enemy's country, with weak lines of communication,
unfriendly Lorraine on his flank and two French armies approaching him,
could only curse almost in despair the hour that he trusted the word of
"his good brother," the King of England.

Katharine bade farewell to her husband at Dover when he went on his
pompous voyage,[250] and returned forthwith to London, fully empowered to
rule England as Regent during his absence. She was directed to use the
advice and counsel of Cranmer, Wriothesley, the Earl of Hertford, who was
to replace her if she became incapacitated, Thirlby, and Petre; Gardiner
accompanying the King as minister. The letters written by Katharine to her
husband during his short campaign show no such instances of want of tact
as did those of the first Katharine, quoted in the earlier pages of this
book. It is plain to read in them the clever, discreet woman, determined
to please a vain man; content to take a subordinate place and to shine by
a reflected light alone. "She thanks God for a prosperous beginning of his
affairs;" "she rejoices at the joyful news of his good health," and in a
business-like way shows that she and her council are actively forwarding
the interests of the King with a single-hearted view to his honour and
glory alone.

During this time the young Prince Edward and his sister Mary were at
Hampton Court with the Queen; but the other daughter, Elizabeth, lived
apart at St. James's. Though it is evident that the girl was generally
regarded and treated as inferior to her sister, she appears to have felt a
real regard for her stepmother, almost the only person who, since her
infancy, had been kind to her. Elizabeth wrote to the Queen on the 31st
July a curious letter in Italian. "Envious fortune," she writes, "for a
whole year deprived me of your Highness's presence, and, not content
therewith, has again despoiled me of that boon. I know, nevertheless, that
I have your love; and that you have not forgotten me in writing to the
King. I pray you in writing to his Majesty deign to recommend me to him;
praying him for his ever-welcome blessing; praying at the same time to
Almighty God to send him good fortune and victory over his enemies; so
that your Highness and I together may the sooner rejoice at his happy
return. I humbly pray to God to have your Highness in His keeping; and
respectfully kissing your Highness' hand.--ELIZABETH."[251]

Katharine indeed, in this trying time of responsibility, co