of her own heart; and, under his auspices, was privately united to Charles Brandon five months after she had left England, a magnificent but unwilling bride. In these second nuptials, a striking contrast was presented to the proud but heartless pageantry of her former marriage. The ceremony was performed with the utmust privacy and simplicity in the Abbey of Clugny. Mary looked for no homage; she was greeted with no acclamations; but she listened to the promises of hope; she indulged anticipations of felicity; she had no longer to complain of the too ponderous crown, received without joy and resigned without regret. But in renouncing the vanities of her sex, she had obtained no exemption from its fears; and, however, encouraged by Francis, or sanctioned by the example of her sister Margaret, who, since her husband's death, had condescended to espouse the Earl of Angus, she was unable to divest herself of ominous forebodings; and dreaded lest Henry should punish her temerity by inflicting some signal mark of displeasure on the object of her affections. To avert this calamity, she wrote again, frankly confessing her own delinquency, and exonerating Brandon she admitted that she had been half the wooer, and that it had required all her influence to induce him to infringe his duty; that she had protested she must be won in four days, or never seen again; that she had even refused to return to England, if he declined becoming her husband. In extenuation of her own conduct, she avowed her apprehension lest the King's privy council should oppose her unequal marriage; finally, she threw herself on his mercy, pathetically beseeching him to save her from unspeakable misery and desolation: "and now," she adds, "that your Grace knoweth both the offences of which I alone am the occasion, most humbly, and as your most foul sister, I request you to pardon our offences; and that it will please your Grace to write to me and the Duke of Suffolk some few gentle words, for that is the greatest comfort." All the impetuosity of Henry's nature burst forth at this clandestine proceeding; but he could not forget that Suffolk had been his early friend; he could not refuse to listen to Francis, who, equally from policy and inclination, was become his sister's advocate. It may, however, be doubted whether that mediation would have prevailed, had it not been seconded by Wolsey's powerful interest, and by the consolatory reflection, that it was better his sister's dower should devolve on one of his own subjects than on a foreign prince, over whom he could claim no allegiance. Influenced by these considerations Henry graciously invited Mary and her husband to return to England, where their nuptials were again solemnised with suitable pomp and festivity. It is worthy of remark, that at the * * In 1515. The May-game, described by Hall, this year, appears to have possessed unusual elegance. The tournament which was expressly held in honor of his bride, the Duke of Suffolk exhibited an ingenious device, delicately alluding to the circumstance which had brought him within the pale of royalty. To the trappings of his horse, which were one half cloth of gold, and the other cloth of frieze, was appended the following motto: Cloth of gold, do not despise, Tho' thou art match'd with cloth of frize; Tho' thou art match'd with cloth of gold.* King, and the two Queens, and their respective attendants, were met at Shooter's Hill by two hundred of the King's guard, all habited in green; one of whom, under the assumed name of Robin Hood, asked permission to show his archery: permission being granted, he whistled, and all his men at once discharged their arrows. Again, and again, the same feat was performed; when Robin Hood invited the royal party to come to the Green Wood and see how outlaws lived: consent was given, and then the horns blew, till they came to an arbour, made of boughs, with a hall, and a great inner chamber, strewed with flowers and sweet herbs, which the King much praised. Then said Robin Hood." Sir, outlaws' breakfast is venison, and therefore you must be content with such fare as we use." Then the King and court sat down, and were served with venison and wine, to their great contentation. On their return, they were met by two ladies, a chariot drawn by five horses, on each of which rode some allegorical female, and in the car appeared Flora and May, who saluted the King with goodly songs; and so brought him to Greenwich, in the sight of the people, to their great joy and solace. *See Percy's reliques, Sir William Temple's Miscellanies. Thus happily terminated the trials of Mary ; and, what is extraordinary, it does not appear she had ever cause to repent of her romantic attachment; and, amidst the blandishment of a court, of which to her last moments she continued to form the brightest ornament, she was still distinguished as the devoted wife, and tender mother. 12 CHAPTER III Letters and Embassies of Sir Thomas Boleyn. -The Meeting of Francis and Henry in the Plains of Guisnes. THE departure of Mary from France altered not the destination of Anne Boleyn. By the mediation of her former mistress she was transferred to the wife of Francis, the virtuous Claude, whose court, formed on the model of that established by her mother, Anne of Britany, was crowded with boys and girls, pages and maids of honor. It had been the pride of that princess to render her palace a seminary of instruction for the young female nobility; and, with a munificence worthy of her rank, she not only admitted, but invited to her protection, all who could authenticate their claims to honorable lineage. According to Brantome, three hundred girls were thus enrolled among her pupils, and half that number included in her retainers and attendants, some of whom received no salary, but lived at the |