 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 foot-cloth of his hobbyhorse 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 hobbyhorse.
    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
