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CHAPTER III.

GOSPEL LIGHT.

1533.

1. THE coronation banquets and rejoicings lasted many days, but Anne was not a woman to forget her higher duties, even in the first proud weeks of royal state. She put her house in order, and selected only such attendants as had kept a good repute. No Bess Hollands hung about her ante-rooms. She set a high example to her maids, not only by attending mass and going to confession, but by calling in her chaplains, and desiring them to monish and exhort as they found need. Latimer was a man not slow to speak, even if he should give offence to worldly minds. No one was suffered to be idle in her house. Great lengths of tapestry were wrought, the chiefest part by her own hands, and hung about the walls at Hampton Court. Anne was a keen and constant reader, going through all the new and liberal books, and marking with her nail such passages as she wished the King to see.

2. In all the freshness of their liberty, the people set about the business of their great reform. No

more English money sent to Rome,' 'No more English bishoprics seized by cardinals' sons,' were cries which men could understand who cared but little for debates about the bread and wine. Anne was a symbol of the English cause, as Catharine was a symbol of the Spanish cause. At Court a. new and welcome sight was seen. Latimer was named Queen's chaplain, and the figure of that bold reformer was observed passing in and out of doors at which the greatest peers in England had to wait. Shaxton came to Court. Books which had been lately burnt by order of the bishops were permitted to be read; even books about the Lollards, and the Good Lord Cobham. Melancthon was invited to come over by the Defender of the Faith. All gloom of eye and hardness of the spirit were put aside, and in their place a true but gentle piety was introduced. To Wyat's sister, Lady Lee, and every other lady in her household, Anne presented a Book of Psalms; a tiny volume, bound in gold, and furnished with a ring, so as to be worn as a jewel when it was not being read.

3. All scholars hailed in Anne a patroness of learning and the liberal arts. Erasmus called her, affectionately, 'Our Anne, the Queen.' She had the merit not only of supporting men of high repute, like Latimer and Shaxton, but of seeking out young men like Parker, who were still unknown to fame. Every poor scholar found easy access to the Queen. 'It is only necessary to have the good word of one

of her chaplains,' said a Cambridge don to Parker, when this admirable man was starting for her court. So Parker found Queen Anne; so every one with Parker's merits found Queen Anne.

4. Tyndale, in his exile, was excited to unwonted gladness by a message from the Queen. A good merchant who assisted him in circulating his New Testament, had been arrested by the magistrates of Antwerp on complaints sent out from London that forbidden books were sent to England through his

agency. No one in Antwerp had the power to help him. His offence was great; for under Tunstall's rule, it was a crime to circulate the Word of God. Anne heard of this poor merchant lying in a foreign jail. At once she ordered Cromwell to obtain the man's release—the quicker for her sake, and as he valued her good will. The man was instantly set free. In In memory of this gracious act, Tyndale had a copy of his Testament printed on vellum for the Queen from which copy he dropt his own name, as author, and inserted on the margin that of Anne. This present from the scholar was the solace of her life.

5. But in her greatness Anne was no less mindful of the poor than when she was a simple maiden living in her Kentish home. She formed a school of service for the poor, of which she was herself the acting chief; and kept her maids at work on shirts and smocks, cut out of homely stuff for homely folk. No beggar ever looked to her in vain ; but she

was wise in giving, and preferred to help poor girls to marry, and poor boys to learn. Her yearly sum for alms was given in a month. 'Her eye of charity and her hand of bounty,' said Lady Wyat to her grandson, 'passed through all the land.'

6. While Anne was making shirts and smocks for poor people, Henry was consulting with his doctors, sorcerers, astrologers, and witches. Would he have a son? The knaves assured him he should have a son. Believing in these prophets, he prepared to hail a Prince, and had a number of letters written, ready to send out announcing that a son was born. On Sunday, the 7th day of September, Anne was prematurely delivered of that daughter who was afterwards to reign as Virgin Queen.

7. The child was born at Greenwich on Our Lady's Day. Not knowing how the heavens had blessed him and his country in that birth, the King was wild with rage, and scared the doctors, sorcerers, astrologers, and witches, who had tampered with his hopes. The Queen was frightened by his fury, and the scholars who were looking up to her for countenance felt shaken by this sudden storm. Henry seemed crazed by passion and regret, and no one felt secure against his violence. Chapuys made haste to let his master know that the King's friend' had been delivered, and that happily her 'bastarde' was a girl!

CHAPTER IV.

ELIZABETH.

1533-34.

1. SOME of the forms drawn up for Anne to sign announcing that 'it had pleased Almighty God of His infinite mercy and grace to grant her the safe delivery of a prince, to the great joy of her lord, herself, and all the good and loving subjects of his realm,' were sent by Anne to her immediate friends. One of these letters was addressed to Cobham, and it happens to have been preserved. No change was made excepting the addition of an s to the word Prince. It was a princess whom Almighty God, in His infinite mercy and grace, had given the King and kingdom.

2. Having scared the Queen and bullied the physicians, Henry began to think of christening his child. The girl was lovely; with her mother's light of eye; and yet with tints and dimples that recalled to him the dearest face on which his eyes had ever dwelt. The girl was like his mother. What was he to call his child?

3. When Cranmer gave his sentence on the King's