also that can saye somethinge in this matter. Who in a certain booke by hym set fourth, intreating of her graces vertuous bringing vp, what discrete, sober, and godlye women shee had about her, namely speaketh of. ii. pointes in her grace to be considered: one concerninge her moderate and maydenlye behauiour: the other concerninge her trayninge vp in learninge and good letters, declaring first for her vertuouse moderacion of life, that MarginaliaQuene Elizabethes sobrietye in apparel.seauen yeares after her fathers deathe shee hadde so little pride of stomacke, so little delight in glisteringe gases of the worlde, in gaye apparell, riche attire, and preciouse iewelles, that in all that tyme shee neuer loked vpon those that her father lefte her, & which other Ladies commonly be so fonde vpon, but onely once, and that against her will. And moreouer after that, so little gloried in the same, that ther cam neither gold nor stone vpon her head, till her sister enforced her to laye of her former sobernes, and beare her company in her glistering gaines: yea and then she so ware it, as euery man might see, that her body bare that which her harte mysliked. Wherin the vertuous prudence of this Princes, not reading but following the words of Paule and Peter, wel considered MarginaliaThe true ornaments of womanhood.true nobility to consist not in circumstāces of the body, but in substance of the hart not in such thinges which decke the body, but in that which dignifieth the mind, shining and blasing more bright then pearle or stone, be it neuer so precious. Againe the sayd Autor further proceding in the same matter, thus testifieth that he knewe a greate mans daughter, receyuing from Lady Mary before shee was Quene, goodlye apparell of Tynsell, clothe of gold & veluet, laied on with parchment lace of Gold, when she saw it, she sayd: what shall I do with it? MarginaliaThe aunswer of a yonge noble Ladye concerning the Lady Elizabeth.mary, said a gentlewoman, were it. Nay quod she, that were a shame to follow my Lady Mary agaynst Gods worde, & leaue my Lady Elizabeth which followeth Gods woorde. Let noble Ladies and gentilwomen here learne either to giue, or to take good example geuen: and if they disdaine to teache their inferiours in well doing, yet let it not shame them to learne of their betters. Likewise also at the comming in of the Scottyshe Quene, when all the other Ladies of the court florished in their brauerye, with their heare frownsed and curled, and double curled: yet shee altered nothing, but to the shame of them al kept her olde maidenly shamefastnes.

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Let vs come now to the second point, declaringe howe shee hath bene trained in MarginaliaQuene Elizabeth cōmended for learnynge and knowledge.learning and that not vulger and common, but the purest & the beast, which is moste commended at these daies, as the tonges, Artes, and Gods woord, wherin she so excedingly profited (as

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the forsaid author doth witnes) that being vnder. xx. yeares of age, shee was not in the best kinde of learning inferiour to those that all their life tyme had bene brought vp in the Vniuersities, and were counted iolly fellowes. And that you may vnderstand, that there hath not bene, nor is in her, learning only without nature, and knowlege without towardnes to practise, I wil tel what hath bene hard of her fyrst Scholemaister, a man very honest & learned, who reported of her to a frende of his, 

that he learned euery daye more of her, then shee of him: which when it semed to him a mistery (as in dede it was) & therfore desired to know his meaning therin, he thus expoūded it. MarginaliaA woorthy reporte of quene Elizabeth by her schoole master.I teache her wordes (quod he) and shee mee thinges. I teach her the tonges to speake: and her modest and maidenlye lyfe teacheth mee woordes to do. for (sayth he) I thinke shee is the best inclyned and disposed of anye in all Europe. Yt semed to me a goodly commendacion of her, and a wytty saying of hym. MarginaliaThe saying of an Italiā concerning Lady Elizabeth.Likewise an Italian, which taughte her his tonge (though that nacion lightly praise not out of their owne country) sayd once to the sayd partye, that he found in her. MarginaliaTwo pointes in a noble Ladye rare, and to be noted.ii. qualities, which are neuer lightly yokefelowes in one womā: which were a singular witte, & a meruelous meeke stomacke.

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If tyme and leisure would serue to peruse her whole life past, manye other excellent and memorable examples of her princely qualities and singuler vertues mighte here bee noted: but none in my mynde more worthy of commendacion, or that shal set forth the same of her heroicall and princely renowme more to al posteritie, then the christian pacience, and incredible clemency of her nature, MarginaliaThe paciēce and clemencye of quene Elisabeth. shewed in her afflictions, & towardes her enemies declared. Such was then the wickednes and rage of that time, wherein what daungers and troubles wer among the inferior subiects of thys realme of England, maye be easely gathered, when such a princesse of that estate, beinge both a kings daughter, a Quenes syster, and heire apparent to the crown, could not escape without her crosse. And therfore as we haue hitherto discoursed the afflictions and persecutions of thother poore members of Christ, cōprehended in this history before: so likewise I see no cause why the communion of her graces afflictions also, among thother saintes of christ, ought to be suppressed in silence, especially seing the great and meruelous workinge of Gods glory, chefely in this story appeareth aboue all the reaste. And thoughe I shoulde through ingratitude or silence passeouer the same, yet the thing it selfe is so manifest, that what English man is he which knoweth not the afflictions of her Grace to haue bene

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