. The matter is still greatly in
doubt, and there are many suspicious circumstances--the exclusion of De la
Sa and the Bishop of Llandaff from the room when the body was opened, and
the strenuous efforts to retain both of them in England after Katharine's
death; and, above all, the urgent political reasons that Henry had for
wishing Katharine to die, since he dared not carry out his threat of
having her attainted and taken to the Tower. Such a proceeding would have
provoked a rising which would almost certainly have swept him from the
throne.

[136] Even this small gold cross with a sacred relic enclosed in it--the
jewel itself not being worth, as Chapuys says, more than ten crowns--was
demanded of Mary by Cromwell soon afterwards.

[137] This account of Katharine's death is compiled from Chapuys' letters,
Bedingfield's letters, and others in the _Spanish_ and _Henry VIII.
Calendars_, and from the _Chronicle of Henry VIII._

[138] The letter tells Henry that death draws near to her, and she must
remind him for her love's sake to safeguard his soul before the desires of
his body, "for which you have cast me into many miseries and yourself into
many cares. For my part I do pardon you all, yea I do wish and devoutly
pray God that He will also pardon you." She commends her daughter and her
maids to him, and concludes, "Lastly, I do vow that mine eyes desire you
above all things." Katharine, Queen of England. (Cotton MSS., British
Museum, Otho C. x.)

[139] The death of Sir Thomas More greatly increased Anne's unpopularity.
It is recorded (More's _Life of More_) that when the news came of the
execution the King and Anne sat at play, and Henry ungenerously told her
she was the cause of it, and abruptly left the table in anger.

[140] Even the King's fool dared (July 1535) to call her a bawd and her
child a bastard.

[141] Chapuys to the Emperor, 24th February 1536.

[142] Chapuys to the Emperor, 29th January 1536.

[143] Probably the following letter, which has been frequently
printed:--"My dear friend and mistress. The bearer of these few lines from
thy entirely devoted servant will deliver into thy fair hands a token of
my true affection for thee, hoping you will keep it for ever in your
sincere love for me. Advertising you that there is a ballad made lately of
great derision against us, which if it go much abroad and is seen by you I
pray you pay no manner of regard to it. I am not at present informed who
is the s