Ayres, gave him more cause of jealousy than needed, had he known how innocent I was from pretending to anything which might wrong him or his lady; since I could not so much as imagine that either she had my picture, or that she bare more than ordinary affection to me. It is true, that as she had a place in court, and attended Queen Anne, and was beside of an excellent wit and discourse, she had made herself a considerable person; howbeit little more than common civility ever passed betwixt us, though I confess I think no man was welcomer to her when I came, for which I shall allege this passage :—

Coming one day into her chamber, I saw her through the curtains lying upon her bed with a wax candle in one hand, and the picture I formerly mentioned in the other. I coming thereupon somewhat boldly to her, she blew out the candle, and hid the picture from me; myself thereupon being curious to know what that was she held in her hand, got the candle to be lighted again, by means whereof I found it was my picture she looked upon with more earnestness and passion than I could have easily believed, especially since myself was not engaged in any affection towards her: I could willingly have omitted this passage, but that it was the beginning of a bloody history which followed:"

1 I have not discovered any reference to this story elsewhere.

Howsoever, yet I must before the Eternal God clear her honour. And now in court a great person1sent for me divers times to attend her, which summons though I obeyed, yet God knoweth I declined coming to her as much as conveniently I could, without incurring her displeasure; and this I did not only for very honest reasons, but, to speak ingenuously, because that affection passed betwixt me and another lady (who I believe was the fairest of her time) 2 as nothing could divert it. I had not been long in London, when a violent burning fever seized upon me, which brought me almost to my death, though at last I did by slow degrees recover my health; being thus upon my amendment, the Lord Lisle,3 afterwards Earl of Leicester, sent me word, that Sir John Ayres intended to kill me in my bed, and wished me to keep a guard upon my chamber and person; the same advertisement was confirmed by Lucy Countess of Bedford, and the Lady Hoby shortly after.

1 Queen Anne (see p. 129).

5

Here

2 This is in all probability the lady mentioned above on No attempt at identification seems possible.

p. 85.

3 Robert Sidney, second son of Sir Henry Sidney, and younger brother of Sir Philip, was created Lord Sidney in 1603, Viscount Lisle in 1604, and Earl of Leicester in 1618. He died in 1626.

4 The wife of Edward Earl of Bedford, the well-known patroness of Ben Jonson, Drayton, and other poets.

5 Probably Anne, second wife of Sir Edward Hoby, a patron of Camden.