CHAPTER VIII. Nay then, farewell! I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness; SHAKSPEARE. NNE'S ambition and vanity had been abundantly gratified; passions that shew even more unlovely in a woman's breast -resentment, the desire of vengeance-these too had been gratified; a weak woman had outdone the great Lord Cardinal, and laid his "blushing honours in the dust:" he had prevented her being a Countess, and she had, in spite of his power and deep political arts, made herself a Queen: her enemies were at her footstool; her own seat upon the mightiest throne of Europe-yet was Anne happy? Oh! who that looked within the heart of this all-powerful Queen, but would envy that of the sprightly, aspiring, hopeful girl! It hath been mercifully ordained that dissatisfaction is found in the attainment of earthly expectations and desires, that our weary and dissatisfied hearts may turn to the true and only Fountain of Happiness, and centre their undying hopes in heaven. Even when we seek lawful good by lawful means, this is the case here below; how much more when unlawful good is sought and obtained by unlawful means! Anne had encouraged the Reformers, but chiefly from policy; by their means she hoped to rise; nevertheless she had the Bible by their means, and, though her heart, conscience, and con duct were not regulated by it, she must have known that it testified against such a life as she led, and learned from it to expect a day of reckoning for all her faults, follies and offences, against others. About this time a circumstance occurred which had a great effect on the conduct of Queen Anne; and it may be hoped was the means of changing her heart as well as the nature of her hitherto giddy life. The great Reformer, Bishop Latimer, who was subsequently burned by Queen Mary, was at this time apprehended and thrown into prison on account of his doctrines. Anne delivered him from confinement, and afterwards heard him preach. She was much struck by his address; for he told her not only of the uncertainty, but the utter vanity of all mortal greatness; and probably shewed her the painful state of her own heart, by pointing out the deceitful nature of all human hopes and desires. Anne, who was so proud to others, was humble to him, and entreated him to tell her what he considered to be wrong in her character and conduct. Latimer freely did so. Anne became greatly changed: it is to be hoped she felt her own sinfulness; it is certain she felt the insecurity and unsatisfying nature of all her possessions on earth, and thus might at least see the wisdom of having treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust can corrupt. From this time Anne acted in a manner, by which, had her former course been forgotten, she might, if it were not for party spirit, have been considered an excellent, enlightened and liberal Queen. Her charities were munificent; she devised numerous manufactures for the employment of the destitute; she gave, it is said, £14,000 in benefactions in the space of nine months; and perhaps one of her best deeds was sending to college, at her own expense, a number of young men of talent and piety, to be prepared for the Church. But there was one instance in which she could not, and did not, even attempt to make retribution; this was the case of poor Queen Katharine. When we injure, we are likely to hate: Anne's conscience was sore on this point, nor could she consider herself the lawful wife of King Henry, until the tidings of that unhappy lady's death arrived; when, clasping her hands in exultation, she foolishly and wrongfully exclaimed, "Then I am at last a Queen!" The speech was almost a fatal one for her: the King was at the moment much affected by contrition and pity, on reading the pathetic farewell of his poor wife, and must have regarded her conduct as most indeli cate. Anne was probably sensible that his passionate love for her had now greatly cooled; but she was not aware that she had a rival. |