THREE YEARS AFTER Elizabeth’s death, King James held a series of entertainments for King Christian of Denmark at her old home at Hatfield. The hollow, spectral atmosphere of the last years of the Elizabethan court was filled with a rambunctious vivacity, the pinched, cobwebby ghost of the old woman who had stalked and muttered through her last years was laid. Convention had returned: in the pageant, the Queen of Sheba was to pay tribute to King Solomon; things were as they had always been. As the Queen approached the royal dais, carrying gifts for His Majesty, she missed her step, collapsed at his feet, and tipped her caskets into the Danish king’s lap. He attempted to rise but was so inebriated that he too fell down and had to be carried to his bed of state, much besmeared with jelly, cream, and custard. “The entertainment and show went forward, and most of the presenters went backwards, or fell down, as wine so occupied their upper chambers.” Three maids of honor, as Faith, Hope, and Charity, made their entrance, but Hope was beyond speech, only able to murmur an apology for the brevity of her performance. Faith staggered from the royal presence, leaving Charity to remark that her gifts were futile as heaven had already given its all to King James. She joined Hope and Faith in the lower hall, where all three were sick. Victory made no appearance at all, having dozed off in the antechamber, leaving Peace to beat the remaining courtiers about the heads with her olive branch.