rebellion against his sovereign. Elizabeth, after a long delay Signed his death-warrant with the most painful reluctance. He was executed in 1600.
In 1601, Elizabeth held a conference with Sully, who came from Henry the Fourth of France, concerning the establishment of a new system of European power, which was to produce a lasting peace. Sully returned much impressed by the solidity and enlargement of her views. See never was more respected abroad, or more beloved and cherished by her subjects, than just at the termination of her reign. But the last scene was darkened by a deep melancholy, and she died in a most deplorable state of despondency.
An incident relative to the unfortunate Essex has been suggested as the cause of her grief. She had given him a ring as a pledge of her affection, promising him at sight of it a favourable hearing, with whatever offences he might be charged. After his condemnation, Essex had sent this ring to the queen by the Countess of Nottingham, who had been persuaded by her husband, an enemy of the Earl, to retain the pledge. On her death-bed, the countess sent for the queen, and revealed the secret to her, entreating her pardon. The queen, in a violent rage, shook the dying countess in her bed, exclaiming, "that God might pardon her, but she never could,"
From this lime she rejected all consolation, refused food, and throwing herself on the floor, passed days and nights without changing her place. Nature, at length, began to sink; and as her end drew near, she was urged to declare her successor. She said she had held a regal sceptre, and would have none but a king to succeed her; and who should that be but her nearest kinsman, the King of Scots? She died March 24th., 1602, in the seventieth year of her age.
Elizabeth was rather noble as a queen, than amiable as a woman. Pope Sixtus the Fifth, who highly admired her, gave her a place among the only three persons then living who deserved to reign—the other two were himself and Henry the Fourth. The character of this great queen has been misunderstood, because she has been judged as a woman rather than as a sovereign. It should never be forgotten, that she voluntarily relinquished the enjoyment of domestic life, where woman's nature is most truly and beautifully displayed, in order to devote herself to the cares of state and the happiness of her people. She should therefore be judged as a ruler; only it should ever be borne in mind that a higher degree of moral power ought to be found in the character of woman, in whatever station she occupies, than is manifested by man. It was this moral sense in which Elizabeth excelled all the kings of England, from the time of Alfred to her own day, that made her power and her glory. This intuitive wisdom guided her in the choice of able counsellors, and kept her true to the best interests of her subjects; and inspired her to preserve the manners of her court in that chastity which is the atmosphere of the highest genius as well as the purest patriotism.
Elizabeth was herself fond of learning, and no mean scholar in her attainments. She was well skilled in the Greek, and translated from that language into Latin, a dialogue of Xenophon, two orations of Isocrates, and a play of Euripides; she also wrote a "Commentary on Plato." From the Latin, she translated "Boethias'
