It

mired; a minx, who, while she liked Bryan, let the King suppose he had a corner in her heart. was a dangerous thing to come in rivalry with Cæsar, and the henchman, hoping to drive his master off, told him the lady he admired was false; offering, under promise of a pardon, to place the King where he should see her kiss another man. Henry agreed, and standing in a passage saw the lady kiss his henchman! Keeping his promise, he forgave the youth, and left the lady to herself. Such stories were not likely to endear him to a woman, who with all her gaiety of heart and nimbleness of tongue, was Tyndale's pupil and Rochford's child.

3. Anne's notes were growing colder in their tone, and Henry, fearing lest his prize should fail him, poured out all his soul to her. On thinking over what is said in your late letters,' he wrote to her in French, 'I have thrown myself into a fever, not knowing how to take them, whether to my gain or not, as in the case of others. I implore you with the deepest sense of what I say, to let me know your mind, as to the love that is between us. I am bound to put this question, having suffered for a whole year past from the shaft of love, and yet not sure if I shall win or lose you. Whilst I am in doubt, I dare not call you mine-my darling since you only treat me in the ordinary way; but should you please to take the place of a true friend and sweetheart, and give yourself to me, in person and affection, as I give myself to you, in loyal service-so

far as you will let me I promise to renounce all others, and to hold by you alone. Give me, I beseech you, a true answer to my rude letter, that I may see on what ground I stand. If you would rather not reply in writing, let me know some place where I can see you, and I will fly to you with all my heart.'

4. Anne read his words, and with poetic coquetry turned his passion into compliment, by saying that instead of taking the high place which he was offering her, she would rather choose that of his most humble and faithful servant. Henry was delighted with her wit. Though it is not becoming in a gentleman to take his lady for a servant,' he replied in her own airy vein, 'yet since you wish to have it so, your suit is granted, in the hope that you will be less ungrateful in the place chosen by yourself than in the one given by me. I shall thank you very much to have me sometimes in your thoughts.' After this formal declaration of his love, affairs went on more smoothly, and the King rode down to see her. Every yokel in the Weald of Kent can show the hill on which he blew his horn, the road by which he tore into the Eden valley, and the castle tower from which he caught her welcome sign.

5. Through all these scenes of courtship, Anne had the countenance of her pious father, of her worldly uncle, and of all the persons in the midst of whom she lived. Rochford and Norfolk thought the King was free to marry any one. They were schem

ing at the moment of his declaration for a match with Renée, and were well content that he should find a consort of their blood. That union, if it came to pass, would make their fortunes. Norfolk already saw himself in Wolsey's place, as foremost minister of the crown. There was a talk of making Rochford Duke of Somerset in order that his daughter might have precedence in the Court.

6. Anne bore herself as playfully and meekly as a May-day queen, and those who envied her the homage of so great a lover, hoped she might escape unhurt the perils of his ardent suit. Even Catharine felt an interest, not unmixed with pity, for her maid of honour. Like the Cardinal, she thought the King's regard for Anne no more than one of those passing humours which he had indulged of late. The rival she had learnt to fear was Renée, who could bring her husband, not a great connexion only, but pretensions to the duchy of Bretagne. Catharine was living in no May-day dream, with minstrels at her side and palmers at her feet. A hard and bitter lot was hers; but still she never backed one inch from her high post and place. That kings might fall in love like meaner mortals, she had found in early life; but that a King should choose a wife for love was too absurd a thing for her to dread. Her eyes were fixed on France, and Wolsey's doings in the court of France.

7. The Queen was fond of her maid of honour, who had served her well, according to the duties of

her place; but Anne had pleased her most by her refusal to admit, as other ladies in her Court had done, the King's unlawful suit. Catharine kept her by her side, to chat and sew, to sing and play at cards. By keeping Anne engaged, she thought the King would see her less. She also thought that if the King dropt in, he would have a better chance of noticing the boss and nail, than when he saw her dressed in hanging sleeves. The game they played was in which the cards were dealt until a queen meets a king. Anne had a run of luck. Her queen was always meeting with a king. Catharine looked at her bright face and said, 'My Lady Anne, you have good hap to stop at a king: but you are not like the others you will have all or none.'

45

CHAPTER VIII.

THE RESPONSE.

1527.

1. ON Wolsey crossing into France, Rochford returned to his official duties, and on Henry starting for a hunting trip, Rochford and his son George rode with him. The King is merry and in good health,' Fitzwilliam wrote from Beaulieu; 'hunting every day, and supping every night in his privy chamber, with the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Marquis of Exeter, and my Lord of Rochford.' Rochford and Clerk had seen enough in France to tell them that the Cardinal's schemes would fail. François would never marry Mary, nor would Henry find his second wife in France. Renée was pledged to Ercole da Este, heir to the duchy of Ferrara ; Marguerite married to Henry d'Albret, titular King of Navarre. Henry was free to follow the devices of his heart, and absence from his idol only served to deepen the impression of her image on his brain. 2. Although, my darling,' he wrote to Anne, 'it has not pleased you to keep your parting promise, that you would send me good news, as well as