"
A dozen or mare courtiers immediately stepped forward, and
kneeling before the queen, announced their name and rank, which
were both ambitiously high. A few silvery-toned questions were
put by that royal lady and satisfactorily answered, and then the
archbishop, armed with a huge tome, administered a severe and
searching oath, which the candidates took with a great deal of
sang frond, and were then permitted to kiss the hand of the queen
- a privilege worth any amount of swearing - and retire.
"Let any one who has any reports to make, make them immediately,"
again commanded her majesty.
A number of gentlemen of high rank, presented themselves at this
summons, and began relating, as a certain sect of Christians do
in church, their experience! Many of these consisted, to the
deep disapproval of Sir Norman, of accounts of daring highway
robberies, one of them perpetrated on the king himself, which
distinguished personage the duplicate of Leoline styled "our
brother Charles," and of the sums thereby attained. The
treasurer of state was then ordered to show himself, and give an
account of the said moneys, which he promptly did; and after him
came a number of petitioners, praying for one thing and another,
some of which the queen promised to grant, and some she didn't.
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