relinquished hope at once, but endeavoured, through a gentleman of the household named Fowler, whom he bribed, to obtain the King's approval and influence.* Young Edward, however, was too wise to meddle in such an affair, whereupon Seymour transferred his attentions to the Princess Mary and to Anne of Cleves, both of whom immediately rejected his suit.† There now remained but one more chance of his contracting a royal alliance. This was with Catherine Parr, the late King's widow, who had already been married. three times, first to Sir Edward Burgh, secondly to John Nevill, Lord Latimer, and lastly to Henry VIII. Between this lady and Seymour there had already been some incipient love passages while she was the widow of Lord Latimer, and Seymour now renewed the intercourse with such success that within two months or so of the late King's death she became privately his wife. (Note 15.) Having accomplished his purpose, Seymour was now confronted with the difficulty of how best to announce the marriage. To his brother he was determined not to go for assistance; the King and Princess Mary, if won over, he thought would be sufficient. Edward's letter was managed through Fowler, but Mary, to whom Seymour applied in person, refused her assistance, saying that the request appeared to her "too strange to meddle with."S Whilst this was going on the truth was discovered, and the Council and Protector were "much offended."|| The marriage being an accomplished fact, and there being no remedy for it, the matter was passed over; and to cover any unpleasant feeling, on the breaking out of the Scotch war, the Admiral (Seymour) was desired to take command of the fleet. He preferred, however, to remain at home and carry on his schemes during his *Froude's Hist. + De Selve, Corresp. Pol., pp. 154-5. Lit. Remains, Edward VI, p. 215. brother's absence with the army, and so deputed the Lord Clinton to command the fleet, reserving to himself the management of the Admiralty.* His first step was, if possible, to get himself appointed Governor of the King's person, and, with this object in view, he began carefully to examine precedents in the hope of showing that, in cases of a King's minority, it was usual for one uncle to have the custody of the King's person while the other was Protector of the Realm.† In addition to this, he encouraged young Edward to come to his house as frequently as possible, ostensibly to visit his stepmother, gave him large presents of money for his privy purse, bribed his attendants, and formed a league with some of the dissatisfied nobility, notably the Marquis of Dorset and the young Earl of Rutland, with the object of securing votes in Parliament and gaining such interest in the country as would enable him to raise an army if required. He also succeeded in obtaining, without the Protector's knowledge or sanction, a new and more ample patent for his office of High Admiral, with an addition of 200 marks to the salary. On April 5, before the outbreak of the Scottish war, he visited the western ports and made, soon after, an expedition against a pirate named "Thomessin," who had seized on the Scilly Isles and used them as a base whence he could easily prey upon the traders of all nations.§ Instead of attacking and capturing this pirate, however, Seymour came to a friendly understanding with him to share the spoil and the control of the islands. He then made an attempt on Lundy Isle, which he occupied, and so arranged matters as to win over the pirates and privateers to his own ends, in spite of the remonstrances of the French Ambassador and the commands of the Protector.¶ * Froude's Hist. ; Dict. Nat. Biog. + Dict. Nat. Biog. Froude's Hist., &c. Dict. Nat. Biog. De Selve, Corresp. Pol., pp. 130, 189. Oppenheim, Administration of the Navy, 1897, pp. 101, 104; Chron. Henry VIII, ed. Hume, 1889, p. 161. In July he received a large grant of manors and estates situated chiefly in Gloucestershire, North Wilts, and Wales, which were ostensibly given to him as an accomplishment of the intended gifts of the late King. Soon after this, in order to secure more fully the aid of the Marquis of Dorset, he lent him several large sums of money, without taking any security, and persuaded him to send his young daughter, the beautiful and accomplished Lady Jane Grey, at that time but 10 years old, to reside in his house, promising that he would not fail to bring about a marriage between her and the young King as soon as he should obtain control of the latter's person. (Note 16.) Seymour was now becoming more confident of the ultimate success of his plans. His efforts, however, were by no means relaxed, for he seized every opportunity of slandering the absent Protector, assuring the King that the Scottish invasion "had been madly undertaken, and was money wasted in vain," and urging him to take the government into his own hands. He also tried to persuade Edward to write a letter on his behalf to the Parliament, which met on November 4, but the young King was too shrewd to meddle in such a matter. To add to the anger he felt at this refusal, a dispute arose over some jewels, which the Protector retained as Crown property, but which he claimed as having been given to his wife by Henry VIII. The little caution and control he had hitherto exhibited now deserted him. He declared openly that, if his demands as to the Governorship of the King's person were refused, he would make it "the blackest Parliament that ever was in England," he would "take his fist to the ear of the proudest that should oppose him," and declared "that he could live better without the Protector than the Protector without him."§ * Froude's Hist.; Haynes. + Froude's Hist.; Dict. Nat. Biog. Froude's Hist. Froude's Hist.; Haynes. E |