ce from this gallant monarch, the young widow flung
herself at his feet, and with many tears entreated him to take pity on
her impoverished and distressed children. The sight of so much beauty in
affliction strongly affected the amorous Edward, love stole sensibly into
his heart under the guise of compassion; and her sorrow, so becoming a
virtuous matron, made his esteem and regard quickly correspond to his
affection. He raised her from the ground with assurances of favor; he
found his passion increase every moment by the conversation of the
amiable object; and he was soon reduced, in his turn, to the posture and
style of a supplicant at the feet of Elizabeth. But the lady, either
averse to dishonorable love from a sense of duty, or perceiving that
the impression which she had made was so deep as to give her hopes of
obtaining the highest elevation, obstinately refused to gratify his
passion; and all the endearments, caresses, and importunities of
the young and amiable Edward proved fruitless against her rigid and
inflexible virtue. His passion, irritated by opposition and increased by
his veneration for such honorable sentiments, carried him at last beyond
all bounds of reason, and he offered to share his throne, as well as his
heart, with the woman whose beauty of person and dignity of character
seemed so well to entitle her to both. The marriage was privately
celebrated at Grafton; the secret was carefully kept for some time; no
one suspected that so libertine a prince could sacrifice so much to a
romantic passion; and there were, in particular, strong reasons which
at that time rendered this step, to the highest degree, dangerous and
imprudent.

The King, desirous to secure his throne, as well by the prospect of
issue as by foreign alliances, had, a little before, determined to make
application to some neighboring princess; and he had cast his eye on Bona
of Savoy, sister to the Queen of France, who, he hoped, would by her
marriage insure him the friendship of that power which was alone both
able and inclined to give support and assistance to his rival. To render
the negotiation more successful, the Earl of Warwick had been despatched
to Paris, where the Princess then resided; he had demanded Bona in
marriage for the King; his proposals had been accepted; the treaty was
fully concluded; and nothing remained but the ratification of the terms
agreed on, and the bringing over the Princess to England. But when the
secre