After a little time the Dowager Duchess of Kent, first lady in waiting to the queen, presented herself at the musicians’ gallery and said that her majesty had ordered the music stopped, and the musicians, of course, ceased playing at once.  Mary thereupon turned quickly to me: 

“Master, are our musicians weary that they stop before we are through?”

The queen answered for me in a high-voiced Spanish accent:  “I ordered the music stopped; I will not permit such an indecent exhibition to go on longer.”

Fire sprang to Mary’s eyes and she exclaimed:  “If your majesty does not like the way we do and dance at my balls you can retire as soon as you see fit.  Your face is a kill-mirth anyway.”  It never took long to rouse her ladyship.

The queen turned to Henry, who was laughing, and angrily demanded: 

“Will your majesty permit me to be thus insulted in your very presence?”

“You got yourself into it; get out of it as best you can.  I have often told you to let her alone; she has sharp claws.”  The king was really tired of Catherine’s sour frown before he married her.  It was her dower of Spanish gold that brought her a second Tudor husband.

“Shall I not have what music and dances I want at my own balls?” asked the princess.

“That you shall, sister mine; that you shall,” answered the king.  “Go on master, and if the girl likes to dance that way, in God’s name let her have her wish.  It will never hurt her; we will learn it ourself, and will wear the ladies out a-dancing.”

After Mary had finished the opening dance there was a great demand for instruction.  The king asked Brandon to teach him the steps, which he soon learned to perform with a grace perhaps equaled by no living creature other than a fat brown bear.  The ladies were at first a little shy and inclined to stand at arm’s length, but Mary had set the fashion and the others soon followed.  I had taken a fiddler to my room and had learned the dance from Brandon; and was able to teach it also, though I lacked practice to make my step perfect.  The princess had needed no practice, but had danced beautifully from the first, her strong young limbs and supple body taking as naturally to anything requiring grace of movement as a cygnet to water.

This, thought I, is my opportunity to teach Jane the new dance.  I wanted to go to her first, but was afraid, or for some reason did not, and took several other ladies as they came.  After I had shown the step to them I sought out my sweetheart.  Jane was not a prude, but I honestly believe she was the most provoking girl that ever lived.  I never had succeeded in holding her hand even the smallest part of an instant, and yet I was sure she liked me very much; almost sure she loved me.  She feared I might unhinge it and carry it away, or something of that sort, I suppose.  When I went up and asked her to let me teach her the new dance, she said: