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PREFACE

IN the literature of our country, however copious, the student will admit that although we possess many and excellent histories, embracing every period of our domestic annals;-biographies, general and particular, of every private individual entitled to such commemoration; and numerous and extensive collections of original letters, state-papers, and other historical and antiquarian documents;—that our comparative penury is remarkable in royal lives, in court-histories, and especially in that class which forms the glory of French literature, -memoir.

To supply this want, as it affects the person and reign of one of the most illustrious of female and of European Sovereigns, is the intention of the work now offered to the public.

Its plan comprehends a detailed view of the private life of Elizabeth from the period of her birth; a view of the domestic history of her reign; memoirs of the principal families of the nobility; biographical anecdotes of the celebrated characters who composed her court; and notices of the manners, opinions, and literature of the reign.

Such persons as may have made it their business or their entertainment to study with considerable minuteness the history of the age of Elizabeth, will be aware that in the chronicles of the times,—so valuable for those vivid pictures of manners which the pen of a contemporary unconsciously traces,—and other large works, a vast repertory existed of curious and interesting facts seldom recurred to for the composition of books of lighter literature, and possessing with respect to a great majority of readers the grace of novelty.

Respecting the selection of topice, it has been the constant endeavour of the writer to preserve to her work the genuine character of

!

PREFACE.

Memoirs, by avoiding as much as possible all encroachments on the peculiar province of history; that amusement, of a not illiberal kind, has been consulted at least equally with instruction; and that on subjects of graver moment, a correct sketch has alone been attempted.

It is hoped that in the following pages, few anecdotes or observations will be found to rest on dubious or inadequate authority; and that a copious choice of materials, relatively to the intended compass of the work, will appear to have superseded the temptation to useless digression, or to prolix and trivial detail.

The orthography of all extracts from the elder writers has been modernized, and their punctuation rendered more distinct; in other respects reliance may be placed on their entire fidelity.

[To the fidelity of the narrative of Miss Aikin, Henry Hallam bears testimony in his 'Constitutional History of England;' and on the value of her pages, the 'Edinburgh Review' pronounced them to be as entertaining as a novel, and far more instructive than are most histories. A. M.]

CONTENTS.

1533 TO 1536.—CH. I.—Birth of Elizabeth.-The marriage of her

parents.-Entry of Anne Boleyn into London.-Baptism of Eliza-

beth.-Eminent persons present. -Proposal of marriage between

Elizabeth and a French prince.-The reformation.-Henry persecutes

both parties.-Death of Catherine of Aragon-Disgrace of Anne

Boleyn. Her death.-Confesses an obstacle to her marriage.—Eliza-

beth declared illegitimate.—Letter of lady Bryan respecting her.—

The king marries Jane Seymour.

Page 9-21

1536 TO 1542.-CH. II.-Right of succession to the English throne.-

Henry's jealousy.-Lord T. Howard and lady M. Douglas.-After-

fortunes of this lady.-Princess Marry reconciled with her father.-

Dissolution of monasteries.-Insurrections.-Power of the nobles.-

Rebellion of T. Fitzgerald.-Adventures of G. Fitzgerald.-Birth of

prince Edward.-Death of the queen.-Rise of the two Seymours.—

Enmity to Cardinal Pole.-Trial and death of lord Montacute, the

marquis of Exeter, sir E. Nevil, and sir N. Carew.-Attainder of the

marchioness of Exeter and countess of Salisbury.-Decline of the

protestant party.-Cromwell proposes the king's marriage with Anne

of Cleves.-Royal marriage.-Cromwell made earl of Essex.-Jousts

at Westminster.-The king determines to dissolve his marriage.-

Permits the fall of Cromwell.-Is divorced-Behaviour of the queen.

-Marriage of the king to Catherine Howard.-Ascendency of the

papists. Execution of the countess of Salisbury-of lord Leonard

Grey.-The queen's ill conduct.-Attainders passed against her and

several others.

Page 21-38

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1542 TO 1547.—CH. III.-Rout of Solway and death of James V.

of Scotland.-Birth of queen Mary.-Henry projects to marry her to

his son.-Offers the hand of Elizabeth to the earl of Arran.-Earl

of Lennox marries lady M. Douglas.—Marriage of the king to

Catherine Parr.-Influence of her conduct on Elizabeth.-Henry

joins the emperor against Francis I.-Princess Mary replaced in order

of succession, Elizabeth also.-Proposals for a marriage between

Elizabeth and Philip of Spain.-The duke of Norfolk and earl of

Hertford heads of the catholic and protestant parties.-Disgrace of

the duke.-Trial of the earl of Surrey.-His death and character.——

The Death of Henry.

Page 39-45

1547 TO 1549.—CH. IV.-Testamentary provisions of Henry VIII.

-Exclusion of the Scottish line. The earl of Arundel. -His

intrigues. Hertford declared protector-becomes duke of Somerset.

-Thomas Seymour made lord-admiral—marries the queen-dowager.

-His intrigues.-His behaviour to Elizabeth.-Death of the queen.

-Seymour aspires to the hand of Elizabeth-conspires-is put to

death. His intercourse with Elizabeth.-Examinations she under-

went.-Traits of her early character.-Verses on admiral Seymour.

-The learning of Elizabeth.-Ascham's Letters respecting her, Jane

Grey, and other learned ladies.-Her letters to Edward VI. Page 45...65

1549 TO 1553.-CH. V.-Decline of the protector's authority.-imprisoned
-accused-loses his office-liberated-reconciled with Dudley,
who succeeds him.-Dudley pushes on the reformation.--Mass pro-

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hibited.-Princess Mary persecuted.-The emperor attempts to get

her out of the kingdom. -interferes openly in her behalf.-Effect of

persecution on the mind of Mary.-Marriage proposed for Elizabeth

with the prince of Denmark.—King betrothed to a princess of France.

-Sweating sickness.-Death of the duke of Suffolk.-Dudley pro-

cures the dukedom of Northumberland.-The last earl of Northum-

berland. Trial, conviction, and death of the duke of Somerset.—

Christmas festivities.-George Ferrers, aud his works. -Decline of

the king's health.-Scheme of Northumberland for lady Jane Grey's

succession.-Settlement of the crown on the lady Jane.-Subserviency

of the council.-Death of Edward concealed. The princesses

narrowly escape.-Conduct of Elizabeth.-Northumberland deserted

by the army.-Lady Jane Grey imprisoned.-Northumberland

arrested.-Mary mounts the throne.
Page 65-75

1553 TO 1554.-CH. VI.-Mary affects attachment to Elizabeth.-
Earl of Devonshire liberated.-His character.-Rejects the love of
Mary-shows partiality to Elizabeth.-Elizabeth retires from court.
-sir T. Wyat.-His rebellion.-Elizabeth summoned to court.-

Brought prisoner to court-examined-dismissed-brought again to

court-re-examined-committed to the Tower.-Influence of Mary's

government.-Reinstatement of the duke of Norfolk in honor and

office. His retirement and death.-Liberation of Tonstal.-His after-

fortunes. Of Gardiner and Bonner.-Their characters.-The duchess

of Somerset and the marchioness of Exeter.-Imprisonment of the

Dudleys-of protestant bishops-of judge Hales. His sufferings.—

Characters of sir John Cheke, sir Anthony Cook, Dr. Cox, and

other protestant exiles
Page 76-89

554 AND 1555. CH. VII.-Arrival of Wyat and his associates at the

Tower. Mary's severity.-Duke of Suffolk beheaded.-Death of

lady Jane Grey-of Wyat.-Trial of Throgmorton.-Bill for the ex-

clusion of Elizabeth.-Parliament protects her rights confinement of

Elizabeth in the Tower.-Removed under guard of Beddingfield-

carried to Richmond-offered liberty with the hand of the duke

of Savoy-carried to Ricot, thence to Woodstock.-Her be-

haviour.-Cruelty of Gardiner.-Verses by Harrington.-Marriage

of the queen -Alarms of the protestants.-Arrival of cardinal Pole.

-Popery restored.-Persecution begun.-Earl of Devon travels into

Italy-dies. Obligations of Elizabeth to Philip.-Is invited to court

-keeps Christmas there-returns to Woodstock-brought again to

court.-Gardiner urges her to make submissions.-Is brought to the

queen-resides at one of the royal seats-settled at Hatfield.-

Character of sir Thos. Pope.-The Harringtons.-Philip quits Eng-

land.-Death of Gardiner.
Page 89-109

1555 TO 1558.—CH. VIII.-Elizabeth applies herself to classical litera-

ture.-Its neglected state.-Progress of English poetry.-Sackville

and his works. His Mirror for Magistrates.-The contributors to this

collection.-Its popularity and merits.-Entertainment given to

Elizabeth by sir Thos. Pope.-Dudley Ashton's attempt.—Elizabeth

innocent of his designs. Her letter to the queen.-Returns to

London-quits it after refusing the duke of Savoy.-Violence of

Philip.-Mary protects her sister.-Festivities at Hatfield, Enfield,

and Richmond.-King of Sweden's addresses to Elizabeth.-Letter

of sir T. Pope.-Proceedings of the ecclesiastical commission.-Cruel

treatment of sir John Cheke. -Decay of the national prosperity.—

Loss of Calais.-Death of Mary.
Page 110-126

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