The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-17
ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND.
A Sketch Of the Virgin Queen BY
Morrison Davidson.

contributing series of historical artic-
les on the English Reformation to
Reynolds Newspaper of London. Re-
ferring to Queen Elizabeth he says:
The most notable event, of course, in
the reign of the ''Virgin Queen" was
the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and
this, coming on the back Of the legal
murder of Mary Queen of Scots, was
deftly used to turn aside the thoughts
Of the English people from that abom,
Unable transaction. Nay, the clever
rogues aboutElizabeth exerted all their
ingenuity to represent the virago as
the life and soul of the national re-
sistance. Eliza was first-class
actress, and her prompters were I'M
rivalled experts in stagecraft. They
mounted her on big war-horse, clap
ped suit of light armor on her back,
and placed marshal's truncheon in
her hand. And in this guise she
made flourishing, well-rehearsed ad
captandum "Queens Speech of sort
to the army lying by Tilbury Fort.
She herself would lead them to bat
tie!
Was there ever such a Queenly hero
ism? Nay, aware as we now are of
the real character of the woman and
her advisers, was there ever such
well acted farce? Eliza remained in
perfect safety between London and
Tilbury Fort, we'll knowing that cover.
ing her from any real peril lay those
seasoned pirates of the Spanish main,
Drake. Hawkins, Frobisher, Raleigh
and Howard, Commodores and Cap
tains unmatched in seamanship and
daring. She declared in her speech
that "she herself would be their gen.
eral-the guide and rewardcr of every
one Of their virtues in the field" This
said, she retired comfortably to Lon
don to her dinner, leaving the army in
command of the most incompetent
commander in England-"Sweet Rob
in" of Leicester, the woman-killer!
Elizabeth has been credited by most
historians with profound political sag
acity; but the fact is she had no set
tied policy of any kind. Her chief
weapons We're sickening discrimination
and ceaseless intrigue, in Scotland, in
Ireland, and Oh the Continent; and
when she died every one was glad to
be rid Of her and her many horrible
contributions to the "ReforlnatiOn."
The courtly pageantry and literary
splendor of her reign form strange
contrast to it's boundless misery and
incessant shedding of innocent blood,
from the lowest stratum of society to
the highest.
In the latter part of her life, old
Harrison tells us, year seldom pas
sed in which three or four hundred
Migrants. beggared by the "Reforma-
ton" We're not sent to the gallows,
and that was but small part of the
work of claw and order" Historian
Strype "a sound Protestant) records
the statement of Il Justice Of the Peace
i'm Somersetshire that. in 1906. ninety
persons We're executed in that county
alone; thirty-five burned in tho hand:
thirty-seven whipped: one hundred and
eightv-three others unprecedented for al
legged theft. robbery. and other felonies,
Nav. "she executed more then five hun
dred criminals in ono year, and was
so little satisfied with that number
that she threatened to send private
persons to see her Donal laws executed
'for profit and gains snke'" This,
assnrct'lv. was terrible havoc to make
of the then oxiguous POPULATION Of the
country. which cannot Mt most have
exceeded three million persons.
But she went further even than
that. Historian Hume tells us: "Thc
streets of LONDON were very much in
Tested with idle varahonds and riot
GUS persons; the Lord Mavor had en-
deavorod to ropress this disorder;
the Star Chamber had everted its au-
thority and inflicted punishment on
these rioters. Put the Queen. finding
these laws Intellectual. revived martial
law. and cave Sir Thomas Milford
Commission. as PrOvost-marshnl:
Granting him authority and command
ing him. nron sterilization given by
the Justices Of the Peace IN London or
the reighhoring counties. Of such Of
Tenders. worthy to I've speedily exc
cuted nv martial law. to take them,
and according to the Justice Of martial
law. to execute them on the gallows or
gihhet."
Now. as martial law is the necation
If oil law, not to mention Justice,
Civic ENGLAND must have henn rath",
terrible country to live i'm Gin the
sracions DAVIS Of Queen Tlizaboth'
Even for the honor Of rubbing shoul
dprs with Shakespeare and Bacon
Ron Jonson ord waltor Raleigh. I pre-
fer tho Floot-street o. Ned Victim tc
the Fleat-strpe+ Of Retsev Tudor. One
ANGLICAN "Rnformation'' and ont
"Good O,onn Ross' nro quito enough
for me. The "V'r~in's" lifo wHs in re
alitv life If mischief and misery ani
in her death (which took place in thu
veor 1cn2. the 10Th Of her a"e and tn,
A5tt, IF ho,. reirn\ she did Ill tho mis-