[Illustration:  AFTER THE DEATH OF JANE SEYMOUR, HENRY VIII.  TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THE SELECTION OF A NEW QUEEN, DECIDING ON ANNE OF CLEVES, A PROTESTANT PRINCESS WITH WHOSE PORTRAIT HE HAD BEEN HIGHLY PLEASED. THE ORIGINAL SO GREATLY DISAPPOINTED HIM THAT HE SOON DIVORCED HER.]

[Illustration:  EDWARD VI., SUCCESSOR TO HENRY VIII., AETAT.  TEN YEARS, WHOSE ATTENTION TO HIS STUDIES AND THE GENTLENESS OF HIS DISPOSITION MADE HIM MUCH BELOVED (1547-53).]

[Illustration:  THE GREAT INFLUX OF GOLD AND SILVER FROM THE NEW WORLD CAUSED AN INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF COMMODITIES (1549).]

[Illustration:  THE CHERISHED OBJECT OF MARY WAS TO RESTORE THE CATHOLIC RELIGION, AND HER CHIEF COUNSELLORS WERE BISHOPS GARDINER AND BONNER (1554).]

[Illustration:  QUEEN ELIZABETH (1558-1603).]

[Illustration:  SIR WALTER RALEIGH.]

[Illustration:  QUEEN ELIZABETH SIGNING THE DEATH-WARRANT OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, 1587.]

[Illustration:  DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, MARCH 24, 1603.  FOR TEN DAYS PREVIOUS TO HER DEATH SHE LAY UPON THE FLOOR SUPPORTED BY CUSHIONS.]

[Illustration:  DISCOVERY OF THE GUNPOWDER PLOT (1605).]

[Illustration:  EFFIGY OF GUY FAWKES.]

[Illustration:  THE SCOTCH COULD NOT ENDURE ARCHBISHOP LAUD’S RITUALISTIC PRACTICES, AND JENNY GEDDES THREW A STOOL AT HIS HEAD.]

[Illustration:  SIR WALTER RALEIGH, AT HIS EXECUTION, ASKED TO EXAMINE THE AXE.  HE POISED IT, AND RUNNING HIS THUMB ALONG THE EDGE, SAID, WITH A SMILE, “THIS IS SHARP MEDICINE,” ETC. (1618).]

[Illustration:  PRINCE CHARLES AND BUCKINGHAM TRAVEL TO SPAIN IN DISGUISE, SO THAT THE FORMER MIGHT PAY HIS ADDRESSES IN PERSON TO THE INFANTA.]

[Illustration:  CHARLES I. FORCED TO GIVE HIS ASSENT TO THE “PETITION OF EIGHTS” (1628).]

[Illustration:  OLIVER CROMWELL.]

[Illustration:  EARL OF STRAFFORD RECEIVING LAUD’S BLESSING ON THE WAY TO EXECUTION (1641).]

[Illustration:  SAMPLE PAGE OF ROUNDHEADS (1642).]