118 THE FORESTS OF ETfGLAND. 



tlie hand ; and when Edward paused to listen to her suit, 

 she threw herself at his feet, and pleaded earnestly for the 

 restoration of part of the forfeited estates of her children. 



" The king was deeply struck by the lady's beauty, and 

 his captivation was completed by her grace, modesty, and 

 sweetness ; he hung enraptured over the lovely suppliant, 

 and became in turn a suitor. 



" The Queen's Oak, which was the scene of more than 

 one interview between the beautiful Elizabeth and the 

 enamoured Edward, stands in the direct tract of communi- 

 cation between Grafton Castle and Whittlebury Forest; 

 it now rears its hollow trunk, a venerable witness of one 

 of the most romantic facts in the pages of history. 



"Elizabeth was for a time subject to the licentious 

 addresses of the royal libertine ; but repulsing gently but 

 firmly, she riveted her conquest by her virtue. All his 

 arts to induce her to become his own on other terms than 

 as the sharer of his regal dignity were unsuccessful. On 

 one occasion the beautiful widow made this memorable 

 reply to his disgraceful overtures, — ' My liege, I know that 

 I am not good enough to be your queen, but I am far too 

 good to be your mistress.' She then left him to settle the 

 question in his own breast, for she knew that he had 

 betrayed others whose hearts had deceived them into 

 allowing him undue liberties. The resistance thus offered 

 to his suit increased the king's passion rather than 

 weakened it, and the struggle ended in his offering her 

 marriage. 



" In the quaint language of Fabian the marriage is thus 

 described : 



"In most secret manner, upon the 1st of May 1464, 

 King Edward spoused Elizabeth, late being wife of Sir 

 John Gray. Which sponsales were solemnized early in 

 the morning at the town called Grafton, near to Stoney 

 Stratford. At which marriage was not present but the 

 spouse (Edward), the spousesse (Elizabeth), the Duchess 

 of Bedford, her mother, the priest, and two gentlewomen, 

 and a young man to help the priest sing. After the 



