Diplomatic Immunity

I ANSWERED, As I was walking with my Lord Hunsdon, as we passed by the chamber door, I heard such a melody as ravished me, whereby I was drawn in ere I knew how; excusing my fault of homeliness as being brought up in the Court of France, where such freedom was allowed; declaring myself willing to endure what kind of punishment her Majesty should be pleased to inflict upon me for so great offence.

Then she sat down low upon a cushion, and I upon my knees by her; but with her own hand she gave me a cushion to lay under my knee; which at first I refused, but she compelled me to take it. She enquired whether my Queen or she played best.*

In that I found myself obliged to give her the praise.

by Sir James Melville 1535–1617

Sir James Melville (1535–1617) spelling modernised

From ‘The Memoirs of Sir James Melville’, with acknowledgements to ‘A Short History of English Music’ (1912) by Ernest Ford.

This exchange took place in 1564; it was not until 1568 that Mary fled Scotland and took refuge with Elizabeth. Melville reveals that this was just one more example of Elizabeth asking him to rate her beside her cousin Mary. See our post Mary Queen of Scots.

Questions for Critics

1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?

2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?

3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?

Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.

Tags

Music and Musicians 64 Sir James Melville 1 Extracts from Literature 678 Biographical Extracts 61 Extracts from Mediaeval Literature 30 Tudor Era 38 Scottish History 25 Queen Elizabeth I 1 Mary, Queen of Scots 2 Passages in Early Modern English 15

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October 22 NS

October 9 OS

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