she complained that her steward had been taken from her, and wanted to know the reason; if he had done anything injurious to anyone which might concern Elizabeth. They, without her having asked him, had offered him to her. He was of their own religion, and she did not think he could have done them any harm. Paulet said Melville was an honest man; that he was not separated because he had offended Her Majesty nor done anything on his own account, but there were certain reasons, and it had to be done. At last Bourgoyne said Her Majesty feared to send anyone, as they might be detained one after the other. Paulet said she must not anticipate that as all her servants were in the house, and he thought she need not vex herself about it. “_Monday, 23rd January._—Melville got leave to speak to Paulet. Before this he had not been allowed to do so, although he had asked for it. We were full of suspicion and fear until the evening of the same day about five p.m., when the porter came to Her Majesty's chief baker to say that he must not carry the rod before Her Majesty's dinner. Upon which the Queen was very much astonished and thought of sending to ask the cause; but Paulet would receive nobody, saying it was too late. Next day he would hear them. If it was because he had prohibited the carrying of the rod it would be useless, as it should have been prohibited when Melville was taken away. “_Tuesday, 24th January._—Her Majesty sent Bourgoyne to say to Paulet that she had so far got over the fear about her life and murder because of his disposition towards her. Having been warned of his new prohibitions, she had come back to the same doubt, as she could not but think they were doing it with the intention of taking away from her all conveniences and state and dignity, the more easily to accomplish their evil designs. She was much astonished that he would forbid a thing of so little consequence, that could neither hurt nor profit anyone. He could prohibit her servants as he pleased from doing her any honour, but he had been warned not to prevent them from doing their duty, as they had sworn to do, to Her Majesty's pleasure. He had no authority over them, especially touching their service. Paulet said Her Majesty did herself great wrong, and did wrong to the Queen and State of England, to the Council and to himself, to suppose that they would undertake anything so unworthy and so outrageous as to kill her either by night or by day, stab or massacre her secretly or suddenly. This touched him to the heart to hear such a speech, and displeased him to think that he could commit such an act of butchery, or permit it to be done. They had talked enough about that the day before; Her Majesty was a woman of reason, of great mind, and practical, and he wondered she would torment herself about this. She knew they had taken away her daïs, her steward, and her priest, and now she took offence at a trifle, for having taken away the rod they carried before her at meals.