QUEEN CATHARINE PARR. 1509 CATHARINE PARR was born in the year 1509, and by the care of her father, Sir Thomas Parr, received the advantages of an excellent education. She was distinguished by proficiency in all the branches of learning, which the fashion of those times accorded to her sex. With every attainment she mingled a serious piety, and a desire to be faithful in every duty to God and to man. Her birth was in the year of the accession of Henry VIII. to the throne, and little could those imagine who watched her cradle slumbers, or rejoiced in the beauty and accomplishments of her blooming youth, that she would indeed be "One of the six who dar'd to spread their couch At a very early age she married John Neville, Lord Latimer, and after some years of widowhood, the capricious monarch, captivated by her graces of person and mind, persuaded her to become his consort, in the summer of 1543. The vanities of a court, had for her no attractions, but she trusted that her elevated position would enable her to do good on an extensive scale. She zealously sought opportunities to relieve suffering, sustain the oppressed, and soften the asperities of the irritable king. Her attachment to the doctrines of the Reformation, and earnestness to promote their establishment, repeatedly endangered her safety. Articles of impeachment were drawn up against her by Gardiner, and her hollow-hearted husband induced to sign a warrant for her commitment to the Tower. Intelligence of this, being secretly conveyed to her, she was so affected by this treachery, and the perilous condition of female royalty, as to be made seriously ill. Henry visited her, and seemed moved by sympathy; but especially her kind attentions to him, during a fit of sickness that soon after ensued, re-animated his dormant affection. In his convalescence, when he directed conversation to theological points, she expressed herself with so much prudence, caution, and delicacy, as to soothe his suspicious, irritable temper, and draw from him the strongest assurances of confidence, and love. But the machinations of her religious opponents did not slumber. The time specified for her apprehension had arrived. The warrant still bore the signature of the king, and was, therefore, in full force. She was walking in the garden, with a few ladies who enjoyed her intimacy. They also had been designated, unknown to themselves, to share her prison. The king, having recovered, joined them in their walk. The conversation became sprightly and entertaining, and he, ever an admirer of female talent and attraction, surrendered himself to these influences. Suddenly a guard of forty armed men headed by the Lord High Chancellor, appeared at the gates. Henry confronted him with great sternness, and bade him depart. Seeing him still convulsed with anger, Catharine said in a gentle, yet earnest tone, "If his fault be not too heinous, I pray your Majesty to pardon him for my sake." Abashed at her goodness, and embarrassed by the peculiarity of his situation, the king stood in silence. Still she repeated her sweet plea, "for my sake, for my sake.” "Kate! My Queen! You know not what you say. Yonder man, hath in view, your imprisonment, nay, perhaps your death." But with the spirit of Him in whose footsteps she had long striven to walk, she continued to solicit the forgiveness of her enemy. The king was so struck by this lesson of benevolence and piety, that his mind naturally inconstant and wavering, never lost the impression, or would admit any further accusation against her, on the ground of religious belief. A consciousness. of her perilous situation, added fervor to her prayers, and firmness to her reliance upon Divine protection. She earnestly studied the Scriptures, had a sermon preached every day in her chamber, and conversed much with her chaplain on the doctrines of the Reformation. Having procured an able translation into English, of the Paraphrase of the New Testament by Erasmus, she defrayed the whole expense, of the work from her own purse, that it might be for the instruction of the common people. Notwithstanding the many interruptions and avocations inseparable from her rank as queen, she produced many writings of a religious nature, some of which were published before her death, and others afterwards. They prove how much time and thought she devoted to the culture of piety in her own soul, and how earnestly she labored for its dissemination among her people. She ever exerted herself to promote the progress of useful knowledge. So much was she respected as a patroness of learning, and such was her supposed influence over the king, that at the passing of an Act which declared all the colleges in the realm subject to his disposal, the Heads and Dignitaries of the University of Cambridge, alarmed at the statute, addressed a letter to her, entreating her intercession, that their privileges might not be abridged. |