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you have ever found in Anne Bulen-with which name and place I could willingly have contented myself, if God and your Grace's pleasure had so been pleased. . . .

"You have chosen me from a low estate to be your Queen and companion, far beyond my desert or desire; if then you found me worthy of such honour, good your Grace, let not any light fancy, or bad counsel of my enemies, withdraw your princely favour from me; neither let that stain, that unworthy stain, of a disloyal heart towards your Grace, ever cast so foul a blot on me, and on the infant Princess your daughter.

"Try me, good King, let me have a lawful trial; and let not my sworn enemies sit as my accusers and judges.

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"But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my death, but an infamous slander must bring you the joying of your desired happiness, then I desire of God

that He will pardon your great sin herein, and likewise my enemies; and that He will not call you to a strict account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at His general judgment-seat, where both you and I must shortly appear: and in whose just judgment, I doubt not, whatsoever the world may think of me, mine innocency shall be openly shewn.

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My last and only request shall be, that myself only may bear the burden of your Grace's displeasure; and that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor gentlemen, whom, as I understand, are likewise in strict imprisonment for my sake.

"If ever I found favour in your sight, if ever the name of Anne Bulen have been pleasing in your ears, then let me obtain this request: so will I leave to trouble your Grace any further; with my earnest prayer to the Trinity to have your Grace in His good

keeping, and to direct you in all your ac

tions.

"From my doleful prison in the Tower,

the 6th of May.

ANNE BULEN.

From a letter expressive of so upright and noble a mind in its writer, we may judge what Anne Boleyn would have been, had her youth been discreetly guided, and governed by the religious principles which now sustained her.

Her kind anxiety for the unfortunate prisoners, who so terribly suffered on her account, was great; and, notwithstanding that it might be imputed to a wrong cause, she carried it so far as to inquire, with her customary want of caution, whether any one made their beds.

CHAPTER X.

The tyrannous and bloody act is done;
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.

SHAKSPEARE.

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HE form of a trial, conducted within the walls of the Tower,

was gone through in the case

of Queen Anne and her brother

Lord Rochford. The cruel wife of the latter appeared to accuse her husband of being on terms of unbecoming familiarity with the

Queen.

His eloquent and spirited defence

could not save the life which had been already condemned, and he was pronounced guilty.

Queen Anne was then called to the bar; and though she had neither counsel, adviser, nor human friend to support her courage in that dreadful and humiliating hour, yet are we told she advanced and presented herself with the true dignity of a Queen, and curtsied to her judges, looking round without any sign of fear upon them all.

"Anne held up her hand on hearing her accusation, and pleaded Not Guilty. Her friend Wyatt's descendant, speaking of this trial, says, in the quaint style of his time, 'For the evidence, as I never could hear of any, I believe it was small. The accusers must have doubted whether their proofs would not prove their reproofs, when they durst not bring them to the light in an open place.""

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* Wyatt's Memoir in Cavendish's Life of Wolsey.

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