The jests of Scogan, or rather those attributed to him, were very popular in Elizabeth’s time.  This man was court-fool to Henry VII., and is said to have been “of pleasant wit and bent to merrie devices.”  He was fond of practical jokes, and often attacked the clergy.  Elizabeth seems to have had a natural gift of humour, and we read of many of her witty sayings.  On one occasion, upon an archbishop finding fault with some of her actions, and quoting Scripture to prove she had acted more as a politician than a Christian.  “I see, my lord,” she replied, “that you have read the scriptures, but not the book of Kings.”  She was so well acquainted with proverbs, that on being presented with a collection of English aphorisms, and told by the author that it contained them all, she answered, “Nay, where is ‘Bate me an ace, quoth Bolton.’”

Among the sayings, good for the period, which have been attributed to her, we read that when the Archduke raised the siege of Grave, the Queen who heard of it before her secretary, said to him, “Wot you that the Archduke is risen from the Grave.”  When at Lord Burleigh’s she promised to make seven knights, and the gentlemen to be so honoured were placed in a line as the Queen was going out.  The least worthy of them, however, were through interest with Lord Burleigh placed first, so that they might have precedence of creation.  But the Queen passed down the row and took no notice of them; but when she had reached the screen, turned, and observing, “I had almost forgotten my promise,” proceeded to knight from the lower end.  On one of her Privy Council saying “Your Majesty was too politic for my Lord Burleigh,” she replied, “I have but followed the scripture—­’the first shall be last and the last first.’”

The cares of sovereignty, and the opposition of her Roman Catholic subjects led Elizabeth’s humour to assume a somewhat severe complexion.  Her thoughts gradually became more earnest, and her jests cynical.  Moreover, as seen in Shakespeare, the age in which she lived was reflective, and the budding activity of mind was directed towards great interests.  There was not that impression of the vanity of all things, which grows up with the extension and maturity of society, and attracts the mind to more fanciful and less grave considerations.  A good contrast between Elizabeth’s position, and that of James I. may be seen in the following occurrences.  When Henry IV. had given the order of St. Michael to Nicolas Clifford and Anthony Shirley, she commanded them to return it.  “I will not,” she said, “have my sheep follow the pipe of a strange shepherd;"[56] but when James I. was told that several noblemen of his court and council, received pensions from Spain, the King replied that he knew it well, and only wished the King of Spain would give them ten times as much, as it would render him less able to make war upon him.