ces Dorset, Jane's mother, was a niece of King Henry
the Eighth, and so the Dorsets belonged to the brilliantly extravagant
court circle of the famously extravagant Henry, and in her ninth year
Lady Jane began to visit frequently her royal great-uncle, who was said
to be as fond of children as he was of pastry, and doubtless enjoyed
having Jane, an exceptionally bright, pretty girl, to divert his
thoughts when the pains in his gouty limbs were unusually severe. And
Queen Katherine, too, was a deeply affectionate aunt, and as soon as it
was allowed, kept Jane constantly with her, directing the child's
studies herself, and giving her the freedom of the Queen's own private
apartments, where keen-eyed, quick-witted little Jane must have seen and
heard much by which a more stupid child would not have benefited, but
which Jane stored up for future reference,--especially the discussions
between the Queen and those learned theologians with whom she so often
talked, and many a scene of which Lady Jane was witness has been
recorded in history.

[Illustration: LADY JANE GREY]

The Queen frequently disputed with the King on religious matters, and
one day when he was especially out of humour, she remonstrated with him
about a proclamation forbidding the use of a translation of the Bible.
This made him very angry, and as soon as the Queen left the room,
Gardiner, one of the King's councillors who was no friend of the Queen,
fanned the King's anger into such a fury by his remarks against her, and
by complimenting the King on his wisdom, that susceptible King Henry
allowed himself to draw up an accusation against Queen Katherine, which
would lead to her being beheaded--as two of his queens had been before.
The document having been drawn up, all preparations for carrying out its
directions were made, when one of the King's councillors dropped it, and
an attendant of Queen Katherine fortunately picked it up, and took it at
once to the Queen. One glance showed the danger she was in, and she fell
into such convulsions of fright that her shrieks reached the private
room of the King, whose heart softened at the sound, and also at the
realisation that no one would ever care for him with the tenderness and
tact of Katherine. Calling his attendants, he was carried to Katherine,
who revived at once, and received him graciously, showing no fear of
him, which was a great point in her favour, and the next morning, having
thought out her plan of ac