Suffolk. How is the King employed? Chamberlain. I left him private. Full of sad thoughts and troubles. Norfolk. What's the cause? Chamberlain. It seems the marriage with his brother's wife Suffolk. No, his conscience Has crept too near another lady. Norfolk. 'Tis so." some real mind Those who study the springs of human actions know well, however, that unmixed motives are extremely rare; and as Henry was one of those men of strong Probably passions in whom the religious instinct coexists, to a scruples in certain extent, with habits of sensual indulgence, it the King's would probably be unjust to suppose that these scruples of conscience were altogether feigned. Inclination, policy, and conscientious scruple, each had their influence on the King's mind in suggesting the expediency of a divorce from Catherine, and which of these mixed motives took precedence of the others is beyond the power of the historian to determine. Boleyn the scene In the very earliest stages of this unhappy busi- Anne ness, the "other lady" was, nevertheless, in corre- early on spondence with the King on the subject of marriage; and Cardinal Pole did not hesitate to tell the King (at a later date), as if it was a fact known to them both, that the divorce was first suggested by her, and that she found certain priests and doctors who conveyed her suggestions to him.3 At what date Anne Boleyn first took her place in 2 Hen. VIII., act ii. scene 2. 3 "Illa ipsa sacerdotes suo graves theologos, quasi pignora promptæ voluntatis, misit, qui non modo tibi licere affirmarent uxorem dimittere, sed graviter etiam peccare dicerent, quod punctum ullum temporis eam III experien. ces of a Court CHAP the court of which she was afterwards to be Queen is not at all clearly made out. She had spent a good portion of her girlish days previous to the year 1522 Her first (when she was sixteen years of age) at the court of France, as maid of honour to the French queen. In that year, her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, returned to England, bringing his daughter with him, and at the end of the year her name occurs as attached to the royal wardrobe. It is altogether improbable that she spent any part of the next five years in France. Yet the first we hear of her at the court of Queen Catherine, beyond the fact of her becoming one of her maids of honour, is in a romantic story of her Early en- early attachment to the young Lord Percy, which is told by Cavendish, gentleman usher to Cardinal Wolsey, and which he narrates as one intimately acquainted (as he was from his office likely to be) with all the circumstances:*_ gagement to Lord Percy died in 1527] "Now was at that time" he says, but leaving the date [This Earl altogether uncertain-"the Lord Percy, son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland, attending upon my Lord Cardinal, and was his servant; and when it chanced the said Lord Cardinal at any time to repair unto the court, the Lord Percy would resort then for his pastime into Queen Katharine's chamber, and there would he fall in dalliance among the maids, being at the last more conversant with Mrs. Anne Bullen than any other, so that there grew such a secret love 4 The same defect as to date be- hid and secret love that was be- affectioned that will bare place, and discretion was banished clean for the time." [Wordsworth's Ecc. Biog. i. 416.] There is a letter from Wolsey to the King respecting the divorce in the State Papers, i. 195. It is dated July 1, 1527, and in it Wolsey advises his master to "handle her both gently and doucely," as he says he had previously advised in a message by Sampson. III between them, that at the length, they were insured together, CHAP intending to marry. The which thing when it came to the King's knowledge, he was therewith mightily offended. Wherefore he could no longer hide his secret affection, but he revealed his whole displeasure and secrets unto the Cardinal in that behalf; and willed him to infringe the assurance, made then between the said Lord Percy and Mrs. Anne Bullen. Insomuch as the Cardinal, after his return home from the court to his house in Westminster, being in his gallery, not forgetting the King's commandment, called then the said Lord Percy unto his presence, and before us his servants, then attending upon him, said unto him thus: 'I marvel not a little,' quoth he, 'of thy folly, that thou wouldest thus entangle and ensure thyself with a foolish girl yonder in the court, Anne Bullen. Doest thou not consider the estate that God hath called thee unto in this world? For after thy father's death, thou art most like to inherit and enjoy one of the noblest earldoms of this region. Therefore it had been most convenient for thee, to have sued for the consent of thy father in that case, and to have also made the King's Highness privy thereof, requiring therein his princely favour, submitting thy proceeding in all such matters unto his Highness, who would not only thankfully have accepted thy submission, but would, I am assured, have provided so for thy purpose therein, that he would have advanced thee much more nobly, and have matched thee according to thine estate and honour, whereby thou mightest have grown so by thy wise behaviour in the King's high estimation, that it should have been much thine advancement. But now see what ye have done, through your willfulness. You have not only offended your father, but also your loving Sovereign Lord, and matched yourself with one, such as neither the King nor your father will be agreeable to the match. And hereof I put thee out of doubt, that I will send for thy father, and at his coming he shall either break this unadvised bargain or else disinherit thee for ever. The King's Majesty himself will complain to thy father on thee, and require no less than I have said; whose Highness intending to have preferred Anne Bullen unto another person, wherein the King hath already travelled, and being almost at a point with the same person III CHAP for her, although she knoweth not it, yet hath the King, most like a politic and prudent Prince conveyed the matter in such sort, that she, upon his Grace's motion, will be, I doubt not, right glad, and agreeable to the same.' 'Sir,' quoth the Lord Percy, all weeping, 'I know nothing of the King's pleasure herein, for the which I am very sorry. I consider I am of good years, and thought myself sufficient to provide me a convenient wife, whereas my fancy served me best, not doubting but that my lord my father would have been right well contented. And although she be but a simple maid, having but a knight to her father, yet she is descended of right noble blood and parentage. As for her mother, she is nigh of the Norfolk's blood; and as for her father he is descended of the Earl of Ormond, being one of the Earl's heirs general. Why should I then, Sir, be anything scrupulous to match with her, whose estate and descent is equal with mine, even when I shall be in most dignity? Therefore I most humbly require your Grace of your favour herein; and also to entreat the King's Majesty most humbly on my behalf, for his princely favour in this matter, the which I cannot forsake.' 'Lo, sirs,' quoth the Cardinal unto us, 'ye may see what wisdom is in this wilful boy's head. I thought when thou heardest me declare the King's pleasure and intendment herein, that thou wouldest have relented, and put thyself and thy voluptuous act wholly to the King's will and pleasure, and by him to have been ordered as his Grace should have thought good.' 'Sir,' quoth the Lord Percy, 'so I would, but in this matter I have gone so far, before many worthy witnesses, that I know not how to discharge. myself and my conscience.' 'Why thinkest thou,' said the Cardinal, that the King and I know not what we have to do in as weighty a matter as this? Yes (quoth he), I warrant thee. But I can see in thee no submission to the purpose.' Forsooth, my Lord,' quoth the Lord Percy, if it please your Grace I will submit myself wholly unto the King's Majesty and your Grace in this matter, my conscience being discharged of the weighty burden thereof.' 'Well then,' quoth the Cardinal, 'I will send for your father out of the north parts, and he and we shall take such order in this matter as shall be thought by the King most convenient. And in the mean season, I charge that thou resort no more into her company, as thou wilt abide the King's indignation.' And therewith he rose up, and went his way into his chamber. Then was the Earl of Northumberland sent for in the King's name, who, upon receipt of the King's letters, made all the speed that he could unto the King out of the north. At his coming first he made his resort unto my Lord Cardinal, as most commonly did all other noble personages, that were sent for in such sort, at whose hands they were advertised of the cause of their sending for. But when the Earl was come to my Lord, he was brought incontinent unto him in his gallery. After whose meeting my Lord Cardinal and he were in secret communication a long space. And after their long talk and drinking of a cup of wine, the Earl departed. And in going his way, he sat down at the galleries end, in the half place, upon a form that was standing there for the waiter's ease. And being there set called his son unto him, we standing before him, and said thus in effect unto him:- Son,' quoth he, even as thou art, and always hast been, a proud, licentious, disdainful, and a very unthrifty waster, so hast thou now declared thyself. Wherefore what joy, what comfort, what pleasure, or solace shall I conceive of thee, that thus without discretion hast misused thyself, having neither regard unto me, thy natural father, nor unto thy natural sovereign Lord, to whom all subjects loyal bear faithful obedience; nor yet to the wealth of thine own estate, but hast so unadvisedly assured thyself unto her, for whom thou hast purchased the King's high displeasure, intolerable for any subject to sustain. And but that his Grace doth consider the lightness of thy head, and wilful qualities of thy person, his displeasure and indignation were sufficient to cast me and all my posterity into utter ruin and destruction. But he, being my singular good and favourable Prince, and my Lord Cardinal my good Lord, hath and doth clearly excuse me in thy lewd fact, and doth rather lament thy lightness than malign me for the same; and hath devised an order to be taken for thee; to whom both thou and I be more bound than we be able well to consider. pray to God that this may be unto thee a sufficient admoni CHAP III |