Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/683

Rh ''Queen Katherine Parr's Lamentation of a Sinner, bewailing the Ignorance of her blind Life. London, 1548 and'' 1563. This discourse was found among her papers after her death; and was published by secretary Cecil, who prefixed to it a preface of his writing.

She also composed many psalms, prayers, and pious discourses. These books being exceedingly scarce, the reader will find an account given of them by Mr. Strype. When the act was made, that all colleges, chantries, and free chapels should be at the king's disposal, the university of Cambridge was under terrible apprehensions, and well knowing the queen's great affection to learning, addressed letters to her, entreating her to intercede with the king for their colleges; which she effectually performed; and wrote to them in answer, 'that she exhorts them not to thirst after profane learning, and forget Christianity.'

This shews the great influence she had over the king, and the good use she made of it; his ill health joined such fierceness of manners to his former intractable dispositions, as rendered it a task extremely difficult, even for his prime favourites to make themselves agreeable to him, and retain his esteem: yet such were the amiable qualities of the queen, that she not only preserved his affection under all his pains and sickness, but greatly contributed to the alleviation of them, which fixed her so entirely in his good graces, that, after the bishop of Winchester had failed in his scheme, none of her enemies durst make any attempts against her. The following clause, in his last will, is dated December 30, 1636, but one month before his decease.—"And for the great love, obedience, chastness of fife and wisdom, he bequeathed unto her for her proper use, and as it shall please her