Dictionary of national biography Volume 17 Sir Leslie Stephen

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 Excerpt: ...over her, not with the simple desire to serve her loyally. Young Sir Robert Cecil, now about twenty-five years old, was the only Vol. xvil. man who had inherited the traditions of the old days. Raleigh and Essex were both brilliant, passionate, jealous of each other, with a certain martial ardour and restlessness which they had in common, and a certain craving for adventure, which was the outcome of their romantic temperament. When Lord Burghley died, Robert, earl of Essex, had been ten years at court. He was in his thirty-first year, and had received from the queen many and signal proofs of her favour. But his arrogance was unbounded, and, though Elizabeth entertained for him a strong feeling of personal interest amounting to affection, he presumed so outrageously upon her indulgence that it is wonderful she bore with him so long. In 1593, at the suggestion of Francis Bacon, Essex threw himself with characteristic energy into the study of foreign affairs, and employed a large stall of" intelligencers" to furnish him with reports from all parts of Europe. In 1594 he believed that he had discovered a plot against the queen"s life. Dr. Lopez, the queen"s physician, was accused of having accepted a bribe to poison her. Burghley and Sir Robert Cecil put no faith in it; Elizabeth herself laughed at it; but Essex vehemently persisted in his accusation of the unhappy man, and he was executed on evidence which was shamefully insufficient. Then came the Cadiz and the Island voyages. On his return from the latter Essex found that he had lost ground at court. He became more and more petulant and unmannerly, and a few weeks before Burghley"s death he was so unbearably insolent to the queen that she gave him a violent box on the ear. Essex put his hand upon his sword-hi... Это и многое другое вы найдете в книге Dictionary of national biography Volume 17 (Sir Leslie Stephen)