"Of the brood of Angels heavenly born." [18]
And yet again, she is
"Divine and born of heavenly seed." [19]
Once more we are bid
"Go visit her in her chaste bower of rest,
Accompanied with Angel-like delights." [20]
Turn we next to the "Epithalamion." And here the same cuckoo-note is repeated usque ad nauseam. We are told, that, to look upon her,
"we should ween
Some Angel she had been." [21]
Even her bridesmaids (her sisters, probably) are thought to be Angels, and, addressing them, the bridegroom says,
"Sing, ye sweet Angels, Alleluya sing!" [22]
Finally, in "Colin Clout's come home again," the poet very dexterously evades the royal anger of Elizabeth, sure to be aroused by the preference of any beauty to her own. To deceive the Queen,—to whom, in gratitude for past favors, and, mayhap, with a lively appreciation of others yet to come, he is offering up homage,—he describes her Majesty by the very same imagery he had elsewhere employed to depict his lady-love; and ostensibly applies to the royal Elizabeth the amatory terms which are covertly meant for an Elizabeth of his own,—between whom and her royal type he either saw or affected to see a personal resemblance. Here we find her placed by the poet: