ry of this
ancient wooing--"I boldly intruded myself into her ladyship's chamber in
the court on Candlemas-day last, at what time I imparted my desire unto
her, which was entertained, but with this caution on either part, that
both of us resolved not to proceed to any final conclusion without his
majesty's most gracious favour first obtained. And this was our first
meeting! After that we had a second meeting at Briggs's house in
Fleet-street, and then a third at Mr. Baynton's; at both which we had
the like conference and resolution as before." He assures their
lordships that both of them had never intended marriage without his
majesty's approbation.[334]

But Love laughs at privy councils and the grave promises made by two
frightened lovers. The parties were secretly married, which was
discovered about July in the following year. They were then separately
confined, the lady at the house of Sir Thomas Parry at Lambeth, and
Seymour in the Tower, for "his contempt in marrying a lady of the royal
family without the king's leave."

This, their first confinement, was not rigorous; the lady walked in her
garden, and the lover was a prisoner at large in the Tower. The writer
in the "Biographia Britannica" observes that "Some intercourse they had
by letters, which, after a time, was discovered." In this history of
love these might be precious documents, and in the library at Long-leat
these love-epistles, or perhaps this volume, may yet lie unread in a
corner.[335] Arabella's epistolary talent was not vulgar: Dr. Montford,
in a manuscript letter, describes one of those effusions which Arabella
addressed to the king. "This letter was penned by her in the best terms,
as she can do right well. It was often read without offence, nay it was
even commended by his highness, with the applause of prince and
council." One of these amatory letters I have recovered. The
circumstance is domestic, being nothing more at first than a very pretty
letter on Mr. Seymour having taken cold, but, as every love-letter
ought, it is not without a pathetic _crescendo_; the tearing away of
hearts so firmly joined, her solitary imprisonment availed little; for
that he lived and was her own, filled her spirit with that consciousness
which triumphed even over that sickly frame so nearly subdued to death.
The familiar style of James the First's age may bear comparison with our
own. I shall give it entire.

"LADY ARABELLA TO MR. WILLIAM SEYMOUR.