Page:The Queens of England.djvu/383

 KATHARINE PARR. 343 house. This step was fortunately carried into effect without any disagreeable words, or aught approaching a misunder- standing on either side ; and a friendly intercourse was main- tained between Katharine and the princess, by letter, up to the death of the queen. In August, 1548, the queen gave birth to a daughter, and, seven days after, resigned her life, not without strong sus- picions having been excited that her husband had hastened that event, owing to his attachment to the Princess Elizabeth, to whose hand he presumed to lift his eyes. The suspicion of this iniquitous conduct on the part of Seymour was founded on some vague reproaches uttered by Katharine in the presence of her attendants, and probably when in the delirium of the violent fever which caused her death. Those around her saw nothing in the manner of her husband to justify suspicion of his guilt. He was watchful and affectionate to her ; and the vague re- proaches she uttered might be easily explained by the well- known proneness of all persons under the influence of delirium to accuse those most dear to them of unkindness, even while receiving proofs of the utmost tenderness and care. The fate of Katharine's husband, Lord Thomas Seymour, is well known to the readers of history. He was beheaded on Tower-hill, March 20, 1549, on a charge of endeavoring to supplant his elder brother, the Duke of Somerset, in the office of guardian to the king. Thus he perished only six months and fourteen days after Katharine's death. His ambitious brother, also at a later day, fell by the same fate. It has gen- erally been supposed that the child of Lord Thomas and Queen Katharine, Mary Seymour, died unmarried ; but Miss Strick- land has satisfactorily shown that this was not the case. After having been stripped of her hereditary property, she married Sir Edward Bushel, and from her are descended the Lawsons of Clevedon and Hereford.