She had proved to
the world that she could not only collect an army, but do even
more--efficiently command it.
Subsequently, the cause of Charles of Blois seemed to gain fresh
strength, and his party greatly outnumbered that of Montfort, whose
friends decreased as those of Charles increased. Edward again sent
re-enforcements. The English fleet, having with them the countess, were
met on the passage to Brittany by the enemy, and an action ensued, in
which the countess behaved with the utmost courage, charging the foe as
valorously as any other officer among them. A storm put an end to the
bloody conflict, and the fleet, without further adventure, reached the
shores of Brittany. Thenceforth the dispute of the succession became
inextricably mixed up in the quarrel between England and France,
becoming indeed a part of it; and we trace the career of the heroic
Countess of Montfort no further.
ANNE ASKEW.
In the preceding sketch, it has been shown what a woman could--did, in
fact--do and dare, as an ardent patriot and loving wife. The fortitude
of Anne Askew was of a different stamp. She proved what she could endure
for conscience' sake. The Reformation produced many women such as she;
but her simple story must suffice, here, for all.
She was a young lady of high family, and exercised a remarkable
influence, for one so young, over the ladies at the Court of Henry VIII;
and even stood in the relation of a friend to the queen--no great
passport to the favor of the monster Henry.
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