Jump to content

Page:Divorce of Catherine of Aragon.djvu/314

From Wikisource
This page has been validated.
296
The Divorce of Catherine of Aragon

The object with Chapuys was now to carry Mary abroad, partly that she might be married to Pole, partly for her own security. Notwithstanding the King's evident care for her health and good treatment he could not look into the details of her daily life, and Anne was growing daily more dangerous. Both Catherine and the Princess had still many friends among the ladies of the Court. To one of these, young and beautiful—and, therefore, certainly not the plain Jane Seymour—the King was supposed to have paid attentions. Like another lady who had been mentioned previously, she was devoted to Catherine's interests, and obviously not, therefore, a pretender to Henry's personal affections. Anne had affected to be jealous, and under other aspects had reason for uneasiness. She had demanded this lady's dismissal from the court, and had been so violent that "the King had left her in displeasure, complaining of her importunacy and vexatiousness." The restoration of Mary to favour was a constant alarm to Anne, and she had a party of her own which had been raised by her patronage, depended on her influence, and was ready to execute her pleasure. Thus the petty annoyances of which both Catherine and her daughter complained were not discontinued. The household at Kimbolton was reduced; a confidential maid who had been useful in the Queen's correspondence was discovered and dismissed. Mary was left under the control of Mrs. Shelton, who dared not openly displease Anne. It was Anne that Chapuys blamed.

Anne hated the Princess. The King had a real love for her. In her illness he had been studiously kind. When told it had been caused by mental trouble he said, with a sigh, "that it was pity her obstinacy should prevent him from treating her as he