ay. But Chapuys mentions that, glad as
Anne appeared at the Queen's death, she was less at ease than she
pretended. Lord and Lady Exeter had brought him a Court rumour of words
said to have been uttered by the King, that "he had been drawn into the
marriage by witchcraft; God had shown his displeasure by denying him male
children by her, and therefore he might take another wife."

Lord and Lady Exeter were not trustworthy authorities--on this occasion
even Chapuys did not believe them--but stories of the kind were in the
wind. It was notorious that everything was not well between the King and
Lady Anne. A curious light is thrown on the state of Anne's mind by a
letter which she wrote to her aunt, Mrs. Shelton, after Mary's rejection
of her advances. Mrs. Shelton left it lying open on a table. Mary found
it, copied it, and replaced it, and the transcript, in Mary's handwriting,
is now at Vienna.

"MRS. SHELTON,--My pleasure is that you seek to go no further to move
the Lady Mary towards the King's grace, other than as he himself
directed in his own words to her. What I have done myself has been
more for charity than because the King or I care what course she
takes, or whether she will change or not change her purpose. When I
shall have a son, as soon I look to have, I know what then will come
to her. Remembering the word of God, that we should do good to our
enemies, I have wished to give her notice before the time, because by
my daily experience I know the wisdom of the King to be such that he
will not value her repentance or the cessation of her madness and
unnatural obstinacy when she has no longer power to choose. She would
acknowledge her errors and evil conscience by the law of God and the
King if blind affection had not so sealed her eyes that she will not
see but what she pleases.

"Mrs. Shelton, I beseech you, trouble not yourself to turn her from
any of her wilful ways, for to me she can do neither good nor ill. Do
your own duty towards her, following the King's commandment, as I am
assured that you do and will do, and you shall find me your good
lady, whatever comes.

"Your good Mistress,

"ANNE R."

CHAPTER XXI.

Funeral of Catherine--Miscarriage of Anne--The Princess Mary and the Act
of Supremacy--Her continued desire to escape--Effect of Catherine's death
on Spanish policy--Desire of the Em