
                                Sir Walter Scott

                                   Kenilworth

                                   A Romance

 No scandal about Queen Elizabeth, I hope?
                                                                     The Critic.
 

                                  Introduction

A certain degree of success, real or supposed, in the delineation of Queen Mary,
naturally induced the Author to attempt something similar respecting »her sister
and her foe,« the celebrated Elizabeth. He will not, however, pretend to have
approached the task with the same feelings; for the candid Robertson himself
confesses having felt the prejudices with which a Scotsman is tempted to regard
the subject; and what so liberal a historian, avows, a poor romance-writer dares
not disown. But he hopes the influence of a prejudice, almost as natural to him
as his native air, will not be found to have greatly affected the sketch he has
attempted of England's Elizabeth. I have endeavoured to describe her as at once
a high-minded sovereign, and a female of passionate feelings, hesitating betwixt
the sense of her rank and the duty she owed her subjects on the one hand, and on
the other, her attachment to a nobleman, who, in external qualifications at
least, amply merited her favour. The interest of the story is thrown upon that
period when the sudden death of the first Countess of Leicester seemed to open
to the ambition of her husband the opportunity of sharing the crown of his
sovereign.
    It is possible that slander, which very seldom favours the memories of
persons in exalted stations, may have blackened the character of Leicester with
darker shades than really belonged to it. But the almost general voice of the
times attached the most foul suspicions to the death of the unfortunate
Countess, more especially as it took place so very opportunely for the
indulgence of her lover's ambition. If we can trust Ashmole's Antiquities of
Berkshire, there was but too much ground for the traditions which charge
Leicester with the murder of his wife. In the following extract of the passage
the reader will find the authority I had for the story of the romance: -
    »At the west end of the church are the ruins of a manor, anciently belonging
(as a cell or place of removal, as some report) to the monks of Abingdon. At the
Dissolution the said manor or lordship was conveyed to one -- Owen (I believe),
the possessor of Godstow then.
    In the hall, over the chimney, I find Abingdon arms cut in stone, viz. a
patonee between four martletts; and also another escutcheon, viz. a lion
rampant, and several mitres cut in stone about the house. There is also in the
said house a chamber called Dudley
