magnificence of her Apparel in the face of a mourning Scaffold and a doleful assembly wholly invested with tears and grief The Queen appeared with the same Grace that was constantly admired in her her Countenance was undisturbed and nothing could be seen in her Visage but Security and Majesty she was Veiled all over with Mourning and in the midst of all these dismal objects her Looks which were cast upon all her spectators infused grief and despair into all their hearts Even Blunt her self that fierce and implacable Enemy of the Queen's now felt that guilt hath its limits and that fear and trembling are constantly its Attendants the constancy of the Princess made her to shiver and she could not hinder her self from considering that she was the cause of all those evils These reflections wrought a beseeming pensiveness upon her and if her eyes had been examined they would have been found much more troubled than the Queen 's The Maids of Honour to this Princess were extreme disconsolate she exhorted them oftentimes to be constant according to her example and seeing the Executioner attended only her order she spake in particular to her Divine and afterwards addressed her self to all that could hear her As I die your Queen said she and the Artifices of Envy cannot bereave me of that quality although they have rob'd me of the Kings tenderness which was much more dear unto me I am joyful that I can assure ye in the last moments of my life that I have never dishonoured him either in my Actions or Thoughts but in protesting my own innocence to ye I do not pretend to render his Majesty criminal I do declare that I have great cause to extol him and his great favours to me do sufficiently perswade that without most powerful reasons he had never abandoned me to so deplorable a Fortune I die without repining imitate my stayedness and pardon yours as I do mine Enemies and let that pity which my misfortunes can create in you be declared in the favour of a little Princess whom I leave to the Kingdoms and who is now going to be left to the hatred of the King her Father and to the cruelty of those who have destroyed me Her Birth is illustrious and although my Blood is not so noble as the Kings yet at least it merits the esteem and protection of honest people Assist one day if there be occasion those legitimate Rights which her Condition hath given her I recommend her in general to the People to the Nobility and Gentry and in particular to all those who are concerned at my misfortune After this I die praying for Prosperity to the King and Peace and Plenty to his Kingdoms After these words she turn'd her last thoughts towards Heaven and received her Death like a true Heroine Blunt beheld her Head severed from her Body with horror to which was joyned a more sensible amazement when she saw the Viscount Rochefort appear She had loved him as far as her ambition was able to permit her the deplorable Condition wherein he was his innocence which she so well knew and his sad and languishing Countenance gave her most mortal stabs to the very heart He fixed his eyes upon her and reserving a large proportion of kindness for her notwithstanding all her Intrigues he sighed at the remembrance of their former pleasures and not being able to comprehend that a person whom he had adored should come to be an eye-witness of his death and of a death of this nature he expressed to her by his dying looks the astonishment that her cruelty had caused him he utter'd many sighs which reached Blunt's ears and Pierced her heart which till then had been impenetrable in her seeing the fatal blow given to the Viscount Rochefort she felt all the injustice he suffered remorse bereaved her of her soul a mortal paleness spread it self over all her face and not being able to continue longer upon this dismal place she was carried off before the Execution of Norris which followed the Queen's and Viscount Rochefort's The King heard the news of this Catastrophe not without some confusion and was inclinable to have been touched therewith but flatterers who always make it their chief business to extol the weaknesses of Kings soon stifled these motions and exhorted his Majesty to be resolute wherein they so well succeeded that the Queen was scarcely expired but he married Jane Seymour His Constancy for this Queen was of longer continuance than her life she dyed within a year after the marriage in Childbed with Prince Edward The fury of Queen Anne's Enemies was extended even to her Daughter and they obliged the King to declare Queen Anne's Marriage null as he had that of Queen Katherine's and the two Princesses Mary and Elizabeth to be illegitimate After the Queens death Piercy lived but a few languishing days and wanted incredible strength to hinder the effects of his resentment he quitted the Court and sought for employments answerable to the sad state of his condition As for Blunt she was punished for all her crimes by the Kings constant inconstancy and by the death of her Son upon whom she had laid the foundation of so great hopes and to whom Fortune had decreed such glorious advantages She dyed suffering that misery her cruelties had justly deserved being despised by the King and hated by all the world Queen Anne was generally bewailed and notwithstanding all that her enemies have been able to speak against her many sage Persons who knew her vertue have conserved a just veneration for her memory and have inspired the same sentiments into succeeding Ages She was not only Beautiful Generous and Benificent but was endowed with a true and real wisdom and was altogether worthy of that Grandeur to which she was raised The Princess Elizabeth her Daughter who now Governs England with so great splendor and glory inherits her Vertue as well as the Crown which is her undoubted right The Queen who had retired into her Apartment to give the Earl of Northumberland an intire liberty to relate the several interests which gave the occasion to that cruel Spectacle or rather perhaps to spare her self the grief of hearing the recital of those things wherein she was obliged to take so great a part no sooner learnt that the History of Anne Bullen her Mother was ended but she returned to the Company where perceiving that every one to make their Court was preparing to condole the destiny of this Princess whose Innocence Misfortunes and the Cruelty of her Enemies appeared so worthy to be lamented She believed it was sufficient to have made them comprehend that all the Calumnies invented and spread abroad against the honour of the Queen her Mother were only meer invectives formed by her Enemies or by those who acted the greatest part in this Tragedy Wherefore without dwelling longer upon a subject which she was too sensible of she promised them that at her return she would
ANNE BOLLEN THE NOVELS OF ELIZABETH Queen of England Containing the History of Queen ANN OF BULLEN Faithfully Rendred into English by S. H. LONDON Printed for Mark Pardoe at the Black Raven over agianst Bedford-House in the Strand 1680. The Novels of Elizabeth Queen of England c. NOtwithstanding the Duke of Allenoon had quitted the Court of England Queen Elizabeth continued her usual Divertisements with the principal Lords and Ladies of Her Court. Balls Comedies and Musick were oftentimes their Entertainments but as Conversation did chiefly delight the heart of this Princess it was herein that this great Queen who was always projecting high Designs for the agrandizing her Government was accustomed to recreate her Spirits Being assembled one night at Westminster their discourse insensibly changed into a recital of the grand revolutions during the Reign of King Henry VIII Some persons thought to make their Court in condoling the destiny of the Queen her Mother of whom divers had spoken so differently and the Truth so little known The Queen who was naturally good replyed that Kings do usually guide themselves in a different way from particular persons and that what passeth in their Cabinet-Council ought not to be divulged to all the World therefore the Death of the Queen her Mother had till that time upon politick Considerations been kept secret that nevertheless she ought to supersede all these considerations to justifie a Princess to whom she owed her Birth But as the too great credulity of the King her Father ought in some measure to be blamed she should be very glad that the Duke of Northumberland would relate it he having been a Witness to the greatest part of those things which did conduce to that wicked Action and he being exempt from Partiality his Relation would carry the greater Truth Wherefore after his obeisance to the Queen he began thus The History of Queen ANN of BULLEN ENgland for many years past did not flourish with so great Peace and Tranquility as in the first years of the Reign of King Henry VIII The Inclinations of this Prince were good He possessed many eminent Qualities He was at first purposed for the Church and his youthful years having been employed in continual Study he acquired a profound Knowledg whereof he gave a signal Testimony in process of time He ascended the Throne so young that in the beginning of his Reign he stood in need of the Dutchess of Richmond his Grand-mothers Counsels a Woman of the greatest Ingenuity and Virtue in her Age. The chief Offices in the Kingdom were disposed of by her by her William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury was made Lord Chancellor Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester was made Lord Keeper Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Lord Treasurer and George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Lord Steward of His Houshold Things did not long continue in so quiet a Condition as at the beginning The King Espoused Katherine of Arragon Relict of his Brother Prince Arthur not without some repugnancy the Dutchess of Richmond dyed soon after this Marriage There happened a division amongst his Ministers Wolsey is raised from a low Condition to that of the Kings Favourite and all the kindness this Prince could have for the Queen was Traversed by the Enchantments of Elizabeth Blunt Never was any Person more ensnared by this Passion than he and this one vanity of his clouded the splendour of all his virtues Although the Birth of Wolsey was very obscure being the Son of a Butcher born at Ipswich in Suffolk he had a most pregnant Wit capable of the highest affairs so that few Courtiers were comparable to him in their abilities as he had particular Tallents to make a happy usage of the Kings Favour so did he exquisitely insinuate himself into His Majesties affections by cherishing this young Princes inclinations to Women The first advantages he acquired by his Policy were the Bishopricks of Tournay and Lincoln shortly after the King made him Archbishop of York and that he might not be inferiour to the Archbishop of Canterbury he procured of the Pope to be made a Cardinal But whilest he establisht himself thus gloriously Blunt made no less considerable Progress in His Majesties Affections this Illustrious Conquest made her Ambitious without moderation she pleased her self sufficiently in making the King Act blindly whatever she desired excepting this weakness he was the best man in the World at the Age of two and twenty years Pleasures incessantly reigned in his Court there Youth appeared Magnificent the King had a Liberal Soul His Favourite was not covetous Blunt loved Splendor and vast expence nothing was there seen but Balls Comedies Turnaments and stately Magnificence The Queen was a Princess infinitely wise and constant to her Husband the amorous commerce betwixt him and Blunt gave her much perplexity but she hoped that time and the advantage she should have in bringing forth a Legitimate Heir to the Crown would winn her the Kings heart But things happened not according to her desire for she was delivered of a Son whom she sent as a New-years-gift to the King the first day of January he received it with no small joy but she was much afflicted by the Death of this young Prince who lived but one Month but Blunt more fortunate then the Queen brought forth a Son who was immediately Created Knight of the Garter Earl of Nottingham Duke of Richmond and Somerset and afterwards Admiral of England So much Grandeur might have satisfied Blunts Ambition yet she raised her self to something more considerable There were certain Circumstances in the Kings Marriage which made her conceive other hopes and Woolsey's Friendship being most necessary to her she sought by all possible means to gain it but he well saw her Power was so great that he feared he had too much favour'd a Passion which might diminish or at least limit his Esteem At this juncture of time the affairs of England and France obliged Henry VIII and Francis I. of France to resolve upon that famous interview made betwixt Guines and Ardres The King of England arrived at Guines with all his Court and at the same time the King of France at Ardres with his Court the two Kings saw one another and spoke together and so splendid was the Magnificence on both sides that ever since the place is call'd The Camp of Cloath of Gold both Parties made Feasts and both Nations often intermixed Blunt extreamly eager to possess the heart of Henry brought with her an Equipage worthy of her Ambition The Dutchess of Suffolk who had been the Wife to Lewis the Twelfth but now Wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk upon this occasion appeared as the Kings Sister and as one of the most Beautiful Ladies in the World As for the Queen who was naturally modest she did not affect the sparkling of Gems but was content with that of her dignity and had with her many Maidens of the best Houses of England whose Parents had
not forbear to acknowledge my obligations to you and to call to mind that I once had the advantage to enjoy your heart and participate your Throne that from a condition much inferior to yours you have exalted me to a fortune worthy the highest persons in the world and now at last you are going to place me in that glorious state from which all the Furies of envy shall never be able to remove me No Sir the utmost you can do can never put it out of the memory of man that I have been a woman most passionately Loved by the greatest Prince of the Universe 'T is this advantage that secures my Constancy which has been proof against all my disgraces Complete then what you have resolved I shall dye without complaining of you but upon the Tryal you expose me to suffer not my Adversaries to be my Judges I leave you a young Princess who perhaps one day may be as unhappy as I am if you take not compassion on her Remember that I was dear unto you when she came into the world and that she deserves not with so much innocency to inherit the hatred you have at present for me After this live happily I do earnestly desire that the knowledge of my innocent Conduct may never interrupt or disturb your tranquillity and for a recompence of those felicities you are now going to procure me I heartily pray you may enjoy perpetual ones Adieu Sir Once more I recommend to your Bounty the Princess Elizabeth Anne Bullen This Letter which in all appearance ought to have made some impression upon the King's heart wrought no such effect he was wholly occupied with the desire of possessing Seymour and the Queen was now forced to despair of his Heart he shut his eyes to every thing might favour her and fixed them only on what could ruine her he was perswaded that Piercy was passionately loved by her and the Letters which the perfidious Blunt had produced left him no place to doubt of her guilt he believed that jealousie was the only cause that made Piercy engage with the Viscount Rochefort and that their design in coming to the solemn Justs was to fight in earnest Norris his Letter was yet a farther subject of disquiet and if the Queen was kind to Piercy and received her own Brother into the number of her Gallants it might justly be believed that Norris being young handsom and extreme amorous was not ill treated by her These persons that were friends to Seymour Confederates with Blunt and some ingrateful ones whom the Queen had favoured conspir'd together to destroy her She was accused before the Dukes of Norfolk Suffolk and some other Peers and constrained to plead for her self all the world having thus abandon'd her She defended her innocence in a most perswasive manner and explained her self with extraordinary moderation in respect of the King and testified an intire resignation to his pleasure But notwithstanding the force of her defences she was brought in guilty and condemned to lose her Head together with the Viscount Rochefort and Norris who in a few days saw all his favour and the fairest hopes in the world to expire in a shameful death The Queen heard her Sentence with a most surprising constancy and no woman did ever manifest a greater grandeur of Soul insomuch that they who would have comforted her had greater need of consolation themselves I receive this Death to which my Judges said she to them by his Majesties Will have condemn'd me as an addition to his former bounties and I have lived long enough to learn to die with Constancy I do protest that I quit this life without regret and that it has been too grievous to me to make it desirable Tell his Majesty if you please that he has no reason to blush for having loved me that I have acted nothing to render me unworthy that honour to which he was pleased to raise me Tell him that I have honoured him as my Prince and loved him as my Husband and I call Heaven to witness before you that I have never failed in my duty to him neither as his Subject nor as his Wife Add to this I conjure you that I am so far from murmuring at his severity that I believe him too just to have hated me without cause and condemned me without reason and I only accuse those enemies which his former bounties have raised me of my misfortunes I leave him a Daughter which is most dear to me because she has the honour to be of his blood I hope he will take pity on her youth that my misfortunes will not disturb her Infancy and that besides the tenderness he owes to her she may still find in him what she loses in me I retain neither hatred nor resentment against any of those who have betrayed me and if any thing can trouble the tranquility of my soul 't is the grief I have for being the cause of my Brother 's death After these words and some tokens of remembrance for those that had served her she disposed her self for Death with the same courage The Viscount Rochefort shewed a little more weakness and inveighed against the King and the Judges he had truly loved the Queen his Sister but no farther than the tyes of blood and her vertue oblig'd him he deplor'd the misfortune of this Princess and moved the hearts of people that heard him Nothing appeared in Norris but passion and despair but who can express that of Piercy for from the time of the Turnaments at Greenwich he had heard nothing of what passed till one of his Servants indiscreetly told him of this dismal adventure of the Queens at which his Wounds opened again and a torrent of blood issued out at this emotion which put him into a relapse of his first weakness to which a Fever joyning made him light-headed and thinking he always saw the Queen dying he spake many things which testified the condition of his heart and the disorder of his reason he would fain have leaped out of his bed and run to the succour of this Princess but if they had not opposed this design he had not strength to execute it In the mean time the King was not without some opposition the affair in agitation caused him some troubles which he could in no wise avoid but his passion for Seymour soon dispersed them and no sooner was he touched with some remorse but his fickle heart extinguished all its force The Queen was beheaded in the Tower to avoid that murmur which pity often excites amongst the multitude upon those sad occasions But although this cruel Action was executed in a private manner there were many persons whom a barbarous curiosity obliged to be Spectators Blunt failed not to be present at the place where she promised her self so great pleasure she appeared there with the same splendor as if it had been a gallant Festival she was so obdurate as to display the
Comfort them Woolsey who was Confident of the King's Passion and knew all its violence hearkning no longer to Reason which at first hindred him from indulging it now only studies Piercy's Misfortune Blunt who looked upon the Cardinal as the principal Athor of the King's infidelity discover'd to him her Resentments of it upon all occasions The Cardinal knew her fierceness and was not ignorant of her Artifices and as he feared her credit though much diminished he resolved to ruin her to advance the Fortune of Ann Bullen He aâ—…seth the King to recall the old Earl of Northumberland out of Ireland and oblige him to marry his Son Piercy at the same time that these orders were given Henry declares openly the intention he had for the Divorce The Queen in vain employs the aid of her tears and tenderness but nothing spoke in her favour and Brian and Vane were sent to Româ— to proceed in it Blunt doubted not but this great design was Woolsey's Inspiration and judged that he laboured to elevate her Rival The Queen who was upon the very point to receive so sensible an injury was not less enraged against him and although she had more Moderation them Blunt her Hatred for the Cardinal aspired 〈◊〉 less to Vengeance Ann Bullen's Favour which began to appear openly and the care of the Queen and Blunt to decry her began to make the people murmur The King was obliged to explain himself to an Assembly of his Lords at his Palace of Bridewell where he Protested that it was purely out of Conscience and the desire he had to give them a Successor to the Crown which moved him to this design of divorcing the Queen Some of them appear'd satisfied herewith but many of them were not contented at it The subtil Woolsey who feared some dangerous troubles might befall him upon â—…it persuaded the King That whatsoever Pleasure he took to see Ann Bullen it was of vast importance for him to remove her for some time That reasons of State as well as those of love obliged him to it That it was to separate her from Piercy and to facilitate the design he had to recall his Father That the Queen murmured and that the discontent of the People which was managed by the jealousy of Revengeful Blunt was not less to be feared and that this retirement of Ann Bullen would infallibly calm all things The King approved Woolsey's Reasons but found it difficult to consent to them but the Cardinal left him not till he made him determine this Exile which he went immediately to denounce to Ann Bullen Madam said Woolsey to her I come to offer a Petition to you from the King which will be surprizing since the Contents thereof is to Banish your self from the Court for no other Crime then that you have appeared therein too Beautiful 'T is not without much regret that he removes you since all the happiness of his life depends upon seeing and pleasing you But the present state of Affairs have so Ordered it and it shall be for so short a time as would not be discernable but that all Eyes are upon you Ann Bullen was fierce and sensible of the least thing that concern'd her Honour she took some offence at her undeserved Exile â—nd their endeavour to Banish â—er from the love of Piercy exâ—iting her Passion she told Woolsey she should readily quit that place where she received so little satisfaction I pitty His Majesties weakness said she and and I shall joyfully depart from a Court where I am often forced to hear those things that displease me to retire into a solitude where I may with liberty entertain my self with those thoughts that please me You may there make just reflections replied Woolsey upon the grand Advantages which Fortune has decreed you Her Favours said she are so unsolid that I will wholly bend my self to despise them tell the King I will be gone to morrow and that I am extreamly obliged to him for ordering me that thing which I desired with my whole heart She would have no longer Converse with him but shut her self up in her Chamber and feigned an Indisposition The Cardinal returned to the King and as he had made himself a necessary familiarity to flatter him he concealed the Rage of Ann Bullen from him and setled his mind in a peaceable Condition Piercy received this News of Ann Bullens Banishment with unspeakable grief She exhorted him to support this beginning of their crosses with constancy and said a thousand tender things to him which something allay'd his torment but their parting extracted many tears from both Piercy had a great Courage but could not refrain this weakness Ann Bullen retired some two days Journey from London to one of her Fathers Houses where she was only accompanied by her Mother The place was very agreeable and proper to flatter her melancholy her absence astonished every body Blunt who knew not the true causes hereof was joyful at it and believed it to be the beginning of her disgrace and that she was withdrawn by rigour But the Queen more penetrating plainly perceived That her Banishment was only to appease the peoples murmuring and to facilitate the King's designs At this juncture the old Earl of Northumberland return'd from Ireland and was received with extraordinary Testimonies of Esteem and Friendship The King gave him new Offices augmented his Revenues and pleasantly surprized him by the addition of Favours even beyond his hopes Woolsey who had advised with the King upon the Conduct which ought to be observed in this Affair expressed to him on his own part how strong a desire he had to serve him and gave him Counsel how he might yet farther sustain and enlarge his Fortunes he convinced him at last that the Alliance of Ann Bullen would be â—o ways advantagions to his â—on and proposed by the By â—he only Daughter to the Earl â—f Shrewsbury for him and made â—im easily apprehend how great 〈◊〉 Credit this Marriage would â—rocure to his Family The onâ—y thing that made him pause â—as to find a means whereby 〈◊〉 oblige his Son who was aâ—…orous and passionately beloâ—ed to commit an Infidelity Woolsey more crafty and less â—arful told him That with a â—…tle Affront or foul play it â—…ight easily be brought to pass â—…d that it was no hard matter 〈◊〉 obstruct the most tender Enâ—…gements Although the Earl loved his â—n with a Fatherly Passion â—d was persuaded of his conâ—ncy yet he followed the Carâ—…nal's Counsel and proposed the Earl of Shrewsbury's Daughter to Piercy who Answered his Father with great emotion and protested he would sooner seek his Death in the utmost parts of the World then renounce his love The Earl passed by this his first rashness but whilest Piercy by a happy intelligence entertained a Commerce with Ann Bullen which cherished him there was a Treachery of cruel effects preparing for them both It was acknowledged that Ann Bullen was the only
sentiments which heretofore united us Can it be possible that so much of that passion should continue in my heart and that nothing of it should remain in yours I acknowledge that I have deserved my misfortune but you have formerly found me worthy of â—our tenderness and the Remorse â—hat my Crime hath cost me ought â—n some measure to expiate it If I hated you replied the Queen I should take less care to avoid you â—t is the inclination I have for you â—hat obliges me to shun you I know â—y self Piercy and that I am not proof against your sighs they have heretofore composed all the happiness of my life perhaps at this time â— should be but too sensible of them I have Enemies that have a vigilant eye upon me and the least failure may attract the greatest miseries which would make you despaiâ— to have caused me Quit me theâ— indispensably tied to what I owe thâ— King But he betrays you interrupted Piercy and Seymour enjoys him entirely His proceeding may afflict me added the Queen but ought not to make me incurrâ— Guilt So I ought not to hope saiâ— Piercy that Love will do any thinâ— for me 'T is a passion replyeâ— the Queen which can procure â—… nothing but misfortunes Retire Piercy I conjure you for I havâ— some presages of a direful Consequence at this very moment that â—… speak to you I feel my heart and my whole body to tremble without knowing the least reason for it I will obey you till death replyed Piercy most lamentably and I hope when I have sought her she will cut off the intail of all my miseries At this the Queen could not forbear some tears Piercy found great pleasure in looking upon her but could not long enjoy it she commanding him to retire Fortune who took Blunt's part acted more for her than she could hope and placed her near the Arbour where Piercy entertained the Queen she failed not to empoyson this innocent interview which mere chance had caused The King heard of this as well as others the King who aspiring at the liberty to indulge his new passion gave strict order to observe the Queen that so she might be convicted with any small matter This hindred not but as he loved his Pleasures he published a famous Tilting at Greenwich with Orders to all the Nobility to appear at it The Queen though very melancholy and taking no delight in these sort of divertisements was obliged to appear at them but did with a great deal of negligence The King would only be a Spectator of these Justs Viscount Rochefort the Queen's Brother was Defiant and Norris the King's Favorite was Defendant All the young Lords had magnificent Equipages and gallant Devices there came an innumerable crowd of English and Strangers to Greenwich the Thames was cover'd with guilded Barges wherein the Ladies were to return to London after the Solemnity was over Blunt who foresaw that this day would end most agreeably to her was bedecked after an extraordinary manner and filled one of the chief Balconies with her Attendants Young Seymour proud to see her self adored by the King and to be the Subject of his Divertisements took care to adjust what ever Art could contribute to her natural Beauty and both Sexes this day drained the industry of the most dextrous Persons Piercy who had renounced all sorts of pleasures and whose last Conversation with the Queen had completed his despair resolves but with a direful design to be one of the Tilters He sought death and the Kingdom being in peace he resolved in this day of pleasure to make no use of his own skill but to suffer his Adversary to practise his skill upon him Having taken this design he gave Order for his Equipage to be all in black only a little edged with Gold The day of solemn Justs being come they were began with much vigour the Viscount Rochefort won much honour and gained great advantages against the first that presented themselves but it was much doubted he could not keep it when Piercy appear'd whose skilfulness they all knew The Queen wept when she saw him he was so pre-occupied with his design that he never regarded the different Objects plac'd round about him His first Encounter against the Viscount Rochefort was very fine they began the second and Piercy whose despair carried him away run himself upon the Viscount's Lance which entred him for want of his Armour and made him fall with a deep wound This misfortune was followed with a general cry The Viscount Rochefort who had done it undesignedly and against his intention run presently to Piercy who lost a great deal of blood and was followed by many friends of the wounded but whilst thus so many people shewed the affection they had for Piercy the Queen demonstrated hers by more evident perswasions The sight of Piercy's blood had chilled all hers and a mortal grief rob'd her of her Soul and that Love which was lodged in her heart in spight of all her attacks to chace it thence made her feel his power at this time more than in the whole course of her life she had not strength to resist so cruel a blow but fell down in a swound into the arms of the Dutchess of Suffolke who was near her This second accident concluded the trouble of the Solemnity The King found matter of perplexity and rage herein which oblig'd him to retire into his Pallace at Greenwich where the Queen was also brought whilst on the other side care was taken of Piercy's preservation which appeared at present very uncertain The King was no sooner alone but he made reflections upon this adventure the Rumours which the cruel Blunt had sowed of Viscount Rocheforts love for the Queen and of the continuance of her tenderness for Piercy passed for current in his opinion he believed that Rochefort having heard of the conversation the Queen had with Piercy one evening in the Garden at Greenwich was agitated with jealousie and intended rather to kill Piercy than to conquer him and the Queen's grief sufficiently demonstrated her love The King was making observations upon his first Resentments whilst an Officer came in to him and presented him with a Letter he had taken up at the Lists which he knew to be Norris his writing wherein he read these words I am more enamoured with the Queen than ever any person was when I acquainted you the first time at Callais of my Inclination for her I did not believe it was able so far to transport me Pity the Condition wherein I am and make some Vows in favour of a passion which must certainly kill me unless it find some incouragement This knowledge of a third Lover of the Queens made the King absolutely to determine to shiver them and it was no small surprize to see the Queens Barge stopped in returning to London from which she was taken out and sent to the Tower with Vis-Count Rochefort and Norris But