to precipitate in these matters showeth little prudence. John Gray also desires to do me worship in the way of marriage, and would be the best husband of the twain. But I would not suddenly deny the Duke's wishing, and so wrote a humble letter to say the knight could come to Grafton, and I would civilly entertain him; which I did, to John Gray's no small discontent, who hath heard of it. But when

Sir Hugh pressed his suit too warmly, I dismissed him with an obliging answer, neither wholly denying or allowing of his suit; which is what her grace my mother advised me. But yesterday I received a letter from the Earl of Warwick which I copy entire, that you may judge if I have need of good counsel, when I am so pressed by two such mighty advocates.

'Worshipful and well-beloved,-I greet you well. And forasmuch my right well-beloved Sir Hugh John, which now late was with you unto his full great joy, and had great cheer, as he saith (methinks the gentleman was easily contented), whereof I thank you, hath informed me now that he hath unto your person, as well as for the great seriousness and wisdom that he hath found and proved in you at that time, as for your great and praised beauty and womanly demeaning, he desireth with all haste to do you worship by the way of marriage, before any other creature living, as he saith. I, considering his said desire and the great worship that he had, which was made knight at Jerusalem, and after his coming home, for the great wisdom and manhood that he was renowned of, was made Knight Marshal of France, and after of England, with other his great virtues and deserts, and also the good and notable service that he hath done and daily doth to me, write unto you at this time and pray you affectuously that you will the rather at this my request and prayer condescend to this his lawful and honest desire, wherein you shall provide notably for yourself unto your weal and worship in time to come, and cause me to show you such good patronage as you by reason of it shall hold you content and pleased, with the grace of God, which everlastingly have you in bliss, protection, and governance.

Written by the EARL OF WARWICK.'

"Now, well-beloved Maud, herein lieth my perplexity. Patronage is good, but lands are better. The good lordship of these two great peers is not lightly to be thought of; but what if, gaining their favour, I should lose the good opinion of her majesty? Sir Hugh John is a sightly person and a valiant soldier; but methinks the Duchess of Bedford's daughter should not be content to be called Lady John, and her fortunes to depend on a less person than the King. If I marry John Gray, then I wed the heir of the wealthy Lord Ferrers of Groby; and if you and Margaret de Roos will be my good friends in this matter, and speak to the Queen, so that she shall discern that out of loyalty to her majesty I have refused the Duke of York's and Lord Warwick's suitor, then she will, I doubt not, bestow on me an equal dowry to that which she hath granted to Isminia Scales and Joan Dacre, that is, 2007.; and then the Lord

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Ferrers shall be satisfied, for her grace my mother will give me the portion she hath promised, which you know; and if so, I shall be well content to marry John Gray: in good hour be it. I beseech God send you good health and greater joy in one year than you have had in seven. Your loving true friend,

"Written at Grafton Castle,

Tuesday, 14th of July 1449."

"ELISABETH WOODVILLE.

"What think you?" said Maud Everingham, when I returned to her this letter.

I smiled, and answered: "What I think is, that Mistress Elisabeth hath the most innocent countenance and the profoundest cunning of any maiden of her years alive."

"Some are of opinion," Maud answered, "that she is simple."

"Well," I replied, "there is maybe some simplicity in the plain unvarnished avowal this letter doth contain. Even to a friend some would have feigned to be more generous, and less careful of their own weal."

"She is the most gentle person on the earth, and of so sweet a disposition, that one must needs like her," Maud replied. "It is not to be credited how many gentlemen are in love with Bessy, though she is so silent and reserved, that none can affirm she favours their suit. And for all that she has little or no tocher, few damsels have had so many offers of marriage."

"It is a noticeable thing," I answered, "that these silent women, if they have beauty and prudence, are the most apt to inspire love. As they show no marked preference for any one, all which admire them are like each to suppose he is most favoured. And if the lady only once smiles, or lifts up her downcast eyes, or accepts a trifling service at his hands, my lord or master is straightway enraptured, and ready to fall at her feet. Then a sweet blush, and a Nay, nay, I pray your lordship,' or 'I beseech you, sir, forbear,' checks the presumptuous lover, and dismisses him for that time without more ado, but not quite in despair. O, I have watched these pretty tricks; and albeit two-thirds of the men in the world-yea, more perhaps-are justly served when women make fools of them, it mislikes me to see a good and brave gentleman like Sir Hugh John caught in their smooth traps."

"Nay," cried Maud, "you are too severe."

"You are too good,” I said. "There is none, be they so full of defects as an egg is of meat, but you defend them. If the devil had need of an advocate-"

Nay," she interrupted, with a pained countenance, "say not so, dear Meg. But methinks our Lord God used not bitter words even to the devil, but only drove him away with words of holy writ. But prithee, sweet lady, wilt thou move the Queen to do that good to Elisabeth?"

"For thy sake, Maud, and none other," I replied. "But I would it had been thee, not she, that was to be married."

"Married!" she exclaimed.

nobly wedded than poor Bessy."

"How so?" I asked, surprised.

"I'll warrant thee I shall be more

"No meaner bridegroom than the King of kings can content my ambition," she said. And I then saw her intent was to be a nun. Well, the more I know and hear of courts, and the ups and downs and dire haps of this toilsome world, the greater groweth in me an esteem of the life religious persons lead, albeit I never found in myself any calling thereunto.

The Queen was well pleased to give Mistress Woodville a portion; for she said John Gray was a leal gentleman of good renown, and his father a devoted friend of the late king.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE RED ROSE.

A CHANGE hath come over the King. He shows more concern about the Duke of Suffolk's murther than he hath yet evinced at the ill-usage of his friends. The spark of fire in his nature which the Queen hath long laboured to kindle is at last elicited. The spirit of his father awakes. Now that tidings have reached London that one Jack Cade, a mean fellow which calls himself Mortimer, hath raised the mob in Kent,-instigated, many surmise, by the Duke of York,and is marching towards the city, for the first time the King is roused to action, and takes the lead in his own council. With absolute and royal disdain he rejects the insolent petitions of Master Amendall, this common fellow, and new reformer of grievances; and nothing will serve his majesty but to command himself his forces against these turbulent aggressors. Methinks this is the most glad hour the Queen hath yet known. If I should live to be a thousand years old, I could not forget her looks. She watches with an inexpressible delight the King's actions, and seems to revive in the new light of his countenance. When she saw him put on his armour, convene his officers, and address them in words which caused them to start with a glad surprise, as if the victor of Agincourt had risen from the dead to lead them, she was well-nigh beside herself with joy.

"See," she whispered to me," see the new fire in my lord's eye. Angel-like as ever is his beauteous face; but now 'tis the avenging archangel, the commissioner of the high God, we behold in him. At the last men will perceive the nobility of his wonderful soul, in which courage equals virtue, and a passionate love of God marshals all other merits befitting a king and a hero."

I saw her ride forth from the palace this morn by the side of her lord, apparelled in warlike guise, which became her well; the steed which carried her curvetting proudly, as if glorying in his burthen. Her face beamed with a radiant beauty. Thus the queen of Amazons should have looked, or the pictured goddess of war leading captive kings in her train. Her chest seemed to expand, and

her slight form to dilate, with the chivalrous spirit which fired her dark eye. The smile with which she greeted the old Lord Shrewsbury when he came to her side was bright enough to illuminate the world with its shine. Ever and anon I saw her casting quick glances at the King, whose cheek was flushed with warlike ardour, and his eye sparkling with an unwonted vivacity.

Some hours' suspense have elapsed. I went into the Abbey to pray at St. Edward's tomb; for in prayer alone could I find strength to endure this waiting for news.

A messenger hath come. Joy, O, joy greater than can be thought of! The very sight of the royal troops, and the report of his majesty's presence, hath dissolved the rebel bands like snow melts in the sunshine. They have dispersed in disorder, and Jack Cade himself hath fled, 'tis reported, to the thickets behind Seven Oaks. An easy victory is at hand. A council, hastily gathered together on the field, is taking measures for the pursuit and the final rout of these miscreants by the King, who shall firmly settle his glorious rule. O, my Queen, this joyful hour hath come! What a glad return shall be thine!

The night hath come. Its dark veil is spread over the sky; and how deep a shade of gloom hath fallen on my heart! O God! O God! too well I foresee the mournful hap. O God! to look on that face so glad this morn, and see it as it will be this night when she arrives! Henry Bouchier hath ridden from the field. I met him on the stairs. "Is the King defeated?" I cried, trembling. "No, not defeated," quoth he in a surly tone; "I had as lief it was so." "Heavens! what mean you?" I exclaimed. "This," he re

plied; "that when victory was secure if he advanced, and his name acting with more power than the report of 20,000 men, and every heart beating with joy and triumph that he should prove a king at last, lo, a report goes forth-God forgive me! I could swear, and curse, and grind my teeth at the thought of it; and would it were only a thought, not a miserable deed!-I say, the report goes forth that the King hath resigned the command to Sir Humphrey Stafford, and forthwith returns to London with the Queen. I warrant you, oaths and curses did then abound; for like a dismal cloud on a fair sky, this sinister news dulled ardour, checked loyalty, spread confusion amongst the troops; and when those scattered tinkers hear of it, God knoweth how their courage shall revive!" "Alas for the Queen!" I cried; "I am much sorry for her." "The Queen!" he exclaimed. "Why, nothing would serve the Queen but to bring back the King in this base manner. He would fain have advanced, 'tis thought. He had declared he should not rest or sleep till the last rebel had surrendered. She too was urging-so I was told-a hot pursuit, and with kindling eye and eloquent words urging the lords not to delay one instant, when a panic seized her most strange and sudden. The colour at once forsook her cheeks, her lips quivered, a quaking anguish shook her limbs; she frantically prayed the King to leave the army, would listen to no arguments, but held his arm, and, with large tears streaming from her eyes, besought him to return

with her to London. And when Lord Shrewsbury and others tried to speak to her, she would not heed, but dragged the King aside; and soon I received orders to ride to Westminster to announce their coming back. Heavens! what a poor feeble reed is courage in a woman! I deemed this Queen had been as brave as any man in Christendom; and now, by her cowardly fears, she hath ruined the King; for I tell you, Dame Margaret, the desertion of his troops this day shall never be forgot. This hath been an evil hap for the House of Lancaster!" He went sorrowfully away; and I am waiting in the Queen's chamber.

October 7th.

O, what a return was that on the 25th of September! I dared not lift mine eyes to the Queen's visage when she entered. "Shut the door," she said; and when we were alone fell into mine arms and hid her face in my bosom. The King was for some days reported to be ill, and few went into his chamber. News came soon that the rebels had rallied, caught the royal troops in an ambush, slain Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother, and encamped on Blackheath. His Grace of Canterbury and my Lord Buckingham went to parley with them; but that false varlet the pretended Sir John Mortimer would not treat with any, forsooth, but the King in person, and, like a stage-player, strutted about as a king his self in gilt armour. Seditious cries were heard in London, "Long live Mortimer! Long live the Duke of York!" The rebels marched on towards Westminster, and their majesties, with the court, fled to Kenilworth Castle, where I write this.

Last evening the Queen said to me, "Ah, then, Master Bouchier is of opinion that womanly fears moved me to carry back the King to London from the army. If so, he should do well to despise me, although I am a queen and his sovereign. And thou, Meg, dost thou think the same?"

"Madame," I replied, "I think that was the bravest action that your majesty shall ever have, I pray God, to perform.”

"Yea," she said in a low voice; "and thou mayest say the like of my flying with my lord to this place when Cade approached London. The day may come when an easier sort of courage will be witnessed in Margaret of Anjou. Hast heard that vile impostor, the pretended knight, smote with his staff on London stone, and cried, Now is Mortimer lord of London'? York, the ungrateful duke, the false Plantagenet, is the spring of this vile rabble's rising. Horrors are enacted in London-murthers, robberies, and fighting day and night in the streets. But the burgesses are well nigh weary of these reformers. A general pardon will soon be proclaimed by the advice of Waynfleet; but I will have some exceptions made to it. There is one John Payn in prison, the servant of Sir John Falstolf, an obstinate knave, which will not impeach his master of treason; but I know that knight is a traitor, and I will have his head."

This was the first time I had heard the like words from my