It was even so. The royal barge, manned with the Queen's watermen
richly attired in the regal liveries, and having the Banner of England
displayed, did indeed lie at the great stairs which ascended from the
river, and along with it two or three other boats for transporting such
part of her retinue as were not in immediate attendance on the royal
person. The yeomen of the guard, the tallest and most handsome men whom
England could produce, guarded with their halberds the passage from
the palace-gate to the river side, and all seemed in readiness for the
Queen's coming forth, although the day was yet so early.
"By my faith, this bodes us no good," said Blount; "it must be some
perilous cause puts her Grace in motion thus untimeously, By my counsel,
we were best put back again, and tell the Earl what we have seen."
"Tell the Earl what we have seen!" said Walter; "why what have we seen
but a boat, and men with scarlet jerkins, and halberds in their hands?
Let us do his errand, and tell him what the Queen says in reply."
So saying, he caused the boat to be pulled towards a landing-place
at some distance from the principal one, which it would not, at that
moment, have been thought respectful to approach, and jumped on shore,
followed, though with reluctance, by his cautious and timid companions.
As they approached the gate of the palace, one of the sergeant porters
told them they could not at present enter, as her Majesty was in the act
of coming forth. The gentlemen used the name of the Earl of Sussex; but
it proved no charm to subdue the officer, who alleged, in reply, that
it was as much as his post was worth to disobey in the least tittle the
commands which he had received.
"Nay, I told you as much before," said Blount; "do, I pray you, my dear
Walter, let us take boat and return."
"Not till I see the Queen come forth," returned the youth composedly.
"Thou art mad, stark mad, by the Mass!" answered Blount.
"And thou," said Walter, "art turned coward of the sudden. I have seen
thee face half a score of shag-headed Irish kerns to thy own share of
them; and now thou wouldst blink and go back to shun the frown of a fair
lady!"
At this moment the gates opened, and ushers began to issue forth in
array, preceded and flanked by the band of Gentlemen Pensioners. After
this, amid a crowd of lords and ladies, yet so disposed around her that
she could see and be seen on all sides, came Elizabeth herself, then in
the prime of womanhood, and in the full glow of what in a Sovereign was
called beauty, and who would in the lowest rank of life have been truly
judged a noble figure, joined to a striking and commanding physiognomy.
She leant on the arm of Lord Hunsdon, whose relation to her by her
mother's side often procured him such distinguished marks of Elizabeth's
intimacy.