Stuarts

24 THE STUARTS
spirit could make choice of such a man, that was liker a woman than a man.
for he was very lusty, beardless, and lady-faced. ... In the meantime I was
favourably and familiarly used, for during nine days that I remained at Court,
her Majesty pleased to confer with me every day, and sometimes thrice upon
a day, to wit, afore noon, after noon, and after supper. . . . She appeared
to be so affectioned to the Oueen her good sister, that she had a great desire
to see her, and because their desired meeting could not be hastily brought
to pass, she delighted oft to look upon her picture, and took me into her
bedchamber, and opened a little lettroun (cabinet) wherein were divers little
pictures wrapped within paper, and written upon the paper their names with
her own hand. Upon the first that she took up was written, ' My lord's
picture.' I held the candle and pressed to see my lord's (Leicester's) picture.
Albeit she was loth to let me see it, at length I by importunity obtained
the sight thereof, and asked the same to carry home with me unto the Queen,
which she refused, alleging that she had but that one of his. I said again
that she had the principal, for he was at the furthest part of the chamber
speaking with the secretary Cecil. Then she took out the Queen's picture
and kissed it, and I kissed her hand for the great love I saw she bore the
Queen. ... Her (Elizabeth's) hair was redder than yellow, curled apparently
of nature. Then she entered to discern what colour of hair was reported
best, and inquired whether the Queen's or hers was best, and which of them
two was fairest. I said the fairness of them both was not their worst faults.
But she was earnest with me to declare which of them I thought fairest. I
said, she was the fairest Queen in England, and ours the fairest Queen in
Scotland. Yet she was earnest, I said they were both the fairest ladies of
their courts, and that the Queen of England was whiter, but our Queen
was very lovesome. She inquired which of them was of highest stature.
I said, our Queen. Then she said the Queen was over high, and that
herself was neither over high, nor over low. Then she asked what sort of
exercises she used. I said, that I was dispatched out of Scotland, and that
the Queen was but new to come back from the highland hunting ; and when
she had leisure from the affairs of her company, she read upon good books,
the histories of divers countries, and sometimes would play upon lute and
virginals. She sperit (asked) if she played well. I said, reasonably for a
Queen.
"The same day after dinner my Lord of Hunsden (Huntingdon) drew
me up to a quiet gallery that I might hear some music, . . . and seeing her