as to gain from him a warrant to consult with others of his party about drawing up articles against the queen that might bring her head to the block. But they decided to begin with the ladies of the court whom she esteemed most, and to search their trunks and closets for something to charge Katharine with, and after they had found it to arrest her in the middle of the night and take her in a barge to the Tower. All this time the queen suspected nothing, but continued her nursing of her husband and her religious discussions with him as before. One day an attendant of Katharine's picked up a paper in the gallery of Whitehall that Wriothesley had dropped. It contained a list of charges against the queen with an order for her arrest, and bore Henry's signature. The terrified woman had an attack of hysterics as soon as she became acquainted with the contents of the {441}paper; as her apartment was next to the king's he heard her shrieks and cries, and sent to inquire what was the matter. Her doctor informed the messenger that the queen was seriously ill, and that the cause seemed to be distress of mind. No doubt Henry realized how much he should miss her gentle nursing if she should die, so he determined to pay her a visit. Accordingly he was wheeled into her room in a chair, and was really alarmed when he saw how ill she looked. After a few minutes she assured him that his visit had greatly revived her, and at the same time expressed her regret at having seen so little of him for a few days, and her fears that she had unintentionally given him some cause for offence. Henry replied kindly and affectionately. Then she was so humble and loving in her manner that a reaction took place in the humor of her imperious lord, and he told the physician of the plot against the patient's life. The next evening Katharine felt well enough to return the king's visit. She entered his room, attended by her sister, Lady Herbert, and the king's young niece, Lady Jane Grey, who carried the candles before her majesty. Henry welcomed her courteously, but in course of time tried to draw her into a religious argument as usual. She avoided the snare by observing, "that she was but a woman, with all the imperfections natural to the weakness of her sex, therefore in all matters of doubt and difficulty she must refer herself to his majesty's better judgment; for," she continued, "God hath appointed you supreme head of us all, and of you, next unto God, will I ever learn." "Not so, by St. Mary!" cried the king, "ye are become a doctor, Kate, to instruct us, and not to be instructed of us, as oftentime we have seen."