was a perfect oval, with some traces of his stern father about it, but his lineaments generally resembled those of his beautiful mother. His expression was gentle, but thoughtful-more thoughtful than befitted a child. His eyes were of a dark brown, and soft; his hair was light in hue, with a tinge of gold in it, worn short, and cut close round the forehead. He was attired like the son of a splendid monarch, and the heir to a powerful throne. His little cassock was of murrey-coloured velvet, embroidered all over with damask, gold and pearls, and having buttons and loops of gold; his doublet and hose were of dark-red satin, woven with threads of gold, and his velvet buskins were decorated with gold aglets. He was armed with a short rapier and a poniard in a richly ornamented sheath, and a velvet pouch was suspended from his girdle. His flat velvet cap, which was removed on entering his royal father's presence, was adorned with rubies and emeralds, and had a brooch set with fair table diamonds on the right side, over which drooped a blood-red feather.

Again Cranmer advanced, and addressed the prince in terms nearly similar to those he had employed towards his sisters, but there was, perhaps, more of deference in his manner. Edward gazed at him with his clear eyes, steadily at first, but, as the archbishop proceeded, the young prince's composure quite forsook him. Natural feelings asserted their sway over his childish breast, and disregarding etiquette, he rushed towards the king, and, flinging his little arms round his neck, sobbed out, "My father!—my dear father!"

So unexpected, though so natural, was this occurrence, that, cold and callous as were most of the assemblage, few of them refused it the tribute of sympathy. Some were even moved to tears. Fearing the effect of any sudden shock upon the king, Doctor Butts stepped towards him. But, though Henry was sensibly touched by this display of his son's affection, his nerves were strong enough to bear it. Kissing the boy on the brow, he gently disengaged himself from his embrace, addressing a few soothing words to him in a very kindly tone, while Edward still continued to weep.

Thinking the king might be troubled if the scene endured too long, the Earl of Hertford moved towards his nephew, but Henry checked him, by calling out, "Let him be!-let him be!"

But the action called Edward to himself. Controlling his grief, he knelt on the cushion before the king, and regarding him with eyes that were still filled with tears, he said, "Forgive me, sire! It is thus I ought to ask your blessing."

"Thou hast it, my dear child," replied the king, solemnly, yet tenderly. "Heaven bless thee, boy-my kingdom's hope and my own. May those I have appointed to watch over thee fulfil their

trust."

"Doubt it not, my liege," said Hertford, as the king paused for

a moment.

"Mark me, Edward!" pursued Henry, summoning up all his firmness. "Eight years must elapse ere thou canst exercise the full authority of the crown. I have so willed it. Thou wilt be king soon enough. Meantime, prepare thyself for the high and important duties thou wilt have to discharge. I doubt not thou wilt have the notable virtues and princely qualities which should distinguish a Sovereign. I know thee to be godly-minded, and I thank Heaven it is so; praying that thy heart may be illumined to all holy truths. I have provided thee with religious counsellors, to whom my desires are known, and in the soundness of whose judgment and principles I can rely. Can I not confide the prince's religious culture to you, my lord of Canterbury?" (to Cranmer); “and to you, my lord of Durham?" (to Tunstall)..

"And to me likewise, I would fain hope, my gracious liege?" observed Gardiner.

"No, not to thee, my lord of Winchester," rejoined Henry. "Thou art a tool of the Pope. Listen to me, Edward. Thou wilt be placed under the guidance of the virtuous Cranmer. Give heed to his precepts. But on points of faith, when thou comest to understand them, be biased by no perverse doctrines. There is, unhappily, much discord and variance in the Church. The clergy preach one against another, teach one contrary to the other, inveigh one against another, without charity or discretion, and few or none of them preach truly and sincerely the word of God according as they ought to do. Unto thee it will be committed to correct these offences, and extinguish these dissensions. Thou wilt enjoy the same supreme spiritual authority as myself. Thou wilt be Heaven's vicar and high minister. Be not an unprofitable servant. Tread in thy father's footsteps-so shalt thou not stray from the path."

"I will do all that in me lies to act as you enjoin me, sire," replied Edward, meekly. "And I trust that with the aid of his good grace of Canterbury I may succeed. I thank you heartily for placing me in his grace's hands."

"The boy hath been schooled in this," remarked Wriothesley, in a low contemptuous tone, to Gardiner.

"No doubt on't; and he knows his lesson well," rejoined the bishop. "But we will teach him better ere long."

"Thus much for thy religious culture, my son," pursued Henry. "Though I would have thee pious and learned, I would not have thee hurt thy health by over study. To be firm of mind thou must be firm of body: to uphold the kingly dignity, as thy father hath upheld it, thou must be robust and full of vigour. I would have thee skilled in all manly exercises and accomplishments. Strengthen thy arm betimes, so that it can bear a lance, and thy limbs so that they can sustain harness of war, and brook fatigue." "Nay, father," cried Edward, brightening up and springing to his

feet, "I shall soon be strong enough to bear a lance and ride in the tilt-yard; my uncle Sir Thomas Seymour tells me so. I often fence with him, and he tells me I am an apt scholar. I would your majesty could see us at practice."

"No man is better able to teach thee all thou shouldst learn of martial exercises than thine uncle Seymour," replied the king, patting his son's head approvingly. "Sir Thomas," he added to Seymour, who stepped forward promptly at the summons, "I confide this part of my son's education to thee. While others make him a scholar and a theologian, be it thine to teach him princely manners and accomplishments."

"He shall lack nothing that I am able to teach, rely on it," replied Seymour, bowing profoundly.

"Give thy uncle thine hand, Edward," said the king.

"Ay will I, and that right willingly," replied the prince, grasping the hand which Seymour proffered him. "I love my uncle Sir Thomas best of any-your majesty excepted."

"Ha! is it so?" mentally ejaculated Hertford. "Have I no place in thy regard, my gentle nephew?" he added aloud to the prince.

"Certes, my dear lord; I were an ingrate else," replied Edward. "But my uncle Sir Thomas is oftener with me than you are." "I thought as much," muttered Hertford.

stopped."

"This must be

"Thou hast my son's hand within thine own, Sir Thomas?" demanded Henry.

"Ay, my liege," replied Seymour.

"Be it a pledge that thou wilt be ever true to him," pursued the king.

"I hereby vow fidelity to him," said Seymour, bending the knee, and kissing his nephew's hand.

"You are the best lance, the best swordsman, and the best horseman at our court, Sir Thomas," continued the king to Seymour. "See that my son equals you in all these exercises."

"He shall excel me in them all," replied the other.

"A word in your ear, Sir Thomas," said the king. "He is but a tender stripling," he added, in a lower tone. "Press him not beyond his strength. For your sister's sake, be a kind uncle to him."

"For her sake-for yours, my liege-I will be to him all you could desire," rejoined Seymour, earnestly.

As Sir Thomas retired, Henry said to his son, "Go to the queen, Edward, and conduct her to me."

Upon this, the prince immediately tripped towards Catherine, who caught him in her arms, and kissed him tenderly; after which she arose and accompanied him to the king.

On drawing near her royal husband, the queen would have knelt