When Knighthood Was in Flower

Ride to

or the king than by winning him a battle. Later in life the high road to his favor was in ridding him of his wife and h

r being the best player the king always chose him as his partner, and, as in every other game, the king always won. If he lost there would soon be no game, and the man who won from him too frequently was in danger at any moment of being rated guilty of the very highest sort of treason. I think many a man's fall, under Henry VIII, was owing to the fact that he did not always allow the king to win in some trivial matter of game or joust. Under these conditions everybody was anxious to be the king's partner. It is true he frequently for

not to cloy his appetite by over-feeding. So we saw little of Brandon while the king's fever lasted, and Mary said she wished she had remained silent about the cards. You see,

Jane, Brandon and myself, and went with us up to London, where we lodged over night at Bridewell House. The next morning-as bright an

was angry with Jane, as you know, so did not go near the girls; and Brandon, without any apparent i

om the east. I was in hopes that Jane, too, would fear the rain, but you would have sworn her neck was stiff, so straight ahead did she keep her face. We

So that gentleman rode forward, and I followed him. When we c

ten it, and the others of our imme

tried th

ight as the horse ca

g there like gaping bumpkins, to tighten my girth? Ride on; we can manage this without so much help." Upon this broad hint everybody rode ahead while I held the horse for Brandon, who went on with his search

nswered Bran

I supposed it could be

on again. "But the

returned Mary carelessly, havi

ned Brandon's horse over to him. Jane's smile gradually broadened

asked I, unable to keep

vigorous little nod of her

ack with me,

half frown, and remarked: "Now you doubtless

ng her head in emphatic assent, as the

sfied now," said Ja

to ride with y

nodde

" I a

u to," was the enl

not dance with me

I did not

" thought I, "but a suffi

out my girth being loose. As to the new dance, I do not care to learn it because I would not dance it with any man but you, and not even with you-yet." This made me glad, and coming from coy, modest Jane meant a great deal. It meant that she c

onderful what a fund of useless information some persons accumulate and cling to with a persistent determination worthy of a better cause. I thought Jane never would forget that unfortunate, abominable sentence spoken so grandiloquently to Mary. I wonder what she would have thought had she known that I had said substantially the same thing to a dozen others. I never should have won her in that case. She does not know it yet, and never shall if I can prevent. Although dear Jane is old now, and the roses on her cheeks have long since paled, her gray eyes are still there, with their mischievous little twinkle upon occasion, and-in fact, Jane can be as provoking as eve

ort to pour out my he

g that greatly tro

" I asked in

ld be necessary; everything she wants she naturally thinks is hers by divine right. There has been no great need of such an effort until now, but your friend Brandon presents it. I wish he were at the other side of the world. I think she feels that she ought to keep away from him before it is too late, both for his sake and her own, but she is powerless to deny herself the pleasure of being with him, and I do not know what is to come of it all. That incident of the loose girth is an illustration. Did you ever know anything so bold and transparent? A

ool enough to fall in love with the king's sister, and I really believe he will keep hi

has repeated to me; has moralized to some extent, and has actually told her of some of her faults. I should like to see anyone else take that liberty.

tter if he did. It migh

oesn't sound well-but she is a princess, and it would be different with her from what it would be with an ordinary girl; she might have to speak first, or there might be no speaking fro

l winds was blowing-with no good in it for any one. Now who could have foretold this? It was easy enough to prophesy that Brandon would learn to love Mary, excite a passing interest, and come off

onfirmation of my own fears. Her opportunity to know was far

in his own breast. But at the time of our ride to Windsor, Charles Brandon was not in love with Mary Tudor, however near it he may unconsciously have been. He would whistle and sing, and was as light-hearted as a lark-I me

loud our forebodings had gathered, and chatted and laughed like the creature of joy and gladness she was. Now and then her heart would well up so full of the sunlight and t

very note. It seemed that the wild flowers had taken on their brightest hue, the trees their richest Sabbath-day green, and the sun his softest radiance, only to gladden the heart of Mary that they might hear her laugh. The lau

endom. It was done most gracefully. She was but a trifle to his strong arms, and he lifted her to the sod as gently as if she were a child. The nobles envied Brandon his evident favor with this unattainable Mary and hated him accordingly, but they kept their t

, had not Buckingham related to Henry the episode of the loose girth, and adroitly poisoned his mind as to Mary's partiality. At this the king began to cast a

to its proper cause and it troubled him. I could have told him the reason in two words, but I feared to put into his mind the thought that the princess might learn to love him. As to the king, he would not have cared if Brandon or every other man,