Page:The Queens of England.djvu/484

 led. Lady Anne Clifford takes occasion to remark that at these various entertainments the queen "showed noe favoure to the elderly ladies ;" but she adds, that "she giveth great contentment to the world in her fashion and courteous behavior to the people."

At length Windsor was reached (the plague at this time raging in London), and grand festivities were held there early in July. The commencement of disputes in the court, and of those national jealousies which were one of the scandals of the reign, is to be noted at the same time. Two noblemen gave each other the lie in the presence of the queen, who, nevertheless, failed to obtain notice of the affront till she had made angry appeal in writing to the king. The coronation took place at Westminster on the 17th of July. The ceremony was made as brief as possible, for eleven hundred people had perished that week of the plague. But one of the court newsmen of the day informs us that "Queen Anne went to coronation with her seemly hair down-hanging on her princely shoulders, and on her head a crownet of gold. She so mildly saluted her new subjects, that the women, weeping, cried out with one voice, 'God bless. the royal queen!'" The royal queen was straightway blessed with an absurdly extravagant dower and household; fixed upon Somerset House, the name of which was changed to Denmark House, for her private residence; and began the court and state of queen consort of England.

That she began with a disposition to make her court the headquarters of intrigue, would seem to be unquestionable. The famous Sully, charged with a special commission from Henry Quatre, soon reported to his master that James had no control over his queen; that, with a stronger mind than his, she did. not care to conceal her contempt; and that she was available to cultivate dissension. The despatches of M. de Beaumont were not less explicit. "It is said," writes the French ambassador to his court, "that Cecil is doubtful as to his position; finding the king partly better informed, partly more obstinate, than he thought. Cobham calls Cecil no better than a traitor. Raleigh is hated throughout the kingdom. The new queen is enterprising, and affairs are embroiled." If M. de Beaumont had known Cecil better, he would not have thought the worse of his prospects because affairs were embroiled. It is from the nettle danger that such men pluck the flower safety. Cecil knew that when Elizabeth should