcy to go to Scotland.
On another occasion Elizabeth told Melvil that
she would never marry unless forced thereto by
his mistress's d" harsh behavior Il know the
truth of that, madam" said he. You need
not tell Inc. You think that II you were mar
rled you would be but Queen of England. and
now you are both King and Queen. l know your
spirit cannot endure n commander" She then
took him to her bedchamber and opened a little
cabinet wherein were divers little pictures
and their names written with her own hand on
the papers. Upon the first that she took up was
written my lords picture | held up the
candle and pressed to see the picture so named.
but she appeared loath to let me see
it; yet my opportunities prevailed. and I found 1t
to be the Earl OF Leicester's picture" Melvil
tried to get the picture to carry to Scotland,
since the Qheen had. as he remarked, the origi-
nal. But Elizabeth would not part with the
although she pretended to be will
ing TO give Dudley himself to ' her dear sister"
Melvil gives an account OF the manner in which
the Queen pressed him to give his opinion as to
the respective physical projections of his mis-
tress and herself. She dressed herself In every
possible style for his delectation, showed off her
dancing, her music, and her knowledge of Ian
guages. Her hair" he says, was more red
dish than yellow, curled in appearance natural.
ly. She desired to know whether my Queens
hair or hers was the best" Me lvil fenced with
the delicate question:, but the Queen insisted
upon an answer, and she was told that "she
the fairest Queen In England. and mine the
fairest Queen in Scotland" Still. she was not
and, after much pressure. Melvil was
fain to answer that she was the whittier of the
but that Mary was very lovely"