(A.D. 1536-1537.)
|Jane Seymour has always been pronounced the most beautiful of all the
wives of Henry VIII. But she has also been presented to the world as a
meritorious, discreet, young woman. We cannot consider her so when we
remember that within twenty-four hours after Anne Boleyn's head was cut
off she became the king's wife. For it must have been while acting
as maid of honor for that unhappy lady that she not only received the
attentions of her fickle, heartless husband, but even made all the
necessary arrangements for her marriage with him. We shudder at the
thought of the preparations that must have been going forward for
the wedding-feast at the palace, while the Tower was the scene of
heart-rending agony to the queen, who was about to sacrifice her life
for the gratification of a tyrant.
The giddiness of youth cannot be pleaded as apology for Jane Seymour's
indecency, for she was no child when she permitted herself to be courted
by the royal Bluebeard, and must have been entirely conscious of the
enormity of her actions.
Perhaps her early education was at fault, but of that little is known
excepting that it was acquired in France. She was maid of honor to Mary
Tudor, queen of Louis XII., and went to England after her dismissal
from the French court. Anne Boleyn occupied a similar position at the
{404}same time, therefore the two maids of honor probably knew each
other intimately.
One day, after Anne Boleyn had ascended the throne, she observed
a locket that hung from a pretty gold chain about the neck of Jane
Seymour, and expressed a desire to see it closer. The maid of honor
blushed, faltered, and drew back, whereupon the queen snatched the
locket from her, opened it, and beheld the likeness of the king, her
husband.
From that moment Anne Boleyn knew that her fate was sealed; she was
indignant, but that availed her nothing. She found herself supplanted
by a rival as she had supplanted her predecessor. Perhaps her punishment
was deserved, but it does not justify the conduct of the king or his new
lady-love.
[[A.D. 1536.]] When the axe made Henry VIII. a widower, Jane Seymour was
at Wolf Hall, in Wiltshire, and her royal lover at Richmond Park. On the
morning of the 19th of May his majesty stood under a spreading oak, with
his huntsmen and hounds prepared for the chaise, awaiting the signal gun
from the Tower to announce that he was free. At last the welcome sound
reached his ear. "Ha, ha!" he cried, "the deed is done! uncouple the
hounds and away." This was all the regret he expressed for the death of
the woman he had pretended to love so well.
His widowhood lasted just one night, for the next morning he was at Wolf
Hall, where he was united to the beautiful Jane Seymour. The ceremony
was performed in the parish church, and was succeeded by a feast at
which several members of the king's privy council were present.
Then the royal couple proceeded to Winchester, and from there to London.
A grand reception was held on the 29th of May, when Jane was presented
as queen.
When parliament met, a few days later, the lord-chan-
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[Illustration: 0409]
cellor {407}made a lengthy speech setting forth the king's virtues,
trying to justify his vagaries in the matrimonial line by a great deal
of tedious, false reasoning, and winding up with the information that
Anne Boleyn's daughter was not heir to the throne of England. Part of
this speech was devoted to setting forth the noble sacrifices made by
Henry VIII. for the benefit of his people.
The speaker chosen by the House of Commons went further, and loaded
the king with the most fulsome compliments, comparing him to Samson,
Solomon, and Absalom combined. Thus was Henry VIII. encouraged in his
wickedness, until, as Cardinal Wolsey wisely said: "he actually forgot
that there was both heaven and hell."
The Princess Mary was on good terms with her stepmother, who effected
a reconciliation between her and the king; but the conditions were so
cruel, that there was not much to be grateful for. Perhaps Jane was
not responsible for them, and as we have so little that is favorable
to relate of this queen, we will give her the benefit of the doubt. She
made no enemies, because she avoided expressing any decided opinions,
and preserved as much as possible a placid silence, and permitted
herself to be governed, in all things, by her husband. If regard for her
head prompted such behavior, at least she was wise.
The winter of 1537 was a remarkably cold one, and the royal couple with
their entire court crossed the frozen Thames on horseback, so thick and
solid was the ice.
Henry's two other queens had been crowned, so he thought the same
honor ought to be conferred on the third, but the continuance of the
pestilence caused that ceremony to be postponed so long that death
prevented it altogether, for Jane Seymour lived only eighteen months
after her marriage. Meanwhile, she was living at Hampton Court, where
her little son was born, who afterwards became Edward VI.
vet cloth. On top of this pall was a wax figure resembling the dead
queen dressed in regal robes with a crown, sceptre, and jewels.
On the 12th of November the car was drawn by six horses to St. George's
Chapel, where the corpse was interred.
Henry VIII. wrote a letter to Francis I. rejoicing over the birth of
his son and expressing considerable regret at the death of his wife. He
really did put on mourning attire, and appeared depressed in spirits for
several weeks. This is all that could be expected of so worldly and gay
a king.
[[A.D. 1537.]] This prince was baptized at midnight, and both his
sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, took part in the ceremony, which was
succeeded by such a blowing of trumpets as must have been very trying,
indeed, to the nerves of a young infant.
[Illustration: 0412]
The next day Jane Seymour died. Her body was embalmed and laid on a car
of state covered with a rich velvet.
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