rought him into close relationship with the family, and, as will
be seen, led in the next year to a compact political union between the
Seymour brothers, Cromwell, and the reforming party, as against the
nobles and traditional conservatives.

For the time, however, Cromwell held on his way, endeavouring to keep in
with the imperialists and Mary; and it was doubtless to his prompting that
Jane used her influence, when at its highest point, to reconcile the
Princess personally to her father. To the great joy of the King, in March
1537, Jane was declared to be with child. The Emperor had already opened a
negotiation for the marriage of Mary with his brother-in-law, the Infante
Luiz of Portugal, and Henry was playing a waiting game till he saw if Jane
would bear him a child. If so, Mary might go; although he still refused to
legitimise her; but if no more issue was to be born to him, he could
hardly allow his elder daughter to leave England and fall into the hands
of the Emperor. Charles, on the other hand, was extremely anxious to
obtain possession of so valuable a pledge for the future as Mary; and was
willing to go to almost any lengths to get her, either by fair means or
foul, fearing, as he did, that the girl might be married discreditably in
England--he thought even to Cromwell himself--in order to destroy her
international value to Henry's rivals.

As soon, however, as Jane's pregnancy was announced Mary's position
changed. If a child was born in wedlock to the King, especially if it were
a son, there would be no need to degrade Mary by joining her to a lowly
husband; she might, on the contrary, become a good international marriage
asset in the hands of her father, who might bargain with Charles or
Francis for her. The fresh move of Jane Seymour, therefore, in her
favour, in the spring of 1537, when the Queen's pregnancy had given her
greater power over her husband, was probably welcome both to the King and
Cromwell, as enhancing Mary's importance at a time when she might be used
as an international political pawn without danger. Jane was sad one day in
the early period of her pregnancy. "Why, darling," said the King, "how
happeneth it you are not merrier?"[179] "It hath pleased your Grace,"
replied the Queen, "to make me your wife, and there are none but my
inferiors with whom to make merry, withal, your Grace excepted; unless it
would please you that we might enjoy the company of the Lady Mary at
Court. I could be