I to demand your hand formally in marriage, neither the Lord Protector, nor the council, nor even the king, your brother, would consent. Such an attempt would be madness, and would effectually frustrate our object. You have often told me you hoped the time would come when we might be free to wed each other. The happy moment has arrived. Why postpone it? If you love me as much as ever, why should we not be secretly united, and await a favourable opportunity of avowing the marriage?"

"Because such a course would be unworthy of a daughter of Henry the Eighth," replied Elizabeth, proudly. "A secret marriage brought little happiness to the queen, your late consort, and might bring less to me; but be that as it might, I will not make the experiment My hand must be formally demanded." "Of whom?" said Seymour.

"Of the executors of my royal father's will."

"And what answer do you expect them to return? Such a demand on my part would be treated with scorn, and I should be sharply rebuked for my presumption."

"Do you not perceive, my lord, that you are arguing against yourself? If your demand is sure to be treated with scorn, by the council and the Lord Protector, ought I not to adopt a like tone? Ought I not to treat your offer as presumptuous?"

Princess!" exclaimed Seymour.

"Ought I not to say, 'You forget yourself, my lord. You are no fitting husband for Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of Henry the Eighth, of glorious memory, and second inheritor of the crown? This is what I ought to say-and what I shall say, if you continue to urge your insulting proposition-for such I must regard it—of a clandestine marriage.

"Then there is nothing left for me but to withdraw altogether," said Seymour, rising. "That I have been presumptuous I ownbut it is your encouragement that has made me so. You told me you loved me—and promised-solemnly promised to be mine."

"And so I will be yours, my lord, when you dare claim my hand in the face of the world-not otherwise," rejoined Elizabeth. "What would you have me do?" cried Seymour. "Show me the way to win you. I will shrink from nothing-I will dare anything so that my guerdon may be your hand. But it is idle to make a demand which will only be met by a refusal.”

"Place yourself in such a position, my lord, that your demand must be acceded to," rejoined Elizabeth. "You once told me your ambition soared to such a height that you would be second to no one in the realm, except the king. That point attained, the council could not withhold their consent, for they must necessarily do your bidding, as they now do that of the Duke of Somerset."

"And by Heaven! I will attain it," cried the Admiral. "Nor

will I renew my proposition till it can be certainly carried out in the manner you desire."

"In that case my hand shall be yours," replied Elizabeth; "and my promise will be as binding to me as if I were solemnly affianced to you. I have never loved any one but yourself, my lord, and am not likely to change. If I wed not you, I will wed no other."

"And I will either win you for my bride, or lay my head upon the block," cried Seymour. "Hear me, Elizabeth! I have a great and daring project in hand, which, if it succeeds—and that it will succeed I nothing doubt-will set me in the position you would have me occupy. It is not needful that I should be more explicit. You will understand the sort of enterprise on which I am engaged."

"You have said enough to satisfy me it is full of peril."

"All such enterprises must be hazardous. But I have no fear. And I have now a double incitement to go on. My preparations will be speedily completed. When they are, you will hear of events that will surprise you."

"In this enterprise, you have no design against the king, my brother?"

"None," rejoined Seymour. "My sole aim is against the Lord Protector. I want his post. And since he will not yield it peaceably, I mean to take it. "Twill be a death-struggle between us." "And you mean to strike this blow speedily?"

"As speedily as may be. In a few weeks-perhaps in a few days. We must not meet again till the struggle is over. I would not have you compromised. Should I fall, will you sometimes bestow a thought upon me, Elizabeth?"

She made no reply, but fell upon his bosom. Straining her in his arms, he bade her a passionate farewell; then tore himself from her embrace, rushed out of the room, mounted his steed, and returned with his esquire to London.

HOW THE ADMIRAL SOUGHT TO GAIN POSSESSION OF THE TOWER.

WE must pass on to the early part of January, 1549. Ever since his interview with the Princess Elizabeth, which had lighted an inextinguishable fire in his breast, the Admiral had been actively engaged in preparing his plans, and had now, as he conceived, well-nigh brought them to maturity. The daring nature of his project will be understood from a conversation which occurred about this time between him and his confidant, Ugo, who had just returned from Bristol, where he had been to procure a large sum of money from Sir William Sharington.

"How much hast thou brought me, Ugo?" demanded the Admiral; "the whole ten thousand pounds, I hope?"

Only a thousand pounds, I am sorry to say, my lord," replied the esquire. "But Sir William promises the remainder in a few

days."

"Curses on him for the delay!" cried the Admiral, with a look of disappointment. "I want all the money I can get together. I am drained at every pore, and unless I continue to pay them, my adherents will drop off. My coffers are well-nigh exhausted, and how to replenish them I cannot tell. That wreck on the Cornish coast only produced a few hundred pounds, and the Spanish galleon, which Hornbeak and Blades ought to have secured, has slipped out of their hands. I lack treasure, Ugo, and must have it." Your highness must be content to wait till Sharington is able to supply you, or till some prizes fall into your hands. We have been rather unlucky of late; but doubtless fortune will change."

"I cannot afford to wait. Ten thousand men are ready to rise when I give them the signal-but I want wherewithal to pay and maintain them."

"You have enough for present purposes, methinks, my lord," rejoined Ugo; "and your men will pay and maintain themselves, if you will let them."

"I would not have them plunder," said the Admiral. "Yet I see not how it can be avoided. I have an important post for thee, Ugo, and I know thou wilt discharge it well."

"What is it, my lord?"

"No less than the command of Holt Castle. Thou must hold it in my name when the rising takes place. The fortress has five hundred men, and is well provided with stores and ammunition."

"I am aware of that, my lord, and feel the importance of the trust you confide in me.'

"I have partisans in Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, who will rouse the disaffected in those counties," pursued the Admiral. "My adherents are also numerous and strong in Norfolk and Suffolk; and in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, as thou knowest, there are hundreds who will flock round my standard when it is raised. The insurrection will be general and simultaneous."

"But how is the signal for it to be given, my lord?" inquired Ugo.

"Thou shalt hear. My first object is to secure the person of my royal nephew-as from him all decrees must emanate-and having the king with me, I can defy opposition. At one time I thought of carrying him off to Holt, but there are many, and almost insuperable, difficulties in that design, which compelled me to abandon it, and I have since conceived a bolder plan. I mean to obtain possession of the Tower, Ugo, and to keep the king within it till all shall be accomplished."

"A bold plan, indeed!" exclaimed Ugo. "But how does your highness hope to obtain possession of the Tower?"

"Through the instrumentality of Sir John Gage," replied the Admiral.

"What, has Sir John Gage joined your highness?" cried Ugo. "He will do," replied the Admiral, smiling significantly. "We will suppose the Tower gained-no matter how, or by whom," he said, "and the king secured within it. My first business will be to issue a proclamation to the effect that, it having been discovered that the document purporting to be the will of his late majesty is false and fraudulent, the council appointed by that instrument is dissolved, and the Lord Protector deposed from his office. Furthermore, that the Lord Protector being charged with high treason and other heinous crimes and misdemeanours, shall, with his abettors, be brought to speedy trial. This proclamation will be the signal for the rising."

"Should it be made, it will doubtless produce the effect anticipated by your highness-but how will you prove the charge you intend to make against the Lord Protector?-how will you show that the king's will was fraudulently prepared?"

"By producing the confession of Doctor Butts, who aided in the scheme," said Seymour. "Thou mayst remember that I entrusted a packet to thee somewhile ago, Ugo, charging thee to deliver it to the queen in case of need. That packet contained the

confession."

"Indeed!" he exclaimed. "Would I had known it!" he added, to himself.

"Butts's confession did me some service then," continued the Admiral, with a laugh. "But it shall do me more ere long. What will the people say, think you, when they learn that the Lord Protector has risen to greatness by means like this? Will they support him? No! his cause will instantly be abandoned; his followers will shrink from him, and deliver him up to justice." "It may be so," rejoined Ugo, thoughtfully.

"May be!-I tell thee it will!" cried the Admiral. "Let Somerset look well to his seat, if he would keep it, for many hands will ere long be eager to pluck him from it."

"Your plan promises well, I must needs own, my lord," said Ugo. "But you have not-as far as I understand-yet gained over the Constable of the Tower."

"But I shall do so," rejoined the Admiral. "I will forthwith set about the task. Sir John is now at the Tower. I will go thither at once, and thou shalt accompany me."

"I pray your highness to excuse me. I have some slight matters of mine own to see to."

"Well, as thou wilt. But get thy business done, as on my return I may need thee."

Ugo bowed, and assisted his lord to put on his cloak, after which the Admiral, attended by a dozen stalwart retainers armed to the teeth, without whom he now never stirred abroad, proceeded to Whitehall stairs, where his barge was waiting for him, and entering it, ordered the men to row to the Tower.

On arriving at the fortress, he found that Sir John was at the Lieutenant's lodgings. Proceeding thither, and stating that he desired to speak with the Constable in private, he was shown into a large chamber, wainscoted with black oak, where state delinquents were usually examined, and where Sir John shortly afterwards joined him.

After a little preliminary discourse, the Admiral opened his busi

ness.

"It is a matter of the utmost importance on which I have come to you, Sir John," he said, "and concerns the welfare of the king and the security of the realm. You may remember that you and I were excluded from the late king's presence when the will was signed, or rather stamped?'

"I remember the circumstance well enough," rejoined the Constable. "What of it?"

"At that time Henry was insensible," pursued Seymour, "and the document was stamped without his orders-nay, contrary to his previously expressed wishes."

"How know you this, my lord?"

"From one who had a share in the transaction, but who has since gone to his account-Doctor Butts. He wrote down his confession, and delivered it to me. That the truth of the statement could not be denied by Somerset will be apparent when I tell you that it enabled me to make terms with him when he threatened to send me here as a prisoner. If Henry's will falls to the ground, all that has been based upon it falls likewise. All the arrangements made by the Protector burst like a bubble. His acts are illegal, and the council is at an end. In fact, there are no council and no Protector."

"Then let the matter be," cried the Constable. "Things have gone too far to be set right now."

"You are mistaken, good Sir John. It is my intention to set them right, and I want your assistance in the task."

"Let me hear what you propose to do," said the Constable.

"I mean to strike a blow which shall annihilate Somerset's usurped authority. But while this is done, regard must be had to the king's safety. We must have him in the Tower, Sir John, under your charge."

"And when you have got him here, what step will next be

taken?"

"A proclamation will be issued in his majesty's name, disclosing Somerset's false practices in regard to the will, and charging him