The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-09

to render himself arniabIe IN hee sght, and whom
she regarded with proud s1ection; conadering him
a. the very generalization Of the 6eow jdes which
the poets and romAncers Of her native land had
at times she was inclined TO sigh that Heaven had
not blessed her with such o son, she Was consoIed
by the probability Of his becoming the husband Of
her beloved daughter.
child. Of seven years old. and Catherine felt the
policy Of obtruding her as little as possible on the
attention Of gay handsome prince, who had scarce
ly completed his twenty-second year; to whom the
would be productive Of feelings rather inimical to
the come, tion; that her wise mother determined
on leaving her in care OF her nurse and governesa
The pilgrimage 10 our Lady Of Walsingham
was finally resolved on by Henry, in compliance
with the united requests Of his favorite sister Mary
the beautiful Dowager Of France and Duchess Of
Suffolk whom Queen Catherine had won over to her
interest and Of the fascinating Anne Boleyn herself
q native of Norfolk. Anne BOleyn, though secret
ly inclined to Lutheran principles, was, at that
time. quite enough Of papist to regard the shrine
of WalsnRham with reverence, which, In THESE
days, would be justly styled idolarous, and which,
feeling been cherished by another for any saints
shrine in Christendom but that which was the pride
and boast Of her native county-that county which
the sweet remembrance of her childhood told her
the fairest in the world, far preferable to the
vine-clad Wales and rosy bowers OF France, where
she had spent her early youth in the service rst Of
Mary Tudor, the Queen of Lewis Kill, and after
wards in that Of Queen Claude, the wife Of Francis
L. at whose death she returned to England, aud had
been recently recommended BY her first patroness.
Mary Tudor, now Dowager Il France and Dutchess
Of Suffolk, to the post OF maid OF honor to Queen
Catherine. Her beauty and vivacious wit hau, two
years prevous to this period attracted the transient
attention OF King Henry, at the Field of the Cloth
Of Cold and since her Introduction into the Queens
service, the impression made at that time had been
gradually strengthening, and though 1t had not as
yet ASSUMED the character Of that vehement passion
which swept down before it every restraint of law,
Justice, religion and decency which impeded its
qualification, the growing Partially of the King for
Mistress Bneyn had been noticed by persons OF the
court and her interest ha0 b. en- solicited by maay
a noble suitor, and in some instances obtained, to
the perversion of right and equity
Even the high-minded and dignifed Catherine
had condescended indirectly, to avail herself of the
influence Of her fair rival, in the present instance.
by adroity engaging her to discourse of her native
county before the King, who was charmed with the
freshness of feeling with which she described her
remembrance of pedestrian pilgrimage that she
once made, with her grandmother and nurse, in the
merry month of June, from Blcking Hall, the place
ham: and she concluded by vehementiy expressing
her desire to visit it again. Henry at last swore,
by the light Of that very lady's brow, that he
would set out the next day on pilgrimage to her
blessed shrine of Walsingham himself, were 1t not
that be was bound, in princely courtesy well as
hospitality, to tarry at Windsor London so long
II was the pleasure of the Emperor to honor him
by remaining his guest" Charles, with the ready
tact that was natural to him, instantly seized the
opportunity Of obtaining his own desire, by ap-
pearaDce Of graceful anxiety to crafty Henry 8
sudden wish, Of paying his devotions to our Lady
of Walsingham and assured him /" that he consider
ed his pous declaration little less than holy inspra-
tion from the Blessed Virgin herself" He'then re-
lated his dream and protested his intention Of &C.
companying the King and Queen on the pilgrimage,
which olsey, who was in presence, taking his cue
from Henrys apparent inclination for the scheme,
pronounced to be their bounden duty to undertake
as early as possible and that without pomp or
parade, but meekly, humbly and devoutly as such
a journey could be performed.