sooner, both she herself, her brother, and her relations had made themselves odious by their insolence; her overbearing manners had caused a decline in the King's affection for her; and on one side it was reported that he was likely to return to Catherine,[1] on the other that he had transferred his attention to some other lady, and that the Court encouraged his inconstancy to separate him from Anne's influence.[2] D'Inteville confirms the account of a new love affair, particularising nothing, but saying merely that Anne was falling out of favour; and that the person alluded to as taking her place was Jane Seymour, appears from a letter written after Anne's execution, by the Regent Mary to the Emperor of Austria, and from the letter written (supposing it genuine) by Anne herself to the King before her trial.[3]
On the other hand, it is equally clear that whether provoked or not by infidelity on the part of Henry, her own conduct had been singularly questionable. We know verjr little, but waiving for the present the exposures at her trial, we know, by her own confession, that
- ↑ Il Re de Inghilterra haveva fatto venire in la Corte sua il majordomo de la Regina et mostrava esserse mitigato alquanto. La causa della mitigation precede del buon negotiar ha fatto et fa la Catolica Mata con lo Ambaxiatore del Re de Inghilterra con persuadirle con buoni paroli et pregeri che debbia restituir la Regina in la antigua dignita.Dicano anchore che la Anna e mal voluta degli Si di Inghilterra si per la sua superbia, si anche per l' insolentia et mali portementi che fanno nel regno li fratelli e parenti di Anna e che per questo il Re non la porta la affezione que soleva.—'Nuevas de Inglaterra': MS. Archives of Simancas.
- ↑ Il Re festeggia una altra donna della quale se mostra esser inamorato; e molti S di Inghilterra lo ajutano nel seguir el preditto amore per desviar questo Re de la pratica di Anna.—Ibid.
- ↑ Burnet's Collectanea, p. 87.
