Page:Life and transactions of Mrs. Jane Shore, concubine to K. Edward 4th.pdf/12

12 Mrs. Blague often left them alone, and the King courted her with all his rhetoric, yet she appeared averse to his love, and often blamed him sharply for persuading her to defile her husband's bed; and then she would chide Mrs. Blague for suffering such a rude man to come to her house, telling her the design he had on her chastity; she seemed very surprised at it, but entreated her to be at ease, for she would not suffer him to come there again any more.

This pacified her, but the plot was still deeper laid for her ruin, and at Christmas time she got leave of Mr. Shore for his wife to accompany her to the Court, to see the ball there, to which he consented with some unwillingness: And soon after she was introduced, a man of very comely port entered, with a mask on; and Mrs. Shore heard the ladies whisper, That's the King; who looking round through his mask, fixed his eyes upon her, and immediately stepping to her seat, took her out