Of The Secret Interview Between Norris And Anne Boleyn And Of The Dissimulation Practised By The King
Henry's attentions to Jane Seymour at the masqued fete were so marked,
that the whole court was made aware of his passion. But it was not
anticipated that any serious and extraordinary consequences would result
from the intoxication--far less that the queen herself would be removed
to make way for her successful rival. It was afterwards, however,
remembered that at this time Henry held frequent, long, and grave
confere
engrossed in the meditation of some project.
After the scene at the revel, Anne did not make another exhibition of
jealousy; but it was not that she was reconciled to her situation, or in
any way free from uneasiness. On the contrary, the unhappy Catherine of
Arragon did not suffer more in secret; but she knew, from experience,
that with her royal consort all reproaches would be unavailing.
One morning, when she was alone within her chamber, her father, who was
now Earl of Wiltshire, obtained admittance to her.
"You have a troubled look, my dear lord," she said, as she motioned him
to a seat.
"And with good reason," he replied. "Oh, Anne! words cannot express my
anxiety at the present state of things."
"It will speedily pass by, my lord," she replied; "the king will soon be
tired of his new idol."
"Not before he has overthrown the old one, I fear," rejoined the earl.
"Jane Seymour's charms have usurped entire sovereignty over him. With
all her air of ingenuousness and simplicity, the minion is artful and
dangerous She has a high mark, I am persuaded--no less than the throne."
"But Henry cannot wed her--he cannot divorce me," said Anne.
"So thought Catherine of Arragon," replied her father; "and yet she was
divorced. Anne, I am convinced a plot is hatching against you."
"You do not fear for my life, father?" she cried, trembling.
"I trust there are no grounds for charges against you by which it might
be brought in jeopardy," replied the earl gravely.
"None, father--none!" she exclaimed.
"I am glad of it," rejoined the earl; "for I have heard that the king
said to one who suggested another divorce to him, 'No, if the queen
comes within the scope of the divorce, she also comes within the pale of
the scaffold.'"
"A pledge was extorted from him to that effect," said Anne, in a hollow
voice.
"That an attempt will be made against you, I firmly believe," replied
the earl; "but if you are wholly innocent you have nothing to fear."
"Oh, father! I know not that," cried Anne. "Innocence avails little with
the stony-hearted Henry."
"It will prove your best safeguard," said the earl. "And now farewell,
daughter! Heaven guard you! Keep the strictest watch upon yourself."
So saying, he quitted the apartment, and as soon as she was left alone,
the unhappy Anne burst into an agony of tears.
From this state of affliction she was roused by hearing her own name
pronounced in low accents, and looking up, she beheld Sir Henry Norris.
"Oh, Norris!" she said, in a tone of reproach, "you have come hither to
destroy me."
"No one knows of my coming," he said; "at least, no one who will betray
me. I was brought hither by one who will take care we are not observed."
"By Herne?" demanded Anne.
Norris answered in the affirmative.
"Would you had never leagued yourself with him!" she cried; "I fear the
rash act will bring destruction upon us both."
"It is too late to retract now," he replied; "besides, there was no
help for it. I sacrificed myself to preserve you."
"But will the sacrifice preserve me?" she cried. "I fear not. I have
just been told that the king is preparing some terrible measure against
me--that he meditates removing me, to make way for Jane Seymour."
"You have heard the truth, madam," replied Norris, "he will try to bring
you to the block."
"And with him, to try is to achieve," said Anne. "Oh, Norris! it is a
fearful thing to contemplate such a death!"
"But why contemplate it, madam?" said Norris; "why, if you are satisfied
that the king has such designs against you--why, if you feel that he
will succeed, tarry for the fatal blow? Fly with me--fly with one who
loves you, and will devote his whole life to you--who regards you,
not as the queen, but as Anne Boleyn. Relinquish this false and hollow
grandeur, and fly with me to happiness and peace."
"And relinquish my throne to Jane Seymour?" rejoined Anne "Never! I feel
that all you assert is true--that my present position is hazardous--that
Jane Seymour is in the ascendant, while I am on the decline, if not
wholly sunk--that you love me entirely, and would devote your life
to me--still, with all these motives for dread, I cannot prevail upon
myself voluntarily to give up my title, and to abandon my post to a
rival."
"You do not love me, then, as I love you, Anne," said Norris. "If I were
a king, I would abandon my throne for you."
"You think so now, Norris, because you are not king," she replied. "But
I am queen, and will remain so, till I am forced to abandon my dignity."
"I understand, madam," rejoined Norris gloomily. "But oh I bethink
you to what risks you expose yourself. You know the king's terrible
determination--his vindictiveness, his ferocity."
"Full well," she replied--"full well; but I will rather die a queen than
live disgrace and ruined. In wedding Henry the Eighth, I laid my account
to certain risks, and those I must brave."
Before Norris could urge anything further, the door was suddenly opened,
and a tall dark figure entered the chamber, and said hastily--"The king
is at hand."
"One word more, and it is my last," said Norris to Anne. "Will you fly
with me to-night?--all shall be ready."
"I cannot," replied Anne.
"Away!" cried Herne, dragging Norris forcibly behind the tapestry.
Scarcely had they disappeared when Henry entered the chamber. He was in
a gayer mood than had been usual with him of late.
"I am come to tell you, madam," he said, "that I am about to hold jousts
in the castle on the first of May, at which your good brother and mine,
the Lord Rochford, will be the challenger, while I myself shall be the
defendant. You will adjudge the prize."
"Why not make Jane Seymour queen of the jousts?" said Anne, unable to
resist the remark.
"She will be present at them," said Henry, "but I have my own reasons,"
he added significantly, "for not wishing her to appear as queen on this
occasion."
"Whatever may be your reasons, the wish is sufficient for me," said
Anne. "Nay, will you tarry a moment with me? It is long since we have
had any converse in private together."
"I am busy at this moment," replied Henry bluffly; "but what is it you
would say to me?"
"I would only reproach you for some lack of tenderness, and much
neglect," said Anne. "Oh, Henry! do you remember how you swore by your
life--your crown--your faith--all that you held sacred or dear--that you
would love me ever?"
"And so I would, if I could," replied the king; "but unfortunately the
heart is not entirely under control. Have you yourself, for instance,
experienced no change in your affections?"
"No," replied Anne. "I have certainly suffered severely from your
too evident regard for Jane Seymour; but, though deeply mortified and
distressed, I have never for a moment been shaken in my love for your
majesty."
"A loyal and loving reply," said Henry. "I thought I had perceived some
slight diminution in your regard."
"You did yourself grievous injustice by the supposition," replied Anne.
"I would fain believe so," said the king; "but there are some persons
who would persuade me that you have not only lost your affection for me,
but have even cast eyes of regard on another."
"Those who told you so lied!" cried Anne passionately. "Never woman was
freer from such imputation than myself."
"Never woman was more consummate hypocrite," muttered Henry.
"You do not credit me, I see," cried Anne.
"If I did not, I should know how to act," replied the king. "You
remember my pledge?"
"Full well," replied Anne; "and if love and duty would not restrain me,
fear would."
"So I felt," rejoined the king; "but there are some of your sex upon
whom nothing will operate as a warning--so faithless and inconstant are
they by nature. It has been hinted to me that you are one of these;
but I cannot think it. I can never believe that a woman for whom I
have placed my very throne in jeopardy--for whom I have divorced my
queen-whose family I have elevated and ennobled--and whom I have placed
upon the throne would play me false. It is monstrous-incredible!"
"It is--it is!" replied Anne.
"And now farewell," said Henry. "I have stayed longer than I intended,
and I should not have mentioned these accusations, which I regard as
wholly groundless, unless you had reproached me."
And he quitted the chamber, leaving Anne in a strange state of
perplexity and terror.
More
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Comprising The Third Great Epoch In The History Of The Castle
Strongly attached to the place of his birth, Edward the Third, by his letters patent dated from Westminster, in the twenty-second year of his reign, now founded the ancient chapel established by Henry the First, and dedicated it to the Virgin, Sai... Containing The History Of The Castle From The Reign Of Charles The Second To That Of George The Third
ON the Restoration the castle resumed its splendour, and presented a striking contrast to the previous gloomy period. The terrace, with its festive groups, resembled a picture by Watteau, the courts resounded with laughter, and the velvet sod of the... How Anne Boleyn Received Proof Of Henry's Passion For Jane Seymour
On the day after the solemnisation of the Grand Feast of the Order of the Garter, a masqued fete of great splendour and magnificence was held within the castle. The whole of the state apartments were thrown open to the distinguished guests, and un... How Herne Appeared To Henry In The Home Park
On that same night, at a late hour, a horseman, mounted on a powerful steed, entered the eastern side of the home park, and stationed himself beneath the trees. He had not been there long, when the castle clock tolled forth the hour of midnight, a... How Herne The Hunter Appeared To Henry On The Terrace
Henry again sat down to his despatches, and employed himself upon them to a late hour. At length, feeling heated and oppressed, he arose, and opened a window. As he did so, he was almost blinded by a vivid flash of forked lightning. Ever ready to ... How Herne The Hunter Showed The Earl Of Surrey The Fair Geraldine In A Vision
On the third day after Surrey's imprisonment in the keep, he was removed to the Norman Tower. The chamber allotted him was square, tolerably lofty, and had two narrow-pointed windows on either side, looking on the one hand into the upper quadrangl... How Herne The Hunter Was Himself Hunted
On the guard's recovery, information of what had occurred was immediately conveyed to the king, who had not yet retired to rest, but was sitting in his private chamber with the Dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk. The intelligence threw him into a great ... How King Henry The Eighth Held A Chapter Of The Garter
From a balcony overlooking the upper ward, Anne Boleyn beheld the king's approach on his return from the Garter Tower, and waving her hand smilingly to him, she withdrew into the presence-chamber. Hastening to her, Henry found her surrounded by he... How Mabel Escaped From The Cave With Sir Thomas Wyat
The next day Mabel was set at liberty by her gaoler, and the hours flew by without the opportunity of escape, for which she sighed, occurring to her. As night drew on, she became more anxious, and at last expressed a wish to retire to her cell. Wh... How Mabel Lyndwood Was Taken To The Castle By Nicholas Clamp
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Addressing himself to a stout-built yeoman of the guard, who was standing within the doorway, Nicholas Clamp demanded admittance to the kitchen, and the man having detained them for a few moments, during which he regarded Mabel with a very offensi... How Sir Thomas Wyat Found Mabel In The Sandstone Cave And What Happened To Him There
A week after the foregoing occurrence, the Earl of Surrey was set free. But his joy at regaining his liberty was damped by learning that the Fair Geraldine had departed for Ireland. She had left the tenderest messages for him with his sister, the ... How Sir Thomas Wyat Hunted With Herne
Accompanied by Wyat, and followed by the whole cavalcade, Herne dashed into the glen, where Fenwolf awaited him. Threading the hollow, the troop descried the hart flying swiftly along a sweeping glade at some two hundred yards distance. The glade ... How Sir Thomas Wyat Was Visited By Herne In The Cell
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IN order to preserve unbroken the chain of events with which the last book of this chronicle concluded, it was deemed expedient to disturb the unity of time, so far as it related to some of the less important characters; and it will now be necessa... How The Earl Of Surrey And The Fair Geraldine Plighted Their Troth In The Cloisters Of Saint George's Chapel
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Surrey and Richmond agreed to say nothing for the present of their mysterious adventure in the forest; but their haggard looks, as they presented themselves to the Lady Anne Boleyn in the reception-chamber on the following morning, proclaimed that... How The King And The Duke Of Suffolk Were Assailed By Herne's Band
Henry and Suffolk, on leaving the forester's hut, took their way for a sort space along the side of the lake, and then turned into a path leading through the trees up the eminence on the left. The king was in a joyous mood, and made no attempt to ... How The Train Was Fired And What Followed The Explosion
About ten o'clock in the night under consideration, Surrey and Richmond, accompanied by the Duke of Shoreditch, and half a dozen other archers, set out from the castle, and took their way along the great park, in the direction of the lake. They... How Tristram Lyndwood And Mabel Were Liberated
Intelligence of the queen's return was instantly conveyed to Anne Boleyn, and filled her with indescribable alarm. All her visions of power and splendour seemed to melt away at once. She sent for her father, Lord Rochford, who hurried to her in a ... How Tristram Lyndwood Was Interrogated By The King
Anne Boleyn remained with her royal lover for a few minutes to pour forth her gratitude for the attachment he had displayed to her, and to confirm the advantage she had gained over Wolsey. As soon as she was gone, Henry summoned an usher, and givi... How Wolsey Was Disgraced By The King
On the following day, a reconciliation took place between the king and Anne Boleyn. During a ride in the great park with his royal brother, Suffolk not only convinced him of the groundlessness of his jealousy, but contrived to incense him strongly... How Wyat Beheld Mabel Lyndwood
When perfect consciousness returned to him, Wyat found himself lying upon a pallet in what he first took to be the cell of an anchorite; but as the recollection of recent events arose more distinctly before him, he guessed it to be a chamber conne... In What Manner Herne Declared His Passion For Mabel
Utterly disregarding her cries and entreaties, Fenwolf dragged Mabel into the great cavern, and forced her to take a seat on a bench near the spot where a heap of ashes showed that the fire was ordinarily lighted. All this while, her grandfather h... In What Manner Wolsey Put His Scheme Into Operation
Foiled in his scheme of making Wyat the instrument of Anne Boleyn's overthrow, Wolsey determined to put into immediate operation the plan he had conceived of bringing forward a rival to her with the king. If a choice had been allowed him, he would... Of Henry's Attachment To Jane Seymour
ON the anniversary of Saint George, 1536, and exactly seven years from the opening of this chronicle, Henry assembled the knights-companions within Windsor Castle to hold the grand feast of the most noble Order of the Garter. Many important eve... Of The Brief Advantage Gained By The Queen And The Cardinal
As the king, wholly unattended--for he had left the archers at the Curfew Tower--was passing at the back of Saint George's Chapel, near the north transept, he paused for a moment to look at the embattled entrance to the New Commons--a structure er... Of The Combat Between Will Sommers And Patch
Mabel's heart fluttered violently at the usher's announcement, and for a moment the colour deserted her cheek, while the next instant she was covered with blushes. As to poor Patch, feeling that his indiscretion might place him in great jeopardy a... Of The Compact Between Sir Thomas Wyat And Herne The Hunter
On the day after his secret interview with Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas Wyat received despatches from the king for the court of France. "His majesty bade me tell you to make your preparations quickly, Sir Thomas," said the messenger who delivered the... Of The Desperate Resolution Formed By Tristram And Fenwolf And How The Train Was Laid
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In the twentieth year of the reign of the right high and puissant King Henry the Eighth, namely, in 1529, on the 21st of April, and on one of the loveliest evenings that ever fell on the loveliest district in England, a fair youth, having somewhat... Of The Ghostly Chase Beheld By The Earl Of Surrey And The Duke Of Richmond In Windsor Forest
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IT was now the joyous month of June; and where is June so joyous as within the courts and halls of peerless Windsor? Where does the summer sun shine so brightly as upon its stately gardens and broad terraces, its matchless parks, its silver belt... Of The Meeting Of King Henry The Eighth And Anne Boleyn At The Lower Gate
A joyous day was it for Windsor and great were the preparations made by its loyal inhabitants for a suitable reception to their sovereign. At an early hour the town was thronged with strangers from the neighbouring villages, and later on cr... Of The Mysterious Disappearance Of Herne The Hunter In The Lake
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Tristam Lyndwood did not return home till late in the evening; and when informed of the cardinal's visit, he shook his head gravely. "I am sorry we went to the hunting party," he observed. "Valentine Hagthorne said mischief would come of it, and... Of Tristram Lyndwood The Old Forester And His Granddaughter Mabel
In consequence of the announcement that a grand hunting party would be held in the forest, all the verderers, rangers, and keepers assembled at an early hour on the fourth day after the king's arrival at Windsor in an open space on the west side o... Showing How Morgan Fenwolf Escaped From The Garter Tower
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Before returning to the state apartments, Henry took a turn on the ramparts on the north side of the castle, between the Curfew Tower and the Winchester Tower, and lingered for a short time on the bastion commanding that part of the acclivity wher... The Butcher And How He Was Cast Into The Vault Of The Curfew Tower
Turning off on the right, the earl and his companion continued to descend the hill until they came in sight of the Garter--a snug little hostel, situated immediately beneath the Curfew Tower. Before the porch were grouped the earl's attendants, ... The Last Great Epoch In The History Of The Castle
A prince of consummate taste and fine conceptions, George the Fourth meditated, and, what is better, accomplished the restoration of the castle to more than its original grandeur. He was singularly fortunate in his architect. Sir Jeffry Wyatville ... The Legend Of Herne The Hunter
"Nearly a century and a half ago," commenced Cutbeard, about the middle of the reign of Richard the Second, there was among the keepers of the forest a young man named Herne. He was expert beyond his fellows in all matters of woodcraft, and conseq... The Signal Gun
Anne Boleyn's arraignment took place in the great hall of the White Tower, on the 16th of May, before the Duke of Norfolk, who was created lord high steward for the occasion, and twenty-six peers. The duke had his seat under a canopy of state, and... What Befell Sir Thomas Wyat In The Sandstone Cave
THE cave in which Sir Thomas Wyat found himself, on the removal of the bandage from his eyes, was apparently--for it was only lighted by a single torch--of considerable width and extent, and hewn out of a bed of soft sandstone. The roof, which mig... What Happened At The Jousts
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For some hours Anne Boleyn's attendants were alarmed for her reason, and there seemed good grounds for the apprehension, so wildly and incoherently did she talk, and so violently comport herself--she who was usually so gentle now weeping as if her... What Passed Between Norris And The Tall Monk
Tottering to the seat which Henry and Jane had just quitted, Anne sank into it. After a little time, having in some degree recovered her composure, she was about to return to the great hall, when Norris appeared. "I did not deceive you, madam,"...