Protector hath more reason to fear me than I have to fear him. And this you will find. I will have the King better ordered, and not kept so close that no man may come near him."

"Then you have made up your mind to an open quarrel with your brother?" said the Constable.

"I have, Sir John," replied the Admiral. "His majesty's letter shall be laid before both Houses, and methinks there are few of his loyal subjects but will eagerly respond to it."

"Who will deliver the letter ?" de. manded Lord Russell.

"I myself," replied the Admiral. "Some of you, I perceive, are inclined to hang back, as if alarmed at the notion of a quarrel with the Lord Protector. You overrate his power. He is not so strong as you imagine. You will see what the result of this step will be."

"Ay, ay; we shall see, and will be guided by what occurs," observed Lord Russell.

"A prudent resolution," cried Dorset contemptuously. "I will stick by the Lord Admiral, whatever may betide!" "And so will we," cried several voices. "I thank you heartily, my good friends," rejoined Seymour.

After some further discussion, the conference broke up. While the others were departing, Sir John Gage approached the Admiral, and said,

"Tis a friend's part to warn you. You are rushing on a great peril. Of a certainty the Lord Protector will clap you in the Tower!"

"Tut! Sir John; he dares not do it." "Ay, but if he should, you will find it no easy matter to get out."

"I tell you, Sir John, my brother will not dare to proceed to such extremities with me. You may rest perfectly easy on

that score."

"Well, I have done my best to settle the matter peaceably," observed the Con stable. "If ill comes of it, 'tis not my fault."

With this he took his departure. One person only was now left, the Marquis of Dorset. Seymour thanked him warmly for his support.

"If I stood not by your lordship at a critical juncture like the present, my friendship were worth little," said Dorset. "But I do not think that fortune that

has hitherto favored you, will desert you now."

"If I am successful, as I hope to be, you will be a gainer as well, Marquis. Meantime, is there any thing I can do for you? You know you can command me."

"Your lordship has already made me very extensively your debtor. But, in sooth, I am almost as much straitened for money as our young King appears to be. I am ashamed to allude to the cir cumstance. You will think I am always borrowing from you."

"I think only of the pleasure of serving you, Marquis. Will you have five hun dred more ?"

"You are a great deal too good. Half the amount will suffice."

"Pooh! why divide so paltry a sum? Ho there, Ugo," he shouted. "Count out five hundred pounds, and let it be forthwith conveyed to Dorset House. Adieu, Marquis." Lord Admiral. Success at

Adieu, my tend you!"

Shortly afterward, Ugo was again summoned by his Lord.

"I am going upon a dangerous enterprise to-morrow, Ugo," said the Admiral. "If any thing goes wrong, let this packet be delivered instantly to the Queen-but not otherwise. She will know how to act."

"It shall be done, my lord."

"Take great care of it," repeated the Admiral. "My safety may depend upon its production."

Ugo reiterated his assurances, and withdrew.

XVI.

HOW THE ADMIRAL'S LETTER WAS COPIED BY THE KING.

FROM what has just been narrated, it will be seen that the state of subjection in which the young King was kept, and the total want of deference paid to his inclinations and requests, had gradually aliented his affection from his elder uncle. Edward's great desire was now to emancipate himself from the Lord Protector's guardianship, and this object he hoped to accomplish by the Admiral's help. With this view, the letter to the Houses of Parliament, complaining of his grievances, was concocted. Fowler, to whom the draft of the intended address was intrusted, waited till the King retired to his cabinet,.

"Let me look at it, Fowler," replied Edward, opening the paper, and scanning its contents. "Tis well worded," he added, "and I do not think my request can be refused."

"I hope not, rejoined Fowler. "All will be well if the Admiral should be appointed your guardian. Ah! how different he is from your majesty's elder uncle! The one is all affability and condescension, generous, kindly, and noble; the other austere, severe, rapacious and parsimonious."

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Nay, Fowler, you must not malign the Lord Protector," said Edward.

"I do not malign him, my gracious liege," replied Fowler. "I speak nothing but the truth. But I can not bear to see your majesty thus treated. With the Lord Admiral you would not be kept in this sort of durance, only allowed to go forth at stated times, and in a stated manner, deprived of all pleasant companionship, and compelled to study, study, study, till

your brain must be quite addled." "Nay, not quite so bad as that, good Fowler," rejoined Edward; " but in sooth I begin to find the life I lead somewhat wearisome. There is a strange contrariety in the Lord Protector's disposition for which I can not account. He seems to delight in thwarting my inclinations. If I prefer a request, I am certain to have it refused. If I would do one thing, he will have me do another. If I would go here, he makes me go there. He refuses me money because he says I am too lavish with it. Every day some new restriction is placed upon me, till, if this system be continued much longer, I shall have no power whatever left."

"That is quite certain," remarked Fowler."

"At what hour shall I see the Admiral to morrow night, Fowler ?"

"At nine o'clock, your majesty. He is to be introduced by the back staircase as soon as your chaplain and tutors have left you. It may be well to copy the letter beforehand."

"I will transcribe it at once," rejoined the King. 66 'Stay with me while I do it." With this Edward sat down to a desk on which writing materials were placed, and was engaged in the task, when Xit

"If he sees this letter I am undone !" exclaimed Edward, in alarm. "Where shall I hide it ?"

"Give it to me, sire," cried Fowler, snatching the papers, and thrusting them into his doublet. Scarcely was this accomplished, when the Duke of Somerset abruptly entered the closet. Without troubling himself to make more than a slight obeisance, he looked sternly and inquiringly at his royal nephew.

"Your majesty appears confused,” he said.

"I may well be so, when your highness enters thus unceremoniously," rejoined Edward.

"I would rather not suffer the henchmen to announce me," said Somerset, "because in a hasty visit like the present form may be dispensed with. I have only a few words to say to your majesty."

"Be pleased to say them, then," rejoined Edward.

"What I have to say relates to the Lord Admiral. I am told he is much of fended because I will not allow him to approach your majesty."

"Your highness can scarcely be surprised at that. I hope you are come to tell me that you have removed the interdiction."

"On the contrary, I regret that it will be necessary to adopt measures yet stricter. No more letters must be written by your majesty to your uncle, nor any from him be delivered. D'ye mark me?" he added to Fowler.

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'Perfectly, your highness," replied the gentleman of the privy-chamber, bowing.

"See, then, that my injunctions are strictly obeyed," cried Somerset sternly.

"Why this additional severity ?" inquired Edward. "What has my uncle done-what have I done, to deserve it ?"

And he quitted the chamber. "By my father's head, I will not be treated thus!" exclaimed Edward, stamping on the ground with rage. "He deems me a child, but he shall find I have the spirit of a man. I will submit to this usage no longer."

"I am glad to hear your majesty say so," cried Fowler. "Maintain that bearing with him, and he must give way."

To tell me to my face that I must not write to my uncle," cried Edward, pacing quickly to and fro. "But I will write-I will see him. Moreover, I will see my cousin Jane," pursued the King, continuing to pace about. "I am more than halfinclined to go to Chelsea to-day."

"Do nothing hastily, I implore you, sire, or you may regret it," cried Fowler. "You have much to anger you, I grant; but by acting in direct opposition to the Lord Protector's commands, you will seem to justify his conduct. Wait till you have seen the Lord Admiral to-morrow night, and be guided by his counsel."

"Thou art right, Fowler," said Edward, checking himself. "I must act with prudence, or I shall damage my own cause, and give the Lord Protector the advantage. I will do nothing till I have seen the Admiral. Meanwhile, I will prepare for him. Give me the papers, that I may complete the transcript of the letter."

With this, he again sat down to his task, and finished it without further interrup

Ar the appointed hour on the following night, the Admiral was secretly introduced into the King's closet. On beholding him Edward sprang toward him, and embraced him most affectionately.

"How long it seems since we met, dear uncle!" he exclaimed. "How doth the Queen your consort, and your ward and my sweet cousin, the lady Jane?"

"I will answer the last question first, sire," replied the Admiral. "Jane is somewhat delicate, and I half suspect she is pining because she is not allowed to see your majesty."

"I am equally unhappy," rejoined Edward. "But the separation, I trust, will

"It is time they were so, sire," cried Seymour; "for, in good truth, you are not treated like a king. Is it right or fitting that I, your uncle, should be denied admittance to you, and should be compelled to approach you thus steathily ?"

Indeed, it is not, dear uncle,” replied the King; " and I could almost weep to think of it."

"Sire," cried the Admiral, "I need not say how deeply devoted I am to you, that I love you as a nephew, that I honor you as a sovereign, and that I am prepared at any time to lay down my life for you. If the course of action that I may advise you to pursue should alarm you, be assured it is dictated by the strongest feelings of regard for your welfare. You are not treated as becomes the son of your august father. With what motives I will not now pause to inquire, it is obvious that the Lord Protector is determined to deprive you of all power. He excludes from you all those who love you and would give you good counsel, and places those around you who are mere instruments of his own. You must throw off this yoke. You must learn to rule and govern as other kings do."

"I am well enough inclined to do so, dear uncle, and methinks I could discharge some of my kingly functions fittingly, if I were allowed."

"It shall be mine to accomplish this for you, sire," rejoined the Admiral. "You have shown too much submission to your uncle, and piece by piece he has stripped. you of all your regal attributes till he has left you the mere name of King. I say not this to rouse your anger, but it is the truth, and you ought to know it. While my brother fills his own coffers from the royal revenues, he will not give you wherewithal to reward your men. And why does he keep you thus bare? Not from parsimony, for he can be profuse enough when it suits him, but because by depriving you of money, he deprives you of power. Shame on him, I say! However, there is one comfort. He is old, and can not last long."

"Would he were dead!" exclaimed Edward. "No, that was a wicked wish," he added, checking himself, " and I am sorry I gave utterance to it."

"I am not surprised you wish him