perceived she spake with good memory, and very sharply and earnestly, for her mind was sore unquieted."

The evidence goeth further towards showing an impression on the mind of the witness, that the Queen Dowager fancied she had been unfairly used by her husband; and now for what in the poor lady's mind must have led to such a suspicion. "It is objected and laid unto your charge," state the council in one of their articles exhibited against the Lord Admiral, at the instigation of his more powerful brother, the Lord Protector, to secure himself from the other's constant intrigues for his destruction, "that you have not only, before you married the Queen, attempted and gone about to marry the King's Majesty's sister, second inheritor in remainder to the Crown, but also being then let, by the Lord Protector and others of the council, sithence that time, both in the life of the Queen, continued your old labour and love, and after her death, by secret and crafty means, practised to achieve the said purpose of marrying the said Lady Elizabeth, to the danger of the King's Majesty's person, and peril of the state of the same."

The better to succeed in his views upon the young princess, he obtained, by dint of some sufficient bribe (in the employment of which agency for his purposes the Lord Admiral was never known to be backward), the assistance of the Lady Elizabeth's governess-Mistress Catherine Ashley, whom he found as accommodating a go-between as he could have desired. This lady, on her examination, spoke a monstrous deal in the excusing of herself; but even, from what she hath stated, there can be but little difficulty in coming to a sound judgment as to her share in these matters. The Lady Elizabeth was then residing with the Queen Dowager and her husband, and Mistress Catherine states, that soon after my Lord Admiral's marriage he would often enter the chamber of the young princess before she was ready, and not unfrequently before she was out of bed, when he would salute her with familiar slaps if she were up, but whether they were more free than welcome she sayeth not; "and if she were in her bed, he would put open the curtains and bid her good morrow, and make as though he would come at her, and she would go

further in the bed, so that he could not come at her; and one morning he strove to have kissed her in her bed."

6

Although the governess at her examination professed herself sufficiently shocked at these enormities, she did not interfere in any way to check them, at least there is no sufficient evidence of her so doing, and the rough gallant proceeded, as may readily be supposed, to greater freedoms. She affirms, that at "another time, at Hanworth, in the garden, he wrated* with her (the princess), and cut her gown in a hundred pieces (being black cloth); and when she came up, this examinate chid her, and her Grace answered, she could not do with all, for the Queen held her while the Lord Admiral cut it.' Another time, at Chelsea, the Lady Elizabeth, hearing the private lock undo, knowing that he would come in, ran out of her bed to her maidens, and then went behind the curtains of the bed, the maidens being there, and my lord tarried to have her come out, she cannot tell how long." Nevertheless, these attentions of the Lord Admiral, married man though he was, were any thing but displeasing to the young princess. Mistress Ashley saith also, "That Mr. Ashley, her husband, hath divers times given this examinate warning to take heed, for he did fear that the Lady Elizabeth did bear some affection to my Lord Admiral. She seemed to be well pleased therewith, and sometimes she would blush if he were spoken of."

This examinate, however, thought proper to tell one Thomas Parry, the cofferer of the princess's household, more than she dared confess to the council; but this likewise came out when Parry's evidence was taken by them :-"I do remember also," said he, after disclosing the governess's acknowledgments of her negligence of her pupil," she told me that the Admiral loved her (the princess) but too well, and had so done a good while, and that the Queen was jealous of her and him in so much, that one time the Queen, suspecting the often access of the Admiral to the Lady Elizabeth's grace, came suddenly upon them when they were all alone, he having her in his arms; wherefore the Queen fell out both with

* Wrestled.

the Lord Admiral and with her Grace also." And à short time afterwards the poor Queen died, almost im imediately following the birth of a child, expressing her suspicions that she had been foully used.

Among the witnesses examined by the council was the fair princess herself, who disclosed a very exquisite policy in the manner of her behaviour; but to show the extent of the suspicion her very blamable conduct towards the Lord Admiral created, in a letter she wrote his brother from Hatfield, in January, 1549, she confesses that she knew of rumours being abroad that she was "in the Tower, and with child by my Lord Admiral," which she denies with becoming boldness and indignation, notwithstanding which, however, it was the opinion of divers persons of credit at that time, who had every opportunity of arriving at a right judgment in the matter, that she was any thing but as blameless as she asserted. "She would confess nothing," said Sir Robert Tyrrwhit, who was sent to Hatfield to get the truth out of her if possible, "and yet do I see it in her face, she is guilty." The wonderful policy with which she carried herself at such a trying season was a marvel to all. She was then in her sixteenth year, and though so young, managed to baffle the whole council. Her conduct attracted the attention and admiration of one who afterwards became her guide and counsellor on many occasions scarcely less trying.

She took such good heed that nothing could be proved to her hurt, for though Mistress Ashley was kept a close prisoner, she did not betray her pupil: nevertheless, it was evident to all, the latter did stand in some fear of her so doing, and strove what she might for her enlargement; and she stood upon her innocence with such exceeding boldness, and with so many marvellous fine quotations from holy books, that, at last, even they who had misjudged her the most, were puzzled what to think of her. Certes, if we do acquit her of the monstrous blamableness that appeareth on the first blush of this business, she hath proved, beyond all questioning, that in her youth she was any thing but the severe and starched prude she affected to be in after years. As for the Lord Admiral, we need only say of him, that he

perished on the scaffold a very brief period after this affair of him with the Lady Elizabeth had been inquired into. The which fate, his merciless and more crafty brother, the Lord Protector, by whom he had been pursued to the death for striving to oust him from his supremacy in the government, shared a short time. after, through the influence of another rival, the Earl of Warwick, afterwards Duke of Northumberland, who, in his turn, perished after the same fashion, for his dealing in the matter of the Lady Jane Grey.

In the mean while the Lady Elizabeth conducted herself so properly, that men ceased to talk of her misbehaviour with the late Lord Admiral, and every day she grew more cautious, and profited more and more of certain advice offered her by one who gave her fair reason for her believing him her very excellent good friend. She seemed to be given up to her books, and bore herself as one who cared for nought else but learning and piousness. Yet was she well advised of all things proceeding at court, and lacked not interest in the intrigues then going forward by the ambitious Northumberland, to thrust aside the claim of her sister, the Lady Mary, and herself, to the crown, to make way for the unfortunate wife of his young son, the Lord Dudley, and when, at her brother's death, the weak attempt was made to place the recently married pair on the throne, she, at a critical moment, joined her sister, whom she acknowledged as Queen, with all the power she could raise, and contributed, in no small measure, to the complete overthrow of Northumberland's conspiracy.

At first, the Lady Elizabeth and Queen Mary were exceeding good friends-the one being always with the other, and her Grace sharing prominently in all the pageants of her sister's coronation. Indeed, it is said of her, that at that high ceremony she carried the crown, the which, upon whispering to the French ambassador, who stood next her, it was marvellous heavy, he replied, "Be patient; it will seem lighter when it is on your head." This good advice she was well inclined to follow, and kept up the affectionateness of her sister towards her, by all means in her power. At last, however, this

proper understanding between the two sisters looked to be threatened with a rough ending; not from any rivalry in ambition, but from a rivalry in that fiercer mischief-love. How this came about must now be described. Queen Mary, before coming to the throne, had had many promises of a husband, the which promises would have been wonderfully tantalising to any woman. Now she was affianced to the Emperor Charles-anon, it was the French King-after a while, the Dauphin-and at other times, divers others; but whenever she had made up her mind to any one for to be her husband, straightway it fell out that he could have none of her for a wife. This she liked not, I promise you; and when she came to be her own mistress, she looked about her very earnestly, determined she would have no more of such mischances. She heard of Edward Courtenay, the youthful son of the Marquis of Exeter, one of her father's goodly list of victims, being a close prisoner from the age of fourteen; she heard, moreover, what was more to the purpose, he was now of a ripe manhood, having reached the age of twenty-six, handsome, accomplished, and of a disposition worthy of any woman's love. She had him enlarged on the instant. She saw him; he pleased her marvellous well. He was speedily restored to the title of Earl of Devon, and to the whole of his patrimonial estates, which were fair and wide-and to the confidential sort of persons about her, appeared much gratified when his nearness to the blood royal, by his descent from Edward the Fourth, and his fitness to be her husband, were spoken of.

It so chanced that the handsome Courtenay affected not the severe and unamiable Queen, and worse than this, it so chanced he did affect her more attractive sister; and this the Queen's highness liked not in any manner. She was of a peevish, gloomy disposition, whose continual bad health made continual the badness of her temper, and to be again disappointed in her hopes fretted her monstrously. The Lady Elizabeth was presently sent from court, in disgrace, to Ashbridge, in Buckinghamshire, where she was confined and closely watched; and as though to show how little