Agnes Strickland's Queens of England by 1796-1874 Agnes Strickland, 1794-1875 Elizabeth Strickland, Rosalie Kaufman Read Free Book Online

tendencies of her brother and sister.
    When Henry VIII. married Anne of Cleves, Elizabeth wrote her stepmother a most dutiful, affectionate letter, in which she expressed desire to make her acquaintance. An opportunity soon offered, when the queen was so charmed

    with the wit and beauty of the young princess that at the time of her divorce she requested that they might be permitted the interchange of visits, which was granted.
    The next stepmother, Katherine Howard, loved Elizabeth too, and treated her with marked tenderness and consideration, giving her the place of honor near the throne at all public entertainments.
    With a view to strengthening the friendly relations between England and other countries, King Henry tried at various times to form an alliance for his daughter with several powerful princes ; but fo'rtunately for her all his plans fell through.
    Under the guidance of her fourth stepmother, Katherine Parr, who was a very learned woman, Elizabeth pursued her studies uninterrupted by any thought of matrimony, which at so early an age, and planned for state purposes, must have proved a misfortune.
    She lived in retirement with her father's widow for a year after his death; and though she set up an independent establishment of her own when she was fifteen years old, she and Katherine Parr continued to be fast friends as long as that lady lived.
    [A.D. 1545.] Even at that early age, Elizabeth was well-informed in geography, architecture, mathematics, and astronomy, besides being an accomplished Latin and Greek scholar. She spoke and wrote French, Italian, Spanish, and Flemish; but her favorite study was history, to which she devoted three hours a day.
    [A.D. 1553.] She displayed no small amount of shrewdness when her brother died, which was remarkable in so young a woman. Edward's illness had been concealed from his sisters by the wily statesmen who kept strict guard over him, and who had used every effort to foster the ill-feeling that existed between him and his relations. As

    soon as his death occured they wrote Mary and Elizabeth that he was seriously ill, and desired their presence at his bedside. The object was to secure the two princesses, lock them up in prison, and proclaim Lady Jane Grey successor to the crown of England; but Elizabeth, suspecting some plot, took not the slightest notice of the letters. When the Duke of Northumberland offered her a liberal sum of money, besides a tract of land, providing she would resign her right of succession in favor of Lady Jane Grey, she replied, " that an agreement must first be made with her elder sister, during whose life she had no right nor title to resign."
    It was not without a difficult struggle that Mary got possession of the crown, and while it was going on Elizabeth pretended to be desperately ill and remained quietly at home. No sooner was it assured than she recovered and went in state, at the head of a large retinue, to welcome the new queen. Then the two sisters rode side by side, in grand procession through London, and were, apparently, on the best of terms. Nobody who witnessed that procession could fail to observe the contrast between the two royal ladies. Poor Mary, whose life had thus far been one of sadness, anxiety, and ill-health, sat on her horse almost bent double, and looking like a woman of middle age, although she was only twenty. Elizabeth, on the other hand, whose fine, majestic form and gracious manners won every heart as she smilingly bowed to the right and left, looked every inch a queen, and Mary sank into insignificance by her side. Her face, though not handsome, was pleasing, and her dark eyes shone with gratification at the attention she attracted. Throughout her life Elizabeth's delicate, well-formed hands were a source of pride to her, and she never lost an opportunity of displaying them to the best advantage.

    Within a month the affection that the two sisters entertained for each other was seriously impaired on account of their