154 



Wulfhall and the Seymours. 



Another discovery of considerable interest as connected with the 

 touching* misfortunes of this eminent historical couple,, I made by 

 the very merest accident. 



I was one day very busy working by myself in arranging papers 

 in the Old Library, at the top of Longleat House, and I happened 

 to be trying to fasten together two sheets of a pedigree which had 

 parted company. All tables being covered with piles of papers, I 

 laid it on the floor. Old vellum that has been rolled up close for 

 perhaps 200 years, is, I must assure you, a very obstinate and re- 

 bellious article to deal with. So, having gummed together the edges 

 of the two sheets, kneeling with one knee on one corner, the other 

 knee on a second corner, and one hand on a third, I wanted a weight 

 to keep down the fourth. I was within a yard or so of the book- 

 shelves, but I was afraid to get up from my position, because, if I 

 had, my pedigree would most certainly have sprung up after me. 

 So, looking out for some shabby old volume that would take no great 

 harm by a tumble on to the floor, I spied one without any binding, I 

 gave a desperate jerk, could just hook it with the tip of my forefinger, 

 and down it came. As it came down, a loose leaf flew out to a distance. 

 I did not look to see what the book was till it had done its duty. 

 I then examined it, and found it was a small French Bible, having 

 the motto of the Seymour family, " Foy pour devoir/'' written at the 

 top of the title page, and the name " E. Hertford/'' written at the 

 bottom. On picking up the loose leaf, 1 found that the little book 

 was actually the very Bible used by the Earl of Hertford and Lady 

 Katharine Grey in the Tower of London ; and on the loose leaf were 

 written by the Earl the entries of the births of the two sons, Edward 

 Lord Beauchamp and Thomas Seymour ; followed by a truly pathetic 

 prayer, in French, for God's blessing on them, and that Queen 

 Elizabeth's heart might be moved to have pity on the poor parents. 

 Appendix, No. xiii.) 



The Queen resented most deeply the slight put upon herself by this 

 secret marriage, and she did all she could to pronounce it, and the 

 issue, illegitimate. The person she was most offended with was 

 Lady Katharine, on account of her being so near in that line of 

 succession, which the Queen detested ; though Lady Katharine 



