Lord Burghley:
The girl’s worse than the man!
The Queen:
Saw you any fashion, my lord, which my sex does not exaggerate? The woman has taken the infection from the man, but in the weaker body the fever rages most wildly——
Scene VI.
The Queen:
“Her beseechings” forsooth—I’m very weary! [The Players enter and stand grouped by the servants at the end of the Hall.] Ah! there are our players. Well, let that one approach who wrote the piece—I mean—Ach! I forget his name! [Turns to Lord Burghley.] Those common names are so hard to remember.
[The servant goes down the Hall and brings Shakespeare to the Queen. As Shakespeare bows low the Queen looks at him, but doesn’t speak for some time.]
The Queen:
[Breathing heavily, as if tired.] You wrote the piece?