all our ship. Some hanged up sheets tied with cords by the four corners, and a weight in the midst, that the water might run down thither, and so be received into some vessel set or hanged underneath: some that wanted sheets hanged up napkins and clouts, and watched them till they were thorough wet, then wringing and sucking out the water. And that water which fell down and washed away the filth and soiling of the ship, trod under foot, as bad as running down the kennel many times when it raineth, was not lost, but watched and attended carefully, yea sometimes with strife and contention, at every scupper-hole, and other place where it ran down, with dishes, pots, cans, and jars, whereof some drank hearty draughts even as it was, mud and all, without tarrying to cleanse or settle it: others cleansed it first, but not often, for it was so thick, and went so slowly through, that they might ill endure to tarry so long, and were loath to lose too much of such precious stuff: some licked with their tongues, like dogs, the boards under feet, the sides, rails, and masts of the ship: others that were more ingenious fastened girdles or ropes about the masts, daubing tallow betwixt them and the mast, that the rain might not run down between; in such sort, that these ropes or girdles hanging lower on the

one side than on the other, a spout of leather was fastened to the lowest part of them, that all the rain-drops that came running down the mast might meet together at that place, and there be received. -Some also put bullets of lead into their mouths to slake their thirst. Now in every corner of the ship were heard the lamentable cries of sick and wounded men sounding woefully in our ears, crying out and pitifully complaining for want of drink, being ready to die, yea many dying for lack thereof, so as by reason of this great extremity we lost many more men than we had done all the voyage

before*."

At length, however, they reached Bantry Bay on the 2d of December, 1589, and Falmouth, after a tedious passage of nine days from Ireland, on the 29th of the same month.

The queen received our enterprising navigator with peculiar distinction and encouragement; and at an audience which she gave him very shortly afterwards, and whilst he was close to her person, she, intentionally no doubt, dropped her glove, which on the earl presenting to her, he was most graciously desired to retain as an especial proof of

* Hackluyt, vol ii. part 2, pp. 163, 164.

her favour. This was a mark of distinction which called forth all the romantic enthusiasm of his lordship, and, encircling the glove with diamonds, he ever after, on days of tilt and tournament, wore it in the front of his high-crowned hat; and in one of his pictures, and in the beautiful engraving from it by Robert White, this proud trophy makes a conspicuous figure.

So acknowledged, indeed, was his superiority in the listed fields of combat, that when, in 1590, on the anniversary of her majesty's accession, the gallant old knight, sir Henry Leigh, formally resigned his office of queen's champion, on account of his advancing years, the earl of Cumberland was immediately appointed his successor; and the investiture took place on the spot, with the following curious ceremonial.

As soon as the tournament was over, sir Henry and the earl, who had been engaged in its performance, advanced to the part of the gallery where the queen, encircled by her nobility and the beauties of her court, had placed herself to view the tilters. Music, soft and slow, stole upon the air as they approached, whilst a voice full of sweetness, but

whose source was unperceived, sung to its notes these pleasing words:

My golden locks time hath to silver turn'd,
(Oh time too swift, and swiftness never ceasing)

My youth 'gainst age, and age at youth hath spurn'd :
But spurn'd in vain, youth waneth by increasing ;
Beauty, strength, and youth, flowers fading been,
Duty, faith, and love, are roots and evergreen.

My helmet now shall make a hive for bees,
And lover's songs shall turn to holy psalms;
A man at arms must now sit on his knees,
And feed on pray'rs that are old age's alms.
And so from court to cottage I depart :
My saint is sure of mine unspotted heart.

And when I sadly sit in homely cell,

I'll teach my swains this carrol for a song:
"Blest be the hearts that think my sovereign well,
Curs'd be the souls that think to do her wrong."
Goddess, vouchsafe this aged man his right,
To be your beadsman now, that was your knight.

Whilst this was going forward, a white pavilion, supported apparently on pillars of porphyry, and resembling the temple of the vestal virgins, was seen to arise out of the earth, exhibiting in its centre an altar of beautiful workmanship, on which were deposited several splendid presents for the queen.

At the portal of this edifice, on a pillar crowned and encircled with an eglantine, hung a votive tablet inscribed to Elizabeth. This, together with the gifts, were then offered to her majesty, and sir Henry, having disarmed himself, and placed his armour at the foot of the pillar, knelt before the queen, beseeching her to accept the earl of Cumberland, whom he then presented, as her future knight and champion.

To this prayer a very gracious assent was instantly given, and the interesting veteran having armed his successor, and assisted him to mount his horse, exchanged, though not without a sigh, his corslet for a velvet gown, and his helmet for a buttoned cap.

The gorgeous armour which on this and every subsequent occasion of the kind the earl of Cumberland was accustomed to wear, still remains at Appleby Castle: it is richly decorated with roses, and fleur de lis; and the weight of the helmet is such as to be almost insupportable to modern shoulders, a pretty decisive proof of the strength and agility of its former possessor.

It was not, however, exclusively to chivalric pageantry and splendour that the earl devoted his