 it as the greatest favour that I would accompany my
father, who was also to go thither the week following. I could not refuse his
request, and as soon as we arrived in town he flew to me with the greatest
raptures to inform me his father was so good that, finding his happiness
depended on his answer, he had given him free leave to act in this affair as
would best please himself, and that he had now no obstacle to prevent his
wishes. It was then the beginning of the winter, and the time for our marriage
was fixed for the latter end of March: the consent of all parties made his
access to me very easy, and we conversed together both with innocence and
pleasure. As his fondness was so great that he contrived all the methods
possible to keep me continually in his sight, he told me one morning he was
commanded by his father to attend him to court that evening, and begged I would
be so good as to meet him there. I was now so used to act as he would have me
that I made no difficulty of complying with his desire. Two days after this, I
was very much surprized at perceiving such a melancholy in his countenance, and
alteration in his behaviour, as I could no way account for; but, by importunity,
at last I got from him that cardinal Wolsey, for what reason he knew not, had
peremptorily forbid him to think any more of me: and, when he urged that his
father was not displeased with it, the cardinal, in his imperious manner,
answered him, he should give his father such convincing reasons why it would be
attended with great inconveniences, that he was sure he could bring him to be of
his opinion. On which he turned from him, and gave him no opportunity of
replying. I could not imagine what design the cardinal could have in
intermeddling in this match, and I was still more perplexed to find that my
father treated my lord Percy with much more coldness than usual; he too saw it,
and we both wondered what could possibly be the cause of all this. But it was
not long before the mystery was all made clear by my father, who, sending for me
one day into his chamber, let me into a secret which was as little wished for as
expected. He began with the surprizing effects of youth and beauty, and the
madness of letting go those advantages they might procure us till it was too
late, when we might wish in vain to bring them back again. I stood amazed at
this beginning; he saw
