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For a time there happy lovers often met, and enjoyed their love in private ; but somo cont ladies to whom the king had been wont to shew the same kindness, finding themselves now neglect- ed, for this peerless beauty, being filled with re- venge and indignation, did, by their secret whis- pers, soon spread about the kiug's familiarity with Rosamond. Queen Eleanor being outrageous when she per- ceived that no kind words, nor intreaties mixed with threats, could wean the king's affections fron his mistress, though he laboured all other ways he   eould to please and pacify her, set her engines at    work to fright her from his arms, and for the safety of her life, to immure herself in a nunnery. Fair Rosamond having found some of those let- ters that threatened her life, which were dropped on purpose for her to read, showed them to the king, who made sueh strict enquiry concerning it, that some of those who had done it were discovered by the similarity of hands, and severely punishod : and many of the ladies who spoke detractingly and gave affront, were banished the court; insomueh, that perceiving the king was in earnest, and reso- lutely bent to defend his fair one, they gave over any further projeet of this nature. To prevent violence, he appointed a guard to   wait on her at homo and abroad: and to remove her further from the queen's sight, that her envy and continual clamours, if possible might cease, he   caused a stately palaee, called the delightful bower of Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, to be built at great cost, with all the cunning turnings and windings imaginable, far exceeding the Delian Labyrinth, which he appointed for her country retirement. The bower had many entries and passages un- derground, into which the light came through narrow stone crevices, shaded with bushes, not