246 ANECDOTES OF HER COURT. . 



the year. She possessed the costumes peculiar to every coun- 

 try in the world, and when she died, nearly three thousand 

 dresses were found in her wardrobe. 



In private, Elizabeth was plain and moderate in her dress, 

 but she loved to make a display of magnificence and splendor, 

 when she appeared in public. She then would wear high 

 shoes, in order to make herself appear taller than she really 

 was; and with the magnificent ruff which bears her name, the 

 royal crown on her head, the golden ball in her left hand, the 

 sceptre in her right, her whole dress one latticework of pearls, 

 glittering in jewels, and surrounded by her no less splendid 

 court, she might well dazzle people with her regal magnifi- 

 cence, when she appeared, thus attired, on the first day of 

 Parliament. 



ESTHER. 



But what flattery she exacted from every one who ap- 

 proached her, and what absurd answers they were obliged to 

 give, in order to satisfy her thirst for adulation. The Scotch 

 ambassador was required by her to say which bore the palm 

 of beauty, Elizabeth or Mary; and he could only release him- 

 self from his awkward predicament by assuring her " that 

 Mary was the handsomest woman in Scotland, as Elizabeth 

 was in England." 



MRS. F. 



The Spanish ambassador, when asked by Elizabeth what 

 he thought of the ladies of her court, gave an answer well 

 adapted to please the inquirer. 



FREDERICK. 



What was that, aunt! 



MRS. F. 



"That it was hard to judge of the stars in the presence of 

 the sun:" and then Sir Walter Raleigh, too, on the occasion 

 of asking the Queen to confer some new favor upon him, 



