Their first charge upon each other was rather moderate,for either party had some dread of being forced into the lake.But as reinforcements came up on either side,the encounter grew from a skirmish into a blazing battle.They rushed upon one another,as Master Laneham testifies,like rams inflamed by jealousy,with such furious encounter that both parties were often overthrown,and the clubs and targets made a most horrible clatter.In many instances that happened which had been dreaded by the more experienced warriors who began the day of strife.The rails which defended the ledges of the bridge had been,perhaps on purpose,left but slightly fastened,and gave way under the pressure of those who thronged to the combat,so that the hot courage of many of the combatants received a sufficient cooling.
These incidents might have occasioned more serious damage than became such an affray,for many of the champions who met with this mischance could not swim,and those who could were encumbered with their suits of leathern and of paper armour;but the case had been provided for,and there were several boats in readiness to pick up the unfortunate warriors and convey them to the dry land,where,dripping and dejected,they comforted themselves with the hot ale and strong waters which were liberally allowed to them,without showing any desire to re-enter so desperate a conflict.
Captain Coxe alone,that paragon of Black-Letter antiquaries,after twice experiencing,horse and man,the perilous leap from the bridge into the lake,equal to any extremity to which the favourite heroes of chivalry,whose exploits he studied in an abridged form,whether Amadis,Belianis,Bevis,or his own Guy of Warwick,had ever been subjected to--Captain Coxe,we repeat,did alone,after two such mischances,rush again into the heat of conflict,his bases and the footcloth of his hobby-horse dropping water,and twice reanimated by voice and example the drooping spirits of the English;so that at last their victory over the Danish invaders became,as was just and reasonable,complete and decisive.Worthy he was to be rendered immortal by the pen of Ben Jonson,who,fifty years afterwards,deemed that a masque,exhibited at Kenilworth,could be ushered in by none with so much propriety as by the ghost of Captain Coxe,mounted upon his redoubted hobby-horse.
These rough,rural gambols may not altogether agree with the reader's preconceived idea of an entertainment presented before Elizabeth,in whose reign letters revived with such brilliancy,and whose court,governed by a female whose sense of propriety was equal to her strength of mind,was no less distinguished for delicacy and refinement than her councils for wisdom and fortitude.But whether from the political wish to seem interested in popular sports,or whether from a spark of old Henry's rough,masculine spirit,which Elizabeth sometimes displayed,it is certain the Queen laughed heartily at the imitation,or rather burlesque,of chivalry which was presented in the Coventry play.She called near her person the Earl of Sussex and Lord Hunsdon,partly perhaps to make amends to the former for the long and private audiences with which she had indulged the Earl of Leicester,by engaging him in conversation upon a pastime which better suited his taste than those pageants that were furnished forth from the stores of antiquity.The disposition which the Queen showed to laugh and jest with her military leaders gave the Earl of Leicester the opportunity he had been watching for withdrawing from the royal presence,which to the court around,so well had he chosen his time,had the graceful appearance of leaving his rival free access to the Queen's person,instead of availing himself of his right as her landlord to stand perpetually betwixt others and the light of her countenance.
Leicester's thoughts,however,had a far different object from mere courtesy;for no sooner did he see the Queen fairly engaged in conversation with Sussex and Hunsdon,behind whose back stood Sir Nicholas Blount,grinning from ear to ear at each word which was spoken,than,****** a sign to Tressilian,who,according to appointment,watched his motions at a little distance,he extricated himself from the press,and walking towards the Chase,made his way through the crowds of ordinary spectators,who,with open mouth,stood gazing on the battle of the English and the Danes.When he had accomplished this,which was a work of some difficulty,he shot another glance behind him to see that Tressilian had been equally successful;and as soon as he saw him also free from the crowd,he led the way to a small thicket,behind which stood a lackey,with two horses ready saddled.He flung himself on the one,and made signs to Tressilian to mount the other,who obeyed without speaking a single word.
Leicester then spurred his horse,and galloped without stopping until he reached a sequestered spot,environed by lofty oaks,about a mile's distance from the Castle,and in an opposite direction from the scene to which curiosity was drawing every spectator.He there dismounted,bound his horse to a tree,and only pronouncing the words,Here there is no risk of interruption,laid his cloak across his saddle,and drew his sword.
