KENILWORTH - Penn State University

Kenilworthwho were personally known to her, and she instantly madethem a sign to approach, and accosted them very graciously.Raleigh, in particular, the adventure of whose cloak, as well asthe incident of the verses, remained on her mind, was verygraciously received; and to him she most frequently appliedfor information concerning the names and rank of those whowere in presence. These he communicated concisely, and notwithout some traits of humorous satire, by which Elizabethseemed much amused. “And who is yonder clownish fellow?”she said, looking at Tressilian, whose soiled dress on this occasiongreatly obscured his good mien.“A poet, if it please your Grace,” replied Raleigh.“I might have guessed that from his careless garb,” said Elizabeth.“I have known some poets so thoughtless as to throwtheir cloaks into gutters.”“It must have been when the sun dazzled both their eyesand their judgment,” answered Raleigh.Elizabeth smiled, and proceeded, “I asked that slovenlyfellow’s name, and you only told me his profession.”“Tressilian is his name,” said Raleigh, with internal reluctance,for he foresaw nothing favourable to his friend fromthe manner in which she took notice of him.“Tressilian!” answered Elizabeth. “Oh, the Menelaus of ourromance. Why, he has dressed himself in a guise that will gofar to exculpate his fair and false Helen. And where is Farnham,or whatever his name is—my Lord of Leicester’s man, Imean—the Paris of this Devonshire tale?”With still greater reluctance Raleigh named and pointed outto her Varney, for whom the tailor had done all that art couldperform in making his exterior agreeable; and who, if he hadnot grace, had a sort of tact and habitual knowledge of breeding,which came in place of it.The Queen turned her eyes from the one to the other. “Idoubt,” she said, “this same poetical Master Tressilian, who istoo learned, I warrant me, to remember whose presence hewas to appear in, may be one of those of whom GeoffreyChaucer says wittily, the wisest clerks are not the wisest men.I remember that Varney is a smooth-tongued varlet. I doubtthis fair runaway hath had reasons for breaking her faith.”To this Raleigh durst make no answer, aware how little heshould benefit Tressilian by contradicting the Queen’s sentiments,and not at all certain, on the whole, whether the best348