he stakes set. As the people stood gazing at the blood
which flowed from the king's coffin, two dogs sprang forth from the
crowd and, with greedy tongue, licked the blood of King Henry the
Eighth. But the people, shuddering and horror-stricken, fled in all
directions, and talked among themselves of the poor priest who a few
weeks before was executed here on this very spot, because he would
not recognize the king as the supreme lord of the Church and God's
vicegerent; of that unfortunate man who cursed the king, and on the
scaffold said: "May the dogs one day drink the blood of this king who
has shed so much innocent blood!" And now the curse of the dying man
had found its fulfilment, and the dogs had drunk the king's blood.
[Footnote: Historical.--See Tytler, p. 481.]

When the gloomy funeral train had left the palace of Whitehall, when
the king's corpse no longer infected the halls with its awful stench of
corruption, and the court was preparing to do homage to the boy Edward
as the new king, Thomas Seymour, Earl of Sudley, entered the room of the
young royal widow. He came in a magnificent mourning suit, and his elder
brother, Edward Seymour, and Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, walked
by his side.

With a blush and a sweet smile, Catharine bade them welcome.

"Queen," said Thomas Seymour with solemn air, "I come to-day to claim
of you the fulfilment of your vow! Oh, do not cast down your eyes, nor
blush for shame. The noble archbishop knows your heart, and he knows
that it is as pure as the heart of a maiden, and that an unchaste
thought has never sullied your pure soul. And my brother would not be
here, had he not faith in and respect for a love which has preserved
itself so faithful and constant amidst storms and dangers. I have
selected these two noble friends as my suitors, and in their presence I
will ask you: 'Queen Catharine, the king is dead, and no fetters longer
bind your heart; will you not give it me as my own? Will you accept me
as your husband, and sacrifice for me your royal title and your exalted
position?'"

With a bewitching smile she gave him her hand. "You well know,"
whispered she, "that I sacrifice nothing for you, but receive from you
all of happiness and love that I hope for."

"Will you then, in the presence of these two friends, accept me as your
future husband, and plight me your vow of truth and love?"

Catharine trembled and cast down her eyes with the bashfulness of a
young girl