She appeared to be so affectioned to the Queen her good sister, that she had a great desire to see her: and because their desired meeting could not be hastily brought to pass, she delighted oft to look upon her picture, and took me in to her bed chamber, and opened a little lettroun {cabinet} wherein were divers little pictures wrapped within paper, and written upon the paper, their names with her own hand. Upon the first that she took up was written, "My lord's picture." I held the candle and pressed to see my lord's {Leicester's} picture. Albeit she was loth to let me see it, at length I by importunity obtained the sight thereof, and asked the same to carry home with me unto the Queen, which she refused, alleging she had but that one of his. I said again, that she had the principal; for he was at the furthest part of the chamber speaking with the secretary Cecil. Then she took out the Queen's picture and kissed it; and I kissed her hand for the great love I saw she bore to the Queen.... ... Her {Elizabeth's} hair was redder than yellow, curled apparently of nature. Then she entered to discern what colour of hair was reported best, and inquired whether the Queen's or her's was best, and which of them two was fairest. I said, the fairness of them both was not their worst faults. But she was earnest with me to declare which of them I thought fairest. I said, she was the fairest Queen in England, and ours the fairest Queen in Scotland. Yet she was earnest. I said they were both the fairest ladies of their courts, and that the Queen of England was whiter, but our Queen very lovesome. She inquired which of them was of highest stature. I said, our Queen. Then she said the Queen was over high, and that herself was neither over high or over low. Then she asked what sort of exercises she used. I said, that I was dispatched out of Scotland, that the Queen was but new come back from the highland hunting; and when she had leisure from the affairs of her company, she read upon good books, the histories of divers countries, and sometimes would play upon lute and virginals. She sperit {asked} if she played well. I said, reasonably for a Queen. _A CONSEQUENCE OF FRENCH TRAINING_ _NO PLAIN DEALING OR UPRIGHT MEANING_