intended to devote at least two years to wearing black for him, and mourning for his loss; and that even when she shall have arrived at years of discretion, she wishes to retain her liberty, without entering into any matrimonial engagement." Four days after the admiral received this negative, he was the accepted lover of his former fiancée, the queen-dowager Katharine Parr. Elizabeth, who had been, on the demise of the king her father, consigned by the council of the royal minor, her brother, to the care and tutelage of queen Katharine, with whom she was then residing, was, according to our author, much displeased at the conduct of that lady, not only on account of the precipitation with which she had entered into a matrimonial engagement, which was considered derogatory to the honour due to the late king's memory, but because she had induced het to reject the addresses of the admiral, by representing to her how unsuitable such an alliance would be to her, in every point of view. Now, although the queen-dowager only performed her duty, as the widow of the deceased majesty of England, in giving such counsel to the orphan princess, to whom she had undertaken the office of a mother, her own proceedings, by rendering the motives of her advice questionable, excited reflections little to her advantage in the mind of Elizabeth, and perhaps sowed the first seeds of the fatal jealousy which afterwards divided them. According to Leti, the princess Mary, who was no less offended than Elizabeth, at the indecorous haste of their royal stepmother's marriage, wrote to Elizabeth, offering her a residence in her house, entreating her to quit that of the queen-dowager, and come to her, that both might unite in testifying their disapproval of this unsuitable alliance. Elizabeth, however, young as she was, had too much self-command to commit herself by putting a public affront on the best-loved uncle of the king her brother, who was by no means unlikely to supersede Somerset in his office of protector; neither did she feel disposed to come to a rupture with the queen-dowager, whose influence with king Edward was considerable: therefore, in reply to her sister, she wrote a very political letter,' "telling her that it behoved them both to submit with patience to that which could not be cured, as neither of them were in a position to offer any objection to what had taken place, without making their condition worse than it was; observing, that they had to do with a very powerful party, without themselves possessing the The whole of this curious letter may be seen in Leti's Life of Elizabeth; but, unfortunately, our author's desire of rendering his book entertaining has led him to modernize the language and construction so considerably, that very few traces are discernible of the peculiar style of that princess. The readers of the 17th and 18th centuries neither understood nor valued documentary history; hence Leti, who had access to so many precious and now inaccessible records, in the collection of his friend the earl of Aylesbury, and also to our national archives, as nistoriographer to king Charles II., only availed himself of such facts as were of a romantic character, and presented the royal letters of the 16th century in phraseology more suitable to the era of Louis XIV than that of Edward VI.; consequently, many things that were true in substance have been doubted, be cause of the inconsistent form in which they were introduced. slightest credit at court; so that the only thing they could do was to dissemble the pain they felt at the disrespect with which their father's memory had been treated. She excuses herself from accepting Mary's invitation," because," she says, "the queen had shown her so much friendship, that she could not withdraw herself from her protection without appearing ungrateful;" and concludes in these words: [ shall always pay the greatest deference to the instructions you may give me, and submit to whatsoever your highness shall be pleased to ordain." The letter is without date or signature. For a year, at least, after the death of her royal father, Elizabeth continued to pursue her studies under the able superintendence of her accomplished stepmother, with whom she resided, either at the dower palace at Chelsea, or the more sequestered shades of Hanworth. Throckmorton, the kinsman of queen Katharine Parr, draws the following graceful portrait of the manners of the youthful princess at this era of her life: "Elizabeth there sojourning for a time, Gave fruitful hope of blossom blown in prime. So she in princely virtues did excel; "If some of us that waited on the queen, Did ought for her, she past in thankfulness, She was disposed to mirth in company, Yet still regarding civil modesty." The princess Elizabeth, while residing with queen Catharine Parr, had her own ladies and officers of state, and a retinue in all respects suitable to her high rank as sister to the reigning sovereign. Her governess, Mrs. Katharine Ashley, to whom she was fondly attached, was married to a relative of the unfortunate queen her mother, Anne Boleyn, and it is to be observed that Elizabeth, although that mother's name was to her sealed subject, bestowed to the very end of her life her chief favour and confidence on her maternal kindred. The learned William Grindal was Elizabeth's tutor, till she was placed under the still more distinguished preceptorship of Roger Ascham. The following letter from that great scholar was addressed to Mrs. Katharine Ashley, before he had obtained the tutelage of her royal charge, and, both on account of the period at which it was written and its being in English, it is very curious.2 Gentle Mrs. Astley, Would God my wit wist what words would express the thanks you have deserved of all true English hearts, for that noble imp (Elizabeth) by your labour and wisdom now flourishing in all goodly godliness, the fruit whereof doth even now redound to her Grace's high honour and profit. Throckmorton MS. * Whittaker's History of Richmondshire, vol. ii., p. 270. "I wish her Grace to come to that end in perfectness with likelyhood of her wit, and painfulness in her study, true trade of her teaching, which your diligent overseeing doth most constantly promise. And although this one thing be sufficient for me to love you, yet the knot which hath knit Mr. Astley and you together, doth so bind me also to you, that if my ability would match my good will you should find no friend faster. He is a man I loved for his virtue before I knew him through acquaintance, whose friendship I account among my chief gains gotten at court. Your favour to Mr. Grindall, and gentleness towards me, are matters sufficient enough to deserve more good-will than my little power is able to requite. My good-will hath sent you this pen of silver for a token. Good Mrs., I would have you in any case to labour, and not to give yourself to ease. I wish all increase of virtue and honour to that, my good lady (Elizabeth), whose wit, good Mrs. Astley, I beseech you somewhat favour. Blunt edges be dull and (en-) dure much pain to little profit; the free edge is soon turned if it be not handled thereafter. If you pour much drink at once into a goblet, the most part will dash out and run over; if ye pour it softly, you may fill it even to the top, and so her Grace, I doubt not, by little and little, may be increased in learning, that at length greater cannot be required. And if you think not this, gentle Mrs. Astley, yet I trust you will take my words as spoken, although not of the greatest wisdom, yet not of the least good-will. I pray commend you to my good Lady of Troye, and all that company of godly gentlewomen. I send my Lady (Elizabeth) her pen, an Italian book, a book of prayers. Send the silver pen which is broken, and it shall be mended quickly. So I commit and commend you all to the Almighty's merciful protection. Your ever obliged friend, "To his very loving friend, Mrs. Astley."1 "ROGER ASCHAM. On the death of his friend, William Grindall, Ascham was appointed tutor to the Lady Elizabeth, then about sixteen, with whom he read nearly the whole of Cicero's works, Livy, the orations of Isocrates, the tragedies of Sophocles, and the New Testament in Greek. Some disturbances in Ascham's own family separated him from his royal pupil in 1550. Sufficient account has been given, in the memoir of queen Katharine Parr, of the rude and improper conduct of the lord admiral sir Thomas Seymour to the fair young royal student, while under the care of his consort the queen dowager, at Chelsea, Hanworth, and Seymour-Place.2 The boisterous romping to which the queen was at first a party, was repeated in her absence, and when Mrs. Ashley remonstrated with the admiral on the indecorum of his behaviour to the young princess, and entreated him to desist, he replied with a profane oath, "that he would not, for he meant no harm." Few girls of fifteen have ever been placed in a situation of greater peril than Elizabeth was at this period of her life, and if she passed through it without incurring the actual stain of guilt, it is certain that she did not escape scandal. The queen-dowager, apparently terrified at the audacious terms of familiarity on which she found her husband endeavouring to establish himself with her royal stepdaughter, hastened to prevent further mischief by effecting an immediate separation between them. Ascham spells Elizabeth Ashley's name, Astley. Haynes' State Papers The time of Elizabeth's departure from the house and protection of queen Katharine Parr, was a week after Whitsuntide 1548. She then removed with her governess, Mrs. Katharine Ashley, and the rest of her establishment, to Cheston, and afterwards to Hatfield and Ashridge.' That Katharine Parr spoke with some degree of severity to Elizabeth, on the levity of her conduct, there can be no doubt, from the allusions made by the latter, in the following letter, to the expressions used by her majesty when they parted. Nothing, however, can be more meek and conciliatory than the tone in which Elizabeth writes, although the workings of a wounded mind are perceptible throughout. The penmanship of the letter is exquisitely beautiful. "THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH TO KATHARINE PARR.2 "Although I could not be plentiful in giving thanks, for the manifold kindnesses received at your highness's hand, at my departure, yet I am something to be borne withal, for truly I was replete with sorrow to depart from your highness, especially seeing you undoubtful of health, and albeit I answered little, I weighed it more deeper when you said,—' you would warn me of all evilnesses that you should hear of me,' for if your grace had not a good opinion of me, you would not have offered friendship to me that way at all,—meaning the contrary. But what may I more say than thank God for providing such friends for me, desiring God to enrich me with their long life, and me grace to be in heart no less thankful to receive it than I am now made glad in writing to show it? and although I have plenty of matter here, I will stay, for I know you are not quick to rede. From Cheston, this present Saturday. "Your highness s humble daughter, Superscribed-" To the Queen's highness." From another letter addressed by Elizabeth to her royal stepmother, which has been printed in the memoir of that queen, there is every reason to believe that they continued to write to each other on very friendly and affectionate terms. Queen Katharine even sanctioned a correspondence between her husband and the princess, and the following elegant, but cautious letter, was written by Elizabeth, in reply to an apology which he had addressed to her for not having been able to render her some little service which he had promised. My lord. "THE LADY ELIZABETH TO THE LORD ADMIRAL' "You needed not to send an excuse to me, for I could not mistrust the not fulfilling your promise to proceed from want of good-will, but only that opportunity served not. Wherefore I shall desire you to think that a greater matter than this could not make me impute any unkindness in you, for I am a friend not won with trifles, nor lost with the like. Thus I commit you and your affairs into God's hand, who keep you from all evil. I pray you to make my humble com mendations to the Queen's highness. "Your assured friend, to my little power, ELIZABETH." Katharine Parr, during her last illness, wished much to see Elizabeth, and left her, in her will, half her jewels, and a rich chain of gold. She had often said to her, "God has given you great qualities, cultivate Haynes State Papers. 'State Paper Ms., Edward VI.—No. 27. 'Hearne's Sylloge. them always, and labour to improve them, for I believe that you are destined by Heaven to be queen of England." One of the admiral's servants, named Edward, came to Cheston, or Cheshunt, where the lady Elizabeth was then residing with her governess and train, and brought the news of queen Katharine's death. He told the officers of Elizabeth's household "that his lord was a heavy," that is to say, a sorrowful "man, for the loss of the queen his wife." Elizabeth did not give Seymour much credit for his grief; for when her governess, Mrs. Ashley, advised her, as he had been her friend in the lifetime of the late queen, to write a letter of condolence to comfort him in his sorrow, she replied, "I will not do it, for he needs it not.” "Then," said Mrs. Ashley, "if your grace will not, then will I.” 3 She did, and showed the letter to her royal pupil, who, without committing herself in any way, tacitly permitted it to be sent. Lady Tyrwhit, soon after, told Mrs. Ashley" that it was the opinion of many that the lord-admiral kept the late queen's maidens together to wait on the lady Elizabeth, whom he intended shortly to marry." Mrs. Ashley also talked with Mr. Tyrwhit about the marriage, who bade her "take heed, for it were but undoing, if it were done without the council's leave." At Christmas the report became general that the lady Elizabeth should marry with the admiral, but Mrs. Ashley sent word to sir Henry Parker, when he sent his servant to ask her what truth were in this rumour, “that he should in no-wise credit it, for it was ne thought ne meant." Mrs. Ashley, however, by her own account, frequently talked with Elizabeth on the subject, wishing that she and the admiral were married. Elizabeth, who had only completed her fifteenth year two days after the death of queen Katharine Parr, had no maternal friend to direct and watch over her-there was not even a married lady of noble birth or alliance in her household-a household comprising upwards of one hundred and twenty persons-so that she was left entirely to her own discretion, and the counsels of her intriguing governess, Mrs. Katharine Ashley, and the unprincipled cofferer, or treasurer of her house, Thomas Parry, in whom, as well as in Mrs. Ashley, she reposed unbounded confidence. These persons were in the interest of the lordadmiral, and did every thing in their power to further his presumptuous designs on their royal mistress. Leti, who, from his reference to the Aylesbury MSS., had certainly the best information on the subject, gives Elizabeth credit for acting with singular prudence under these circumstances: he tells us, that very soon after the death of queen Katharine, the lord-admiral presented himself before Elizabeth, clad in all the external panoply of mourning, but having, as she suspected, very little grief in his heart. He came as a wooer to the royal maid, from whom he received no encouragement, but he endeavoured to recommend his cause to her through her female attendants. One of her bedchamber women, of the name of Mountjoye, took the liberty of speaking openly to her youthful mistress in favour of a marriage between her and the admiral, enlarging at the same time 'Haynes State Papers. 'Leti's Elizabeth. Haynes State Papers, p. 101 3 Ibid. |