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
indifferency for the Queen which were soon changed into a version upon this matter he opens his very Soul to Wolsey alone The Cardinal who did not love this Princess was glad of it and began immediately to insinuate into the Kings mind a design of a Divorce not that he intended to make Ann Bullen Queen for he proposed the Alliance of the Dutchess of Allencon Sister to the King of France for Henry that so he might bring that Prince over to his Interests and that he might at the same time have a Queen absolutely for him and a Mistriss for the King who was in some measure his Creature The King who thought she could content her self with his love consented to the Alliance with France and left the Rupture of his Marriage to Woolsey's care The Power which the Cardinal had in England his Intrigues at Rome and his intelligence in France gave him great hopes for the Divorce and the second Marriage But Ann Bullen who had both Vertue and Resolution was not of the humor to indulge the Kings Passion as he desired She received his first assurances of it with a respect more full of coldness then he expectde This resistance augmented his love and to render himself more agreeable he sought for succours in his Divertisements he invented Plays and Feasts and all this was only advantagious to Piercy who appeared there with so much grace and activity that Ann Bullen respected none but him and was only sensible of his sighs The Queen who foresaw part of her Misfortunes by the Kings coldness to her lived in a deplorable sadness All the Passion of young Bullen could not consolate Blunt by reason of Henry's Inconstancy She saw every day her own credit to fade and her Rivals to flourish and the immoderate ambition which possessed her cast her Soul into an estate of perpetual fury and In the mean time every one began to speak of the King's change the Queen Blunt and all the Court were convinced of it by the constant care he had for Ann Bullen but they also observed that she took no pains to manage this Conquest Piercy had too powerful an interest in this Affair not to examin it carefully he was persuaded of the fidelity of Ann Bullen but the concurrence of such a Rival as Henry was notwithstanding an unhappy Cross and what ever her preference might be for him he had reason to fear so puissant an Authority He saw Ann Bullen every day â—nd at all hours he remarked â—ome melancholy in her eyes â—nd as he loved in such measure â—hat her least troubles were the â—hief Subject of his dispair be â—eared she had taken some secret displeasure and conjured her tenderly to make no Mystery of it to him He found her one day in so extraordinary a melancholy that he sighed several times and she perceived it not finding something of cruelty to his love in this Novelty he brake a silence which began to make him impatient I know not Madam said he what your heaviness presages to me but it makes me fear 't is something unluckey there is no appearance that you have not still the same bounty for me as you had before nor do I believe I have rendred my self unworthy of it nevertheless I see a surprizing change in you It may be said your eyes did not know me or that they would not give themselves the trouble to look upon me I see nothing in them but a cruel indifferency It seems they never did know you have loved me Can it be possible that your Court is agreed with those No she replied interrupting him with a sigh do not expound a languish which you have caus'd to my disadvantage I love you with too much Justice ever to cease loving you and this trouble which you have observed by my silence and by my melancholy is only an effect of that tenderness I have for you Do not hide my good Fortune under such cruel appearances replied Piercy Tell me the true cause of this condition wherein I now see you if you love my repose I fear said she Fortune has no good will towards me and I am jealous of her favours I know says Piercy she hath created me a dangerous Rival but I am assured of your Constancy and I neither fear his merit nor his power You do me justice said Ann Bullen and I do again reiterate my Vows I have so often made to you That I will never love any but your self But Piercy if that tenderness which the King declares for me be not capable to move me his Authority which obliges me to suffer it will prove but a fatal Experiment I protest to you it is with great impatience that I am forced to spend those few Moments with him which I would most willingly bestow upon you and that he can see nothing in my eyes but discontent which ought to repulse him Piercy loved too well not to find a sensible delight in this obliging discourse of Ann Bullen he returned her his Thanks for it in most passionate terms and continued his discourse saying Make my interest with your Parents Madam before the King explains himself and I will secure my own and you can by establishing my good fortune hinder the King from thwarting us An Bullin loved Piercy sufficiently to consent to every thing that might secure her self for him Now it was openly discoursed that the King would divorce his Queen and Marry the Dutchess of Alencon and the opportunity was favourable enough to Piercy's intentions who declared them to old Bullen and he accepted of this Alliance without difficulty as being very advantagious to his Family Blunt learnt this News of her lover with such joy as for some time suspended her jealousy But old Bullen would not consent to this Marriage betwixt Piercy and his Daughter till the King and the Earl of Northumberland had approved it There was then a necessity to speak to them of it and as Annâ— Bullen had great reason to fear some obstacles she would not employ ordinary persons in this Negotiation She prayed the Dutchess of Suffolk by whom she was tenderly beloved as being her Confident during her secret Intelligence with Brandon to make the King consent to Piercy's good Fortune it waâ— not without some confusion thaâ— she explained her self to thâ— Dutchess but the interest oâ— her heart overwhelmed her Modesty The King had much Friendship and very great Respect foâ— the Dutchess of Suffolk she suspected as well as others the designs that he had upon the heart of Ann Bullen but as he never had told her any thing of it she feigned ignorance and acquainted the King her Brother That she having a Friendship full of esteem for Ann Bullen she ardently desired to see her Married to Piercy a Person of Merit and humbly begg'd His Majesty to consent to it The King blusht at this discourse of his Sisters and judged that Ann Bullen had given the Princess this employ
Subject possessed Norris who had been brought up with the King took VVoolseys place of Favorite and Confident The quality of Agent in amorous Secrets was more agreeable with his Character than with the gravity of a Prelate his own experience had rendred him learned in these sort of intrigues he had excess of complaisance and found the true way to please the King VVoolseys process was made with sufficient precipitation all his goods were confiscated being convicted of Treason against the King and Violation of the Laws of the Kingdom but the disposal of his person was left to the pleasure of his Prince if he had been more submissive or less powerful he had undoubtedly found more Friends but his Fortune and his Pride had raised him up irreconciliable Enemies he was ordered to attend the sequel of his Destiny at Asher The King who could not all at once renounce the kindness he formerly had for him left him in possession of the Arch-Bishoprick of York and bishoprick of Lincoln sent Norris privately to him to assure him that he pittied his misfortune and to give him a Ring which the Cardinal received upon his Knees He gave Norris a magnificent present and after he acquainted him with a great deal of wit and resolution that he was a most famous example of fortunes inconstancy he conjured him to assure the King of his respect and acknowledgment He fell dangerously sick in hearing by the intelligence he kept at the Court that the Queens Friends Blunts Industry and the Credit of Anne Bullen did every day extinguish those sparks of bounty the King conserved for him The King in the mean time was concern'd at his illness he sent to visit him and obliged even the Marchioness of Pembroke to testifie some candour to him he was permitted to go from Asher to Richmond but was arrested on the Road upon new accusations of Crimen Leze-Majesté and carried to Cawood Castle Sometime after he was taken out of the Castle to be brought to London but Grief and a Fever ended his Life upon the Road he died with a great deal of Constancy and signified no other Regret but the loss of his Princes friendship he had a prodigious Wit and was seen as it were to Govern all Europe and no Enemies but Women could have caused his fall The King had been more sensible of his death had he been less taken up with love but he thought upon nothing but the means whereby he might possess Anne Bullen whom neither his Care nor Piercy's apparent Infidelity could render any thing more flexible He gave every day some fresh mark of his bounty to those of her Family her Father was put into the chiefest Employs and her Brother Viscount Rochefort appear'd the most splendid man in the Court he was permitted to see Blunt every day but she had nevertheless hatred and jealousie for his Sister Piercy led a most deplorable life his Passion for Anne Bullen had recollected all its force since their interview upon the Rivers side she tasted more sweetness in finding him less culpable than she could imagine but the greater she found her tenderness for him the more she avoided meeting him not finding in her self strength enough to hide her Inclinations from him Norris soon made himself considerable to all the world by the credit he had acquired with the King he often visited the Marchioness of Pembroke in delivering the King 's Amorous Messages to her but he took a little too much pleasure in this Commerce and unhappily found his heart was too tender to serve as an Agent for another without some self Interest with the most beautiful person in the World The esteem which the Kings of England and France had reciprocally one for the other joyned with some reasons of State obliged them to make another interview Henry met Francis at Bulloigne and Francis accompanied Henry afterwards to Callais where the two Courts made up the most glorious Company in Europe They made many Feasts and the Marchioness of Pembroke appear'd so beautiful in a Masquerade whereat the two Kings were that she made new Conquests Norris was so charmed with her that he could not forbear saying to one of his most particular friends at their breaking off How fair is the Marchioness of Pembroke and how unhappy is a man to have a heart so sensible of it as mine The King passed by him at that instant but the place was dark and he not speaking it very loud his voice could not be discerned Henry made the King of France his Confident in the passion he had for Anne Bullen and told him he was resolved to marry her as soon as ever the Divorce should be determined This Prince far from condemning his design avows to him bona fide that he had passionately lov'd her and that in the same Condition he should have done the same thing that he could assure him by experience she had vertue made her worthy of that honour he decreed for her and he offered him his assistance and force if he stood in need of it upon this occasion an Authority of such importance that caused a sensible joy to Henry The two Princes mutually promised an inviolable friendship and being willing to demonstrate it even in their Subjects Henry gave the Order of the Garter to the Constable of Montmorency and the Admiral Brion and Francis gave the Order _____ to the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk At the return from this Voyage the King of France whose counsel the Marchioness respected solicited her for the King of England she could no longer oppose so great difficulties her Parents her Acquaintance and Piercy himself who conjur'd her to it at length shaked her stability which till that time she made appear She consented to marry the King and Rome having not yet concluded Rowland Lee afterwards Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield privately Celebrated the Ceremony in presence of Archbishop Cranmer a number of Persons to whom the King imparted this secret and some of the Family of Anne Bullen The Publication of the Divorce was made shortly after Queen Anne was presently Crowned and Queen Catherine ever after called the Princess Dowager Never was any Person more satisfied with his own Fortune than Henry nor more worthy of hers than the beautiful Queen she reserved so much sweetness and modesty in this Exaltation that she charmed all those that approach'd her therewith Piercy who continually adored her was consolated in some measure in the happiness of his Rival for his Mistresses glory Queen Katherine expected it too long to be surprised at it but Blunts fury who foresaw it as well as the Queen ceased not to give her terrible transports at the news Her hatred to the Sister extended to the Brother and she detested both the one and the other It was somewhat terrible to her to see her Rival elevated to the same degree of honour that she had fixed her hopes upon and nothing appear'd difficult for
put them into an Equipage suitable to her retinue yet there was no sight there comparable to the fair Ann Bullen who went over into France with the Princess of England when she was Married to Lewis XII and continued there till now She Eclipsed all the Beauties there and King Henry who till then had never sighed for any Lady but Blunt felt at the sight of Ann Bullen that his Soul was too great to be Limited to one single passion he found something so sweet and Charming in her eyes that in spight of Blunts Jealousie he abandoned himself to the pleasure of beholding her Wolsey who studied all his actions soon perceived this Passion and at the same instant contrives a design to oppose her to Blunt whose esteem began to disquiet him But as Ann of Bullen was of the Queen of France's Retinue and as there could be no pretence to withdraw her thence so suddenly she returned to Paris and Henry was much troubled to part with her There were then many Persons of quality who passed from England to France and from France to England curiosity transporting some and love enforcing others Henry Percy Son to the Earl of Northumberland followed the Court of France or rather Ann of Bullen of whom he was most passionately amorous he was perfectly handsom and of very great Merit although he was young he had already shewn much Valour against the Britans and had followed the Marquis of Dorset with much Honour in the affair of Navarre he now only reserved the Honour to gain the heart of Ann Bullen who had resisted the suits of the most Illustrious persons of France And it was in this Voyage that Piercy first acquainted her with the Passion he had conceived for her at the interview of Guines He had submission and heat perseverance and a certain sweet and agreeable temper of Wit easy to insinuate Ann Bullen was tender and courteous her Eyes found him worthy of her heart and he found no difficulty in gaining her love after he had assured her of his But whilest they thâ—… passionately engaged each other Fortune changed their Scene There happened some things in England which did precipitate the designs of Wolsey The Duke of Buckingham who had a Soul both great and generous as generally all those of his name ever had supported the Pride of Wolsey with much impatience he explained himself hereupon a little too high and his Franckness was the cause of his Ruin The Cardinal who knew the importance of so great an Enemy resolved to overthrow him speedily and began by removing his most particular friends The Earl of Surrey his Son in Law was upon some slight pretence imprisoned and the Earl of Northumberland his Father in Law was sent into Ireland Wolsey's ill nature took the advantage of that Power his favour had raised him to and by his under-hand labouring Buckingham was Condemned to be Beheaded The Crimes whereof he was accused were inconsiderable and he had assuredly obtain'd his Pardon if he had asked it but he had so much Courage as to prefer death before a base submission Blunt made so strong an opposition in this Affair against Wolsey that he often feared he should not be able to compass his designs herein She perceived he had no good intentions for her and therefore she took contrary Measures in her conduct to what she did formerly in respect of him As he was the most penetrating of all men he disintricated all the designs of Blunt and waver'd no longer to mannage the return of Ann Bullen whom he well knew the King remembred with much tenderness in hopes to have an entire power over a Person whom he pretended to raise above Blunt The arrival of Ann Bullen was a most agreeable surprize to the King who had conserved a vigorous Passion for her her absence had only produced in him pressing desires to see her again and now found her more fair and abandoned himself intirely to her Charms but whether he feared Blunt or had some respect for the Queen he was a little cautious of shewing his Change Piercy who went into France only for the love of Ann Bullen stayd not there after her return at her arrival she was preferred to the Queen where the King had opportunity to see her and discourse with her without difficulty Wolsey was now wholly bent to put her in the place of Blunt who in a short time perceived the Kings inconstancy She was ready to dye with grief and doubted not but it was the Cardinal's doings only which made her conceive an irreconcileable hatred against him Ann Bullen although she perceived what effects her Beauty had produced upon the Kings heart became nothing proud thereof and found nothing but subject of perplexity in this advantage Piercy had smitten her in such an effectual and tender manner that nothing was capable to remove him from her and as this was not the first time she had sacrificed considerable Conquests to him she easily determined to hear the King no farther then her condition obliged her to and to answer him no otherwise then with respect and indifferency The Rank she held with the Queen was considerable being descended from the ancient Earls of Ormond by the Fathers side and from the great House of Norfolk by the Mothers her wit which was Modeled in the most gallant Court of Europe created her many Friends and Blunt whose jealousie encreased against her at the same measure that the Kings flames were declared in her favour was the only person who sought not her friendship notwithstanding she durst not permit her first Fury to act openly against her but contented her self to search into and instruct her self in the affairs of Ann Bullen Fortune facilitated her way hereunto This fair Ann had a Brother whose great Merit made a considerable figure in King Henry's Court but whose wicked Destiny inspired him with a Passion for Blunt The Kings Constancy to her had hindred his discovery of it but the levity which he now observed in him emboldened him He took Blunt in one of those moments of despight wherein she passionately desired to be revenged on the King and hoping for great advantages from such a lover as young Bullen who could not probably be ignorant of his Sisters Secrets she bound him in a commerce of Gallantry She learnt of him the Engagement betwixt Piercy and Ann Bullen this knowledge was joyful to her hoping that a Marriage between these two persons would traverse the pretentions of Wolsey and would heal the heart of the King whom â—he did not renounce The Cardinal had Prospects quite opposite to Blunt he pretended to govern this Prince always by the means of Ann Bullen whose Beauty engaged him more and more but he did not foresee the obstacle which Piercy's Merit had brought to his Pretentions The King naturally unconstant neglected not only Blunt who before had so great power over him but began also to have some sentiments of