Mistaken Confidence. Her importunate; while daily, and hourly, such reports of Edward's conduct assailed her ears as made her form a resolution to quit him for ever; and endeavour, by the exercise of those talents she possessed, to procure a scanty but virtuous subsistence for herself and child. Her unfeeling husband now no more importuned her, with either his presence or his menaces. ready money was exhausted, many valuable jewels gone, which he had extorted from her, and with which he departed for Normandy, insisting on a final separation between them; and leaving her and her daughter to struggle with a world, callous and cruel as himself. Such has sometimes been the lot of the strictly chaste and irreproachable female, and there self applause may repay, in the midst of the bitterest sufferings, many an hour lent to anguish; but when alluring vice draws Mistaken Confidence. the strings of the heart that is formed to be the seat of virtue, when no resource remains within to soothe the reproacher, conscience-happiness flies affrighted, and melancholy, resignation, and repentance, only stretch forth their hands to support the forlorn transgressor. A crafty Widow. CHAP. VI. A CRAFTY WIDOW. Marry with a king! A batchelor! a handsome stripling, too! SHAKESPEARE. AS anecdote is the principal subject of this work, it is to be hoped that a trifling anachronism, to accomplish that design, will be forgiven; and if, in the course of this history, we may be sometimes obliged to refer back to some peculiar circumstances, which happened in this eventful reign, criticism will not, we trust, assail us with severity. We are not writing a chronological history of England; and though the mention of wars and politics A crafty Widow. must, of course, be slightly touched upon, yet the domestic scenes of the court and nation form the chief plan of these volumes. The Earl of Warwick, who was Edward's real friend, now seeing the house of York likely to reign in safety, was desirous to negociate an alliance, which might strengthen his kingdom, and preserve his throne, by the assistance of a foreign power. For this purpose he fixed his views on Bona of Savoy, a princess then in the bloom of early youth, lovely in her person, matchless in virtue, and possessed of every elegant acquirement. Edward evinced no aversion to this match, but shewed rather a more than ready acquiescence to it. What could be his motive for this duplicity, posterity has yet to learn. A beautiful widow, though some years older than A crafty Widow. himself, had enchained the affections of Edward so closely, that it puzzled the understanding of both courtier and plebeian to account for it; for while he roved from fair to fair, and formed some connections which appeared to promise permanency, he was yet the willing and constant captive of Lady Elizabeth Grey, and had even promised her marriage, whenever he should enjoy the throne of England in perfect security. Lady Elizabeth was a woman of consummate art and prudence. Her countenance was of the most bewitching beauty, and of that kind, which seems to bid defiance to age; as her em bon point added lustre to the most delicate and transparent complexion. Her natural disposition was cool and serious, and the chief motive, it is said, for her insinuating herself into the good graces of her prince |