QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1685, 2 October 1885, Page 5

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Queen Elizabeth dies ; and; dies, ,bf gr.ef. It has beehthefashionto attribute to her, I do not know why, remorse for Essex's death ; and the foolish and false tale about Lady Nottingham and the ring has been accepted as history. The fact seems to he that she never really heldjup her head after Burleigh's death. She could not speak of him without tears; forbade, his name to be mentioned in the Council. No wonder; never had mistress a better servant. For nearly half a century have these two noble souls loved .each other, trusted each other", worked with each other ; and God's blessing has been on their r teds ; and now the faithful Godfearing man is gon,e*to his reward ; and she is growingpld* and knows that the ancient fire is-Sying out in her ; and whojwill be to her what he was P Buckhurat is a good man and one of ber pupils, and she makes him Lord Treasurer in Burleigh's place ; but beyond that, all is dark. "I am a miserable, forlorn woman ; there is none about me that I can trust." She sees through Cecil ; through Henry Howard. Essex has proved himself worthless, and pays of his sins. Men are growing worse than their fathers. Spanish gold, is ! bringing in luxury and sin. The iast 10 years of ber reign are years of decadence, profligacy, falsehood ; and she cannot but see it. Tyrone'^ rebellion is the last drop which fills the cup. After 6Q yeaxs of war, after a drain of money all but fabulous, expended on keeping Ireland quiet, the volcano bursts forth again just as it seemed extinguished, more fiercely than ever, and the whole work has to be done over again, when there is Deither time nor a man to do it. And ahead what hope is there for England? Who will be her successor ? Shej knows in her heart that it will be James ; but she cannot bring herself to name him. To be queath the fruit of all her labours to a tyrant, a liar, and a coward ; for she knows the man but too well. It|is too hideous to be faced. Thisis the end, then P " Oh, that I were a milkemaide, with a paile upon mine arm !" But it cannot be. It riever could have been ; and she must endure to the end. " Therefore I hated life ; yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under tbe sun ; becau«3 I should l)ave it to the man that shall be after me. And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool ? Yet shall he have a rule over all my labour wherein I have showed myself wise, in wisdom, and knowledge, and equity. . . . Yanjity of vanities, all is vanity and vexa tion of spirit 1" And so, with a whole Ibook of Ecclesiastes written on tbat imighty heart, theold lioneßS coils heriself up in her lair, refuses food, and Jdiea. I know few passages in ,the porld's history more tragic thari: that ideath. — From Plays and Jotritans; and other Sistoriodl/JSawy^ fy^QMg?'---%s Ki^ley. *%'*"«