DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.67419#0307
THE DAYS OF “ GOOD QUEEN BESS.’
285
countenances and costlinesse of attire there seemeth
to be such a dailie conflict and contention, as that it
is verie difficult for me to gesse whether of the twaine
shall beare awaie the preheminence. This further
is not to be omitted, to the singular commendation
of both sorts and sexes of our courtiers here in Eng-
land, that there are verie few of them which have
not the use and skill of sundrie speaches, beside an
excellent veine of writing before-time not regarded.
Would to God the rest of their lives and conversa-
tions were correspondent to these gifts! for as our
common courtiers (for the most part) are the best
lerned and endued with excellent gifts, so are manie
of them the worst men when they come abroad, that
anie man shall either heare or read of. Trulie it is
a rare thing with us now to heare of a courtier which
hath but his owne language. And to saie how
many gentlewomen and ladies there are, that beside
sound knowledge of the Greeke and Latine toongs,
are thereto no lesse skilful in the Spanish, Italian,
and French, or in some one of them, it resteth not
in me. Sith I am persuaded, that as the noble-
men and gentlemen doo surmount in this behalfe, so
these come verie little or nothing at all behind them
for their parts, which Industrie God continue, and
accomplish that which otherwise is wanting !”*
At this time the practice (derived from the chiv-
alrous ages, when every baronial castle was the
resort of young persons of gentle birth, of both
sexes) was by no means discontinued of placing
young women, of gentle birth, in the establishment
* Harrison.
285
countenances and costlinesse of attire there seemeth
to be such a dailie conflict and contention, as that it
is verie difficult for me to gesse whether of the twaine
shall beare awaie the preheminence. This further
is not to be omitted, to the singular commendation
of both sorts and sexes of our courtiers here in Eng-
land, that there are verie few of them which have
not the use and skill of sundrie speaches, beside an
excellent veine of writing before-time not regarded.
Would to God the rest of their lives and conversa-
tions were correspondent to these gifts! for as our
common courtiers (for the most part) are the best
lerned and endued with excellent gifts, so are manie
of them the worst men when they come abroad, that
anie man shall either heare or read of. Trulie it is
a rare thing with us now to heare of a courtier which
hath but his owne language. And to saie how
many gentlewomen and ladies there are, that beside
sound knowledge of the Greeke and Latine toongs,
are thereto no lesse skilful in the Spanish, Italian,
and French, or in some one of them, it resteth not
in me. Sith I am persuaded, that as the noble-
men and gentlemen doo surmount in this behalfe, so
these come verie little or nothing at all behind them
for their parts, which Industrie God continue, and
accomplish that which otherwise is wanting !”*
At this time the practice (derived from the chiv-
alrous ages, when every baronial castle was the
resort of young persons of gentle birth, of both
sexes) was by no means discontinued of placing
young women, of gentle birth, in the establishment
* Harrison.