needle, or played on the lute the regals or the virginals. In December, 1536, she was admitted to the so anxinusly-desired presence of her royal father at Richmond. No pen has detailed the meeting, but to the long-estranged Princess it must have been an hour of delight, as she immediately regained a large share of the King's former affections. In the diary of her privy pnrsc expenses, which commence from this period, are entries of " presents from the King to the Princess Mary, as tokens of his regard for her." One of these was a bordering for a dress, of rich goldsmith's work, and another was a gold pin with a ruby in it. About the twentieth of December tbe court removed to Greenwich, where Mary received a new year's gift of fifty pounds from the Queen, one of great value from Cromwell, and others of less account from Lord Morley—one of her most attached literary friends—Lord and Lady Ecauchamp, and the ladies Rochford and Salisbury. " The Privy Purso Expenses of the Princess Mary," a work most ably edited by Sir Frederick Madden, throws great light upon her private character, which our historians have branded as infamous, but whose statements these truthful records, written by Mary and those about her, with only the same view that tradesmen in the present century make entries in their account books, fully disprove. These entries speak of her own delicate health, of affection for her sister Elizabeth, of alms to the poor and other acts of charity and kindness; but of cruelty or malice, or evil traits of character, they, with one exception, bear no record. This exception is a love of betting and gambling, which she doubtless imbibed from her father and his courtiers, who it is well known delighted in and ardently encouraged those vices. CHAP Τ EE III. Mary*s fondness for standing godmother—Attends the birth of I'rince Edward— Stands godmother to him—Is chief mourner at Jane Seymours funeral—Her trials in 1538-9—Through Cromwell, she receives a present from the King—• Vain efforts to marry her—Presents to Edward and Elizabeth—Eutile negotiation for her marriage to the Duke of Orleans—She is restored to her place in the succession—Stands bridesmaid to Katherine Parr—Attends the King and Queen in their progress—Assists at the reception of the Puke Be Najera—Translatesthe Paraphrases of St. John—Death of Henry the Eighth—Mary retires to the country—Suffers from ill health—Writes to Elizabeth—Objects to the establishment of the Protestant Church of England—Visits St James's—Denies that she or her household assists the Devonshire rebels, AKLY in January, 1.537, Mary made a short visit to her former residence of Bcaulicu. She returned in February to the palace at Westminster, and shortly afterwards stood godmother to the daughter of a poor citizen of London, named Marvel ; and what is remarkable, such was her fondness for filling this holy office, that during this same vcar she Rt.nnd ΚΤΙΟΤΙΗΟΓ to sixteen ehil dren of every grade, from her half-brother Prince Edward down to the offsprings of humble peasants, many of whom were orphans dependent on her bounty. Mary was present at the accouchement of Queen Jane; she took the Princess Elizabeth with her, and stood sponsor to Prince Edward;* to whom she presented a gold eup, gave the large sum of thirty pounds to the Queen's midwife and nurse, and forty shillings in alms the day the Prince was born. At the * See page 403.