.

.

we find it strange that you should proceed further.

And although we had given you full and ample direction to proceed to a public dealing in that cause, yet our own discretion, seeing the difficulties and dangers that you yourself saw in the propounding of the matter, ought to have led you to delay till further command from us." Her Majesty then instructed her envoy, in case he had not yet "propounded the matter in the state-house to the general assembly," to pause entirely until he heard her further pleasure.

She concluded, as usual, with a characteristic postcript in her own hand.
"Oh weigh deeplier this matter," she said, "than, with so shallow a judgment, to spill the cause, impair my honour, and shame yourself, with all your wit, that once was supposed better than to lose a bargain for the handling." Certainly the sphinx could have propounded no more puzzling riddles than those which Elizabeth thus suggested to Buckhurst.