Page:The Queens of England.djvu/486

 438 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. cause Spain clamored for the death of this bravest and most renowned of her enemies, he was murdered without trial by means of his sentence of fifteen years preceding', as if the king's commission could have run to a man dead in law ! Meanwhile the eventful incidents which led to his imprison- ment had not passed without their lesson to the queen. It may be remembered to her honor that she never ceased to feel a sympathy for Raleigh, the chivalrous wonder of whose life would seem to have seized her fancy ; but she could not behold him thus suddenly rendered powerless without an awe-struck sense of the power of his adversary. There is no ground for supposing, that, beyond the distaste she still never hesi- tated to make unscrupulously manifest against her husband, she took any active part throughout his English reign in coun- terplotting against his ministers. M. de Beaumont, after a little more experience, and when she had piqued him by her too obvious preferences of the Spanish ambassador, reported her to his court as proud, vain, obstinate, turbulent, incapable of governing or being governed, yet ambitious of power. The Cardinal Bentivoglio, on the other hand, though not in all respects complimentary, speaks with warmth "of her pleasing and inoffensive qualities, her grace, good nature, and accomp- lishments ; while Arthur Wilson says that she was not a busy- body, or an embroiler of other people's business ; and one of the court newsmen writes to Winwood, that, though her wishes are with the Spaniard, better news is, that she carrieth no sway in state matters, and "praetcr rem uxioriam hath no great reach in other affairs." The truth, which doubtless lurks somewhere amid these varying statements, was probably ap- proached most nearly by Molino ; who wrote that she had an ordinary appearance, and lived remote from public affairs ; that she was very fond of dancing and entertainments ; that she was very gracious to those who knew how to promote her wishes, but to those whom she did not like was proud, disdainful, not to say insupportable. That she was neither proud nor disdainful to Cecil, deformed dwarf as he was, there is now no lack of evidence, even to the period of his death. James himself often refers in his coarse, vulgar way to his wife's good understanding with the "great little proud man." For be it added that Cecil, besides his other suc- cesses, had a reputation for bonnes fortunes. Lady Anne Clif- ford naively describes the ladies of doubtful, character, the