15
For a time there happy lovers often met, and
enjoyed their love in private ; but somo cont
ladies to whom the king had been wont to shew
the same kindness, finding themselves now neglect-
ed, for this peerless beauty, being filled with re-
venge and indignation, did, by their secret whis-
pers, soon spread about the kiug's familiarity with
Rosamond.
Queen Eleanor being outrageous when she per-
ceived that no kind words, nor intreaties mixed
with threats, could wean the king's affections fron
his mistress, though he laboured all other ways he
eould to please and pacify her, set her engines at
work to fright her from his arms, and for the safety
of her life, to immure herself in a nunnery.
Fair Rosamond having found some of those let-
ters that threatened her life, which were dropped
on purpose for her to read, showed them to the
king, who made sueh strict enquiry concerning it,
that some of those who had done it were discovered
by the similarity of hands, and severely punishod :
and many of the ladies who spoke detractingly and
gave affront, were banished the court; insomueh,
that perceiving the king was in earnest, and reso-
lutely bent to defend his fair one, they gave over
any further projeet of this nature.
To prevent violence, he appointed a guard to
wait on her at homo and abroad: and to remove
her further from the queen's sight, that her envy
and continual clamours, if possible might cease, he
caused a stately palaee, called the delightful bower
of Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, to be built at great
cost, with all the cunning turnings and windings
imaginable, far exceeding the Delian Labyrinth,
which he appointed for her country retirement.
The bower had many entries and passages un-
derground, into which the light came through
narrow stone crevices, shaded with bushes, not
