OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 167 



disadvantage unto them, who I think cannot but 

 have a great part of their wits distracted from their 

 matters in hand to the contemplation and admira 

 tion of such perfections. What should I wonder on 

 to speak of the excellencies of her nature, which 

 cannot endure to be looked on with a discontented 

 eye : of the constancy of her favours, which maketh 

 service as a journey by land, whereas the service of 

 other princes is like an embarking by sea. For her 

 royal wisdom and policy of government, he that 

 shall note and observe the prudent temper she useth 

 in admitting access ; of the one side maintaining 

 the majesty of her degree, and on the other side not 

 prejudicing herself by looking to her estate through 

 too few windows : her exquisite judgment in choos 

 ing and finding good servants, a point beyond the 

 former, her profound discretion in assigning and 

 appropriating every of them to their aptest employ 

 ment : her penetrating sight in discovering every 

 man s ends and drifts : her wonderful art in keep 

 ing servants in satisfaction, and yet in appetite : 

 her inventing wit in contriving plots and overturns : 

 her exact caution in censuring the propositions of 

 others for her service : her foreseeing events : her 

 usage of occasions : he that shall consider of these, 

 and other things that may not well be touched, as 

 he shall never cease to wonder at such a queen, so 

 he shall wonder the less, that in so dangerous times, 

 when wits are so cunning, humours extravagant, 

 passions so violent, the corruptions so great, the dissi 

 mulations so deep, factions so many ; she hath not- 



