a more happy time perhaps you might have seen me with less Horror In a more happy time repli'd the Marchioness with looks which expressed more of sorrow then wrath I should certainly have found the most sensible of all Pleasures to have seen the faithful and genourous Piercy but I ought to have nothing but horror for a man who after his dearness to me is become unconstant perfidious and in one word the Son-in-Law to the Earl of Shrewsbury You have taught me to change answerd Piercy dolefully but unfortunately for me my condition is only changed my heart is altogether the same it was You are Married she added can you say that I have given you Examples of levity I whom neither King Father Favourite nor Fortune herself could be ever able to shake nay even since you have betray'd me And have not you said Piercy repaid the King those Dignities he hath shower'd on your whole Family with that same heart you stole from me No unjust Piercy said she I have not done what you say I have loved you with too wuch perseverance and if I ought to be reproached with any thing it iâ— that I have writ you a Letter full of tenderness which you would noâ— vouchsafe to answer Have not you received my Answer cry'd he I am betray'd Madam I am too courteous not to acknowledge the Honour yoâ— did me I have watched a thousand times to see you since but you did not appear the King has been continually in your company has overwhelmed you with his favours and all thâ— world spoke of his good fortune your Father has confirm'd it and despair has precipitated me into this state I am in at present I see said the Marchioness we owe all our miseries to the Artifices of Woolsey and without reproaching your weakness I shall be content to comfort my self with that Liberty I have preserved I merit much greater evils then those I have and I well see that time has destin'd me enough of them But as for you Madam said Piercy put an end to those which may menace you forget an ungrateful man who ought not to give you a moments trouble and no longer refuse that glory the King offers you Marry him if he can make you Queen you shall have in me a most unfortunate Subject who will retain for you Sentiments of Respect and adoration to the last minute of his life and who shall find comfort in any condition when he shall see you in a state worthy of your self I conjure you to this continued he in prostrating himself at her feet if a truly sincere penitence can merit any thing of you She interupted him shedding some Tears Go Piercy and let it suffice you to have caused me the chief of all evils do not solicit me to render it yet greater You have been more dear to me than fortune and you are still too much let us put a period to this conversation which afflicts us and can give us no other Subject but that of repentance conserve your self for those persons to whom you stand obliged and endeavour to forget me for your own quiet sake At these words the Marchioness parted from him and he had not force enough to detain her she never apear'd more beautiful to him and he never found himself more amorous He continued some time after upon the place he murmured against his Father detested Woolsey accused the Earl of Ormond made a thousand reproaches to himself and returned to his house full of grief and reluctancy This discourse of Anne Bullen and Piercy gave them knowledge of their misfortunes and incensed them against the Cardinal The Popes sickness which hapned at this time made him neglect the divorce and labour secretly to be elected by all the powerful intrigues he had at Rome The King perceived something and pressed the two Cardinals earnestly to determine this famous affair because they had full power to do it But the Pope recovering this sickness recals Campejus without giveing him leasure to satisfie the King The King notwithstanding resolves to appear in Court with the Queen before the Judges nothing was more smart and touching then what the Queen pleaded in her defence she implored justice of the King and went out of Court in despair and made her appeal from the Cardinals to the Pope The King accus'd Woolsey of his delay and that he had betray'd him secretly but the Cardinal moderated his Indignation by his Rhetorick who nevertheless looked upon him as a man of little Sincerity Cardinal Campejus departed from London and the King who knew the Pope and the Emperour were reconciled feared his Designs Queen Katherine being Aunt to the Emperour who interessed himself strongly in her Cause Woolsey's slackness whilst he was in prospect of being elected Pope caused much disquiet to the King who ordered Campejus to be stopt at the Sea side under pretence of searching his Goods but in effect it was to see if there could be found amongst them any Writings concerning these Affairs His departure raised the Queens hopes but gave fear to those that were interessed for the Marchioness of Pembrook Blunt was not dissatisfied with these delays knowing the Kings present Inclinations And Anne Bullen was joyful thereat in hopes to be revenged of Woolsey which followed soon after The King had murmured against him with high Displeasure every one perceived his favour was nip'd and the Enemies his haughtiness had rais'd him now observ'd no measures the people cryed out upon his Injustice the Lords of his pride the Queen of the sorrows he had caused her Blunt that he had made her to lose the Kings heart and the Marchioness of Pembroke that he had occasioned the loss of her repose The Queen proved that he designed to betray the King keeping secret intelligences with the Pope and the Emperour it was made clearly to appear that he oppressed the Nation by his vanity which he supported by tyrannizing over the people Anne Bullen was too much incensed against him not to second the multitude and vindictive Blunt acted with no less resentments He was then accused and arraigned according to the usual forms of Justice yet he continued to sit as Chancellour hoping by his presence to disperse this storm but the King was acquainted that a person accused as a criminal ought not to officiate the most important charge of the Kingdom Who sent the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk to him to demand the great Seal from him which he refused fiercely telling them his Majesty had honoured him with the Office of Chancellor for his life but the King wrote to him on the morrow to send it him and to quit London He obey'd the order of his Prince returned the Seal and immediately went to Asher a very fair House that he built after he had given Hampton Court to the King commanding his Steward to deliver up to the King or his Orders all his moveables which were the richest that ever any
and that from her only she had learnt to Praise Piercy his thoughts were mightily discomposed and being sensible of nothing but love and jealousie he looked upon the loss of Ann Bullen as the greatest of evils which could possibly befall him He could not hide his trouble from the Princess whom he desired to speak no more of this affair for some important reasons whereof he would one day give her an account But he enquired of her whether Piercy was beloved and having learnt the truth he immediately quitted the Dutchess of Suffolk and sent to find Woolsey whom he commanded to think no more of the Dutchess of Alencon for his Queen but to employ all his Art to preserve Ann Bullen for him The Cardinal wished heartily that the King's Passion had been a little more moderated but considering it was an epidimical distemper and that in making Ann Bullen Queen he should gain her absolutely he did not believe that a person of her Age and condition could have Constancy proof against a Crown So he assured the King of all that might flatter him and took upon himself the Charge to let Piercy know that he must heal himself till such time as the King should declare his intentions for Ann Bullen In the mean time they began to labour for the Divorce and the Queen who had secret advice thereof expected those succours she stood in need of for the justice of her cause Blunt who believed the Marriage of Piercy and Ann Bullen was concluded flattered by her ambitious prospects conspired the Rupture of the Kings Marriage with the Dutchess of Alencon She was big with great hopes of her young Son for whom the Infanta of Portugal with the Dutchy of Milan for her Portion were already designed and she doubted not one day to raise her self by this fortune to something more considerable As Woolsey was busied in the important Affairs of this Kingdom and Piercy gave himself up intirely to his love the Cardinal could not acquit himself so soon of his promise to the King The Prince did not delay so long to explain himself to Ann Bullen It was not many days after the Dutchess of Suffolk had spoke to him that he stopt Ann Bullen as she was passing through the Gallery into the Queens Lodgings and taking her aside to a Window I demand of you said he a moments Audience I have something to tell you of importance enough to oblige you to grant it me Although my duty calls me to attend the Queen said she I know the Obedience I owe to your Majesty and am ready to hear whatever your Majesty shall please to say to me The King replyed Is it true that you would render Piercy the most happy of all men I thought I had sufficiently made known to you that I loved you so well as never to consent to it you have an absolute power over my heart give me some small part in yours and I will make you a present far more glorious than Piercy Although Ann Bullen hearkened well to what the King told her she could not refrain sighing the happiness of her life was founded upon her Passion for Piercy she preferred him above all the Fortunes of the Universe If your Majesty said she had in the least intimated to me that I should not love Piercy at the time when my heart was at liberty I had done all that was in my power to have prevented it but it is now a long time since I declared my inclinations in his favour I will oppose it all my life time said the King extreamly moved you know he is my Subject and I can remove him from you when I list She replied boldly You can do something yet more unjust but in Banishing Piercy from your Kingdoms or exposing him to any disgrace you will not find the way to chace him from my heart and any misfortune that he suffers for my sake will but render me the more sensible for him Your Majesty obliges me to speak with that freedom which perhaps you may condemn but I had rather commit that error then betray my just sentiments A more passionate man than I the King replied would punish Piercy for the Injustice you have done me I hope that a little reflection upon my proceedings will make you sensible you are in the wrong abuse not my moderation I am not exempt from some transports I would willingly avoid I love you enough to Sacrifice all things to you and I would not give place to the highest Powers in the Vniverse for you the life of Piercy shall answer for what you make me suffer therefore I leave it to you to manage my hopes Ann Bullen enter'd the Quens Presence much tormented at the King 's last words In the mean time Woolsey entertain'd Piercy and put his patience upon the Anvil It is a long time said he to him that I have sought for an occasion to let you know that I love you I am persuaded of your exceeding great Merit and should be sensibly displeased if you should give the least occasion to Fortune to declare her self against you I must give that advice which I would not have you neglect You love Ann Bullen the King hath some designs which agree not with your Passion endeavour to free your self from it and merit the Kings esteem by this effort What designs soever the King may have answered Piercy I see nothing that can hinder me from loving the person you speak of and it is not my humour to renounce the least of my hopes I know that you can love in spite of all the World reply'd Woolsey but I know better that the King can Command you not to look upon a person for whom he hath a particular esteem and that it were better for you to remove your self from her then to expose your self to the indignation of your Prince I know not by what Motive you Act said Piercy whether in zeal for him or Pitty for me but I declare to you That neither all the Powers of Earth nor a whole Age of Reflection can ever be able to make me change Woolsey added I thought you had not been so strictly engaged but since you resolve so blindly to destroy your self I must leave you to your Passion And I will follow the Inclinations of it with Pleasure said Piercy and I feel my self determined to a Constancy thaâ— is Proof against all things Woolsey left him enraged with a foolish Stability and resolved to punish him for it His Ambition which every body flattered could not see himself dispised without Indignation but he hid it from the King and did not tell him the truth of things to spare him the trouble Piercy recounted to his Mistriss the discourse he had had with Woolsey and she told him what had passed between the King and her and as these Lovers were Allarmed at the crosses preparing for them so the pleasure of loving each other with such Constancy did
Ornament of the Court ever since her first arrival The King was insensible of all pleasures but those of love and Woolsey was obliged to hasten those Affairâ— which might recall Ann Bullen Old Bullen who was flattered with the hopes of seeing his Daughter a Queen did willingly assist to deceive her and whilest his more indulgent Wife suffered her to continue her correspondence with Piercy he engages with Woolsey and the Earls of Northumberland and Shrewsbury Ann Bullen lived contentedly in her Solitude and shewed a strong resolution to continue in it but her Father went himself to pull her out of it and made use of all his Authority to make her return to the Court She obeyed but would not return to the Queen and it was with great grief that she saw herself constrained to suffer the King's Visits You fly from me said the King to her the first time he saw her will you always in this manner answer a Passion which makes me undertakâ— such extraordinary things Yoâ— have explained it she repli'd iâ— so extraordinary a manner thaâ— I have great reason to doubt oâ— it and there are but few Loverâ— who would signalize their passioâ— in Banishing the Creature theâ— love The Violence I acteâ— on my self the King returned in Banishing you hence oughâ— to oblige you to pitty me anâ— not to reserve so unjust resentments against me I would labour securely for my reposâ— and your Fortune For yoâ— alone I have engaged my selâ— in this Divorce which now so much surprizeth all Europe In one word I will make you Queen It is a condition she repli'd interrupting him too glorious for me and I am noâ— in a conditition to accept You owe your heart to the Queen who is a Princess deserving all your Affection do not in abandoning her draw upon your self those miseries which usually attend Infidelity How cruel is your Generosity said the King or rather how unjust is your perseverance for Piercy he is not so worthy as you esteem him and time shall shew you who is most amorous he or I. In this manner the King explained himself and Ann Bullen continued stedfast to the Passion she had for her Lover who had left London to shun the Persecution of his Father and was absent at her Arrival but soon came up at the News of her return and she soon perceived she had committed an irreparable oversight in leaving the Queens House Her Father forbid her to see Piercy and sent him word of it that so he might avoid the refusal which would be given him at the Gate This Prohibition troubled her extreamly but she was necessitated to make use of her Courage She dissembled before her Father and told him with great indifferency that she would obey his Commands but that she hoped in doing this Injustice to Piercy it was not in his resolution to employ the Authority he had over her in favor of any other Person As those whom I would serve in your behalf said he have more power then I I shall easily promise you to do nothing for them At length he retired and as she doubted not but Piercy's impatience would soon bring him to her she Writ to him her Fathers Orders To PIERCY It is forbidden me to see you it is a cruel Necessity unto which I am forced to obey but my dear Piercy they cannot hinder me from loving you I Conjure you to submit your self to those that have Authority over me avoid those rash carriages that may render us meritorious of our sufferings I shall not see you but I shall Sacrifice to you what considerable thing soever Fortune can offer me attending the opportunity to give you more forceable demonstrations of my tenderness He that delivered this Letter to Piercy was an Eye-Witness of his transports caused by it he presently thought upon revenge and to begin with Woolsey first whom he looked upon as the principal cause of his misfortune but considering he was forewarned not to follow the motions of his Wrath he was content to Afflict himself and thus he answer'd the Letter of Ann Bullen To ANN BULLEN No Considerations could hinder my Resentment if the Injustice of my Enemies could have made me lose your heart continue your bounty to me which I prefer above all things it would be unnecessary for me to repeat here how well I love you and what I suffer for you I will hope with you that the times may change pitty me and believe that my Passion shall never end but with my life The Messenger whom Ann Bullen entrusted with her Letter to Piercy was perfideous and being corrupted by her Father never delivered her the Answer he had sent she was surprized at Piercy's coldness notwithstanding she did not accuse him but attributed this silence to his grief She feigned herself indisposed for a long time as foreseeing that since she was forbidden to see Piercy at home she could not be permitted to see him elsewhere And to avoid all occasions of giving her Father cause to complain of her disobedience and the World to give her trouble she appear'd not in any place and Piercy sought after her in vain in the mean time he was exposed to all the bad effects that a violent Passion cruelly thwarted could possibly cause The King had other like Priviledges and saw Ann Bullen every day Piercy was not long ignorant thereof he knew well enough that her indisposition was feigned and believing that she had received his Answer bewails himself that her first Bounties should have so short a continuance In this sort he passed away one Month Ann Bullen being always retired the King saw her as he was wont and Piercy could do nothing but figure a thousand cruel things to himself his Jealousie began to make him fear that the King was more happy then he and the event of things confirmed him in his first suspicions The Earl of Northumberland and old Bullen were equally agreed with Woolsey the one aspired to see his Daughter Crowned and the other to see his Son matched into the most considerable Family in England Piercy had a Constancy which amazed them and to remove it Wolsey contrives with them a Letter from old Bullen to the Earl of Northumberland which was in these Terms To the Earl of Northumberland THE Obstacle which your Son's Passion for my Daughter hath hitherto put to the Marriage you so much desire is now wholly removed I open my very heart and impart my joy to you Our persuasions have shaken Ann Bullen and the Kings Perseverance hath conquered her the appearances of a Divorce have flattered her Ambition and she hath now surrendred her self to the Interest of her Fortune after a long Fight she maintain'd for Piercy If things succeed according to our hopes a short time shall assure you that no Person in the World has a higher Value for you then my self Thomas Bullen The Earl of Northumberland laid this Letter upon the Table in his
how great was the joy of Blunt when she saw the disgrace of her Rival she promised her self that the Queens first going out of the Tower should be to the Scaffold and she prepared her self to act a terrible part in this Tragedy Immediately were published some of the Reasons which the King said he had to complain against the Queen whereupon she was severely examined but nothing could be found capable to condemn her She looked upon this as a return of the same fortune that had raised her to that height and saw that it was the King's inconstancy alone that had caused it The affection she had retained for Piercy was innocent enough to hinder her from blushing though all the World were privy to it and as for her Brother and Norris she could not comprehend the meaning of it She submitted to the King's Orders without suffering the least murmur against his injustice to escape out of her mouth and protesting that she was innocent she was careful to spare him only accusing her own misfortune of her ill treatment But although she appeared so reserv'd to the publick she did not forbear to give her grief a liberal current when the Lords arrested and carried her to the Tower The remembrance of her first Engagements with Piercy and the sweet correspondence that created them so many happy days now returned fresh into her Imagination she considered that the King had been the only interrupter of that blessed Estate and that his Love in pretending to raise her to a Throne had been the sole foundation of all her miseries she detested the condition of a Queen and the memory of Woolsey who had ruined her by his Artifices The Viscount Rochefort could not in the least imagine what should be the cause of his imprisonment he accused the Kings new passion of it and judged that his Sisters misfortune was only the effect of her Husbands levity and that fortune who had made him participate in her favour would involve him in her troubles The Intricacies he had had with Blunt and his knowledge of her aversion to the Queen made him dispair of her assistance neither did she employ her cruelty against him for his own sake As for Norris who some days before saw himself in that happy State that contracted the envy of all the Courtiers and having himself carried on the Intrigue betwixt Seymour and the King much less apprehended such a return as should wholly overwhelm him at one instant not imagining that a Letter which he had written to an old Confident of his concerning his secret passion for the Queen should happen into the Kings hands however that was not the only cause of his disgrace for the King in reading that called to mind what he had heard him speak in going from the Ball at Callais But whilst these three persons expected the event of this Affair all the Court interessed themselves herein differently The King possessed with his new amours gave himself up intirely to those pleasures wherewith his inconstancy flatter'd him and the Queens imprisonment hindred him not from prostrating himself at Seymours feet Blunt would have sacrifized all things to have recall'd him to her she employ'd all her Charms and Craft to succeed herein but seeing all was labour lost and although she knew that in destroying the Queen she did but labour to advance Seymour yet she chose rather to serve that Rival of hers that revenged her than she who stole the King's Heart from her without this there had not been the least appearance of justice in her cruelty and her bloody incompassionate Soul furnished her with means for the most black and horrid infidelities As the Viscount Rochefort had most passionately loved her he often wrote to her in the height of their Correspondence but to hide that commerce which some lost Letter might discover he styl'd her Sister She conveys two of the most tender of these Letters into the Queen's Closet in seducing by her interest those who had opportunity to do it and never hesitated to destroy a person whom she had adored to be revenged of her Rival The King searched all the Queen's papers amongst which he found these two Letters of Blunt's which were written in these terms LETTER I. You know well dearest Sister that I love you in so passionate a manner that I should prefer the advantage of pleasing you above all the Fortunes of the Universe and I shall esteem my self the most happy of all men if I could but one day make you forget the King I possess neither his rank nor his merit but I have more love and more fidelity than he make tryal thereof and you shall find my words are as sincere as my heart LETTER II. The King beheld you yesterday with so great application that I am allarm'd thereat you promised that you would have no amorous aspects for any person but my self and yet I see you seek his with too much diligence I avow to you dearest Sister that I am jealous of you have I deserv'd that you should break your word with me and will you renounce those bounties which I have had reason to praise Manage your self with the King since Fortune will have it so but remember that all your tenderness is due to me and that a few happy minutes are not sufficient for the repose of my life and that I expect a continuance of your favours to assure me of the possession of your heart All that was in these two Letters might very well be supposed as written to the Queen and the King had no sooner read them but felt himself transported with present revenge but considering at length that he was obliged to keep some measures herein he gave order that the Queen's Process Viscount Rochefort's and Norris's should be drawn up according to the usual forms His passion for Seymour and some little remorse for Queen Katherine destroyed all the small pity wherewith Anne Bullen could inspire him and though she was much more amiable than any thing that he could ever love nothing interceded more for her but that destiny which caused her loss created greater woes and suffered them to Reign As soon as the Queen had notice that her Process was forming she wrote to the King not thinking to make him relent but in some measure to justifie her self she had much stability and was little desirous of life and considering how much fortune had travers'd her and what a train of miseries were mix'd with her favours she found that death was a slight pain and an assured refuge from all sorts of misfortunes and in this meditation she wrote thus to the King TO THE KING SIR I Write not to your Majesty in hopes of obtaining any favour for my self but I am obliged to assure you before I dye that I am much more sensible at the remembrance of your favours than the injuries you do me at present and though you treat me as a Criminal I do