A Legend of the Tower of London

Preface

. It is with a feeling of the deepest gratitude that the Editor addresses himself to those numerous friends whose patronage has raised this work to a circulation unprecedented in the annuals of literature. At the commencement of our labours, it is true, we were assailed by a host of pirates, but, thanks to a discriminating public, we soon dispersed them, and became triumphant masters of the sea. This victory we owe to the encouragement offered by our friends, — Ihe public, and we now thank them for it from the bottom of our editorial hearts. We have also to thank the gentlemen of the press, for the highly flattering terms in which they have spoken of our la bours : — Newspapers, daily and weekly, have united with one voice, to express the most favourable opinions of our work ; — magazines, monthly, as well as quarterly, have freely offered their valuable testimony in our behalf, whilst several foreign publications have reviewed this work, translating many ex tracts for the benefit of their readers.

In fact, were we to make merely a selection from the reviews that have favourably noticed us, a closely printed sheet would scarcely be suflScient for the purpose. One cause of our success may be found in tbe deep and thrilling interest that is attached to the majestic edifice that gives title to our work. Every one is aware of the horrors that have been perpetrated within those walls where many .'-'""'_.: r~r"''li dir-I '■*_ '■*'■ '■■ !■_?"__ * *•"*" -JO. Curtain IE„a._. Sl,„r.i„__,

PREFACE.

. os our monarchs have found both a prison and a palace. The fate of the beauteous Lady Jane Grey occupies a prominent share in the history of our country ; her sorrows and vicissi tudes have been universally deplored, and there are few por tions of our annals that contain so many stirring incidents, applicable alike to the historian and the romancist. And now, gentle readers, farewell; — our pleasing task is accomplished, and the only thought that reconciles us to part ing with you, is the hope that we shall shortly meet again under equally gratifying circumstances. July, 2 '/A, 1840. Tmm.Jmm. _!>_..« /»/7 /.«^7 P***_>. .V A»/*F It, P.. T.lnt.l, 3(1 ft,**!-;** "«■*' «--*'•••-' ...A At. mm, .. m. . . ... A LEGEND OF TUB TOWEK OF LONDON.

Chapter I. The Proclamation Of Queen

'jANE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH SHE WAS CONDUCTED TO THE TOWER N the death of King Edward the Sixth being made known to Ihe public, the proud and impe rious Duke of Northumberland sent letters lo the Mayor and commonalty of the City of London, signifying his wishes that they should fetch the Lady Jane Gray from Durham House, in the Strand to the Tower, and see the City ordered and garnished with pageants in the accustomed places, to honour her passage through it. In consequence, a Common Council was called, and commands issued to all the companies to prepare barges, and to garnish them, both with all^the scenely banners they could procure, No. and with targets en the sides, and in every barge to have minstrelsy, among which were the now long explored instruments, called shalms and sackbutts. .

On the 10th of July, 1553, the day appointed for the water triumph, the Mayor and his brethren, all in scarlet, such as were knights, having collars of S.S., and the remainder gold chains, and the Council of the City with them, assembled at St. Mary's Hill, and at one o'clock took barge. The barges in number amounted to fifty, and they were enjoined under a great penalty not to row nearer to one another than at twice a barge's length, and to enforce this order there were three light wher ries, each with two officers. They then set forth in the following order : — First, at a good distance before the Mayor's liarge was a foist or waster full of ordnance, having in the midst a great dragon continually moving and casting wild fire, and round about it terrible monsters and wild men, also casting fire, and making hideous noises.

On the right hand of the Mayor's barge was that of the bachelors, in which were trumpets and several other melodious instruments j its decks, sailyards, and topcastles were hung with cloth of gold and silk, at the foresbip and the stern were two great banners, richly beaten with the arms of Queen Jane, and in the topcastle also was a Jong streamer newly beaten ivith the said arms. The sides of the barge were set full of flags and banners of devices, and the chords were hung with innumerable pencels, having little bells at the ends which made "a goodly noise and a goodly sight," waving in the wind. On the outside of the barge were thirty -six escutcheons, in metal, bearing also the Queen's arms. Next, after the Mayor, followed his company ; next, after them, the Mercers, then the Grocers, and so every company in its order ; and after all, the Mayor's and Sheriff's officers.

In this order, " a goodly sight" for splendour, and each barge provided with its own ministry, they rowed to Durham House, where they cast anchor until the roya] party should be ready to join them. All this time bombards and cufverins were discharged from the banks of the river, yet was it manifest that the people regarded tbe whole aflair with apprehension, and that they still regarded the Princess Mary as the rightful successor to the throne, which had just become vacant. True she was a Catholic, but she had always been looked forward to as the future Sovereign, and a vast majority of the late king's subjects had resolved to support her rights against any one who might be brought forward by her enemies. Besides.it was well known to the people, in general, that the ambitious Duke of Northumberland had, in his frequent conversations with the late King, taken occasion to represent to the dying King the danger to which the reformation would be exposed, should his sister Mary succeed to the throne of England.

To be sure, no such objection lay against the Princsss Elizabeth, but then, it was argued, he could not with any propriety exclude one sister without also excluding the other. These two principles, therefore, being set aside, the succession devolved on the Marchioness of Dorset, eldest daughter of the Duke of Suffolk, and the French Queen, bis youngest sister ; and that the apparent successor to the Marchioness washer daughter, Lady Jane Cray, who was every way worthy of a crown, and who, being of the same age as the King, had been educated with him, and had commanded his esteem and admiration, by the progress she had made in every branch of literature. He had enjoyed full opportunity of becoming acquainted with the purity of her religious principles, a circumstance that weighed with him above every other consideration in the choice of a successor; and, it seems, besides, probable, that her elegant person and amiable disposition had inspired his heart with a tender affection.

But the crafty Northumberland had views of his own to accomplish, and finding that he was likely to carry his principle point with the King, he began to propose the other parts of his ambitious scheme. Two sons of the Duke of Suffolk having lately died, that title was become extinct. Northumberland, persuaded the King to bestow it upon the Marquis of Dorset ; and by means of this and other favours, he obtained from the new Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, their eldest daughter, Lady Jane, in marriage to his fourth son, Lord Guildford Dudley. Shortly after this, the Duchess of Suffolk gave place to her daughter, Lady Jane, for whom she was well aware the change in the succession bad been made. The King died soon after this singular transaction, and so much the sooner by being put into the hands of an ignorant woman, who undertook to restore him, in a little time, to his former state of health.

On the death of Edward the Sixth, Northumberland saw that further dissimulation would be useless ; he, therefore, went to Sion. House, where I ,ady Jane Gray resides, accompanied by a body of tbe nobility, and approaching her with the respect usually paid to the Sovereign, informed her of her elevation. Lady Jane, who was in a great measure ignorant of the intrigues of her father-in-law, received this information with equal grief and sur prise. She even refused to accept tbe crown ; pleaded the preferable title of the two Princesses ; expressed her dread of the consequences attending an enterprise so dangerous, and begged to remain in that private station in which she was born, Overcome, however, at last, by the entreaties, rather than the reasons of her relatives, she submitted to their will ; and Northumberland immediately conveyed her to London, where he lodged her in Durham House, as we have said in the opening of this narration.

This, once more brings us to the main incidents of our story, and we will now resume at the point where he broke off to explain matters to the reader. Whilst the civic barges were waiting off the princely residence of Northumberland, and during the period that the procession accom panying Queen Jane was slowly making its way for the purpose of embarkation, two persons dressed in their episcopal robes, paused to gaze upon the splendid array before them. These personages were the celebrated Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the equally well-known Ridley, Bishop of London. Their countenances expressed doubt and sorrow, for they knew the violent opposition that would be raised against the accession of Queen Jane, and though they had them selves lent her their support against the pretensions of a Papist, yet they felt assured of the hopelessness of a cause which was unpopular with the multitude.

Cranmer was the first to speak, and whispering in the ear of his friend, so as not to be heard by anybody else, he said mournfully : — " The people, my Lord Bishop, look but coldly on whilst we go in triumph to bear our beauteous Queen to the palace of her ancestors. Methinks their silence is ominous, and already do I fear the course for which we have laboured is lost." " I am afraid there is but too much truth in your Grace's remark," answered Ridley in the same low tone. " The people everywhere receive her with apathy, and even the fears of having a Papist for a Sovereign.weigh but little against the rights of the Princess Mary, who even now, as I understand, is calling upon the nobility and commoners to aid in raising her to the throne of England." " Then, my Lord, it behoves us to stir the populace against her by every means in our power," returned Crammer, " Our pulpits must be turned into forums, and from thence must tbe clergy pour forth their anathemas upon all who dare to support the pretensions of a bigottod Catholic against their rightful Sovereign, Queen Jane."

" Nay, my Lord Archbishop, that were a vain and fruitless task," answered Ridley, " for this morning, I preached to the stiff-necked commons from St. Paul's Cross, and though I tried to impress upon them the duty of obedience to our Sovereign, Lady Jane, yet did they hear roe with impatience, and I could observe among them a sullen resolution to support her whose accession to the throne we have so much reason to dread." " You think then our cause is irretrievably lost?" " I fear it is," replied Ridley, " and yet who shall say but heaven will even now raise up a power in aid of us, that we at present little dream of. The cause, my Lord Archbishop, is a holy one, — the best interests of the reformed church depend upon its success, and as a Christian, I cannot believe that we shall again be be brought under the subjection ofthe Pope."

" Yet, if Mary gains the crown," exclaimed Crammer, " who shall say how soon you and I, and other faithful servants of the church may meet the death of martyrs ?" '" True, your Grace," replied the Bishop of London, " and yet, were such an event to come to pass, I believe neither you nor I, nor any other zealous Protestant, would shrink from whatever tortures our enemies might chose to afflict us with." Cranmer bowed his head in token of acquiescence, but as the crowd began to gather more closely around them, they forbore for the present from making any further observations upon a subject that was so dangerous. The work of embarkation was now proceeding slowly, and presently afterwards w hen a stoppage took place, two nobles, — evidently foreigners, — stepped aside from the throng, and entered into earnest conversation with each other.

One of these was Antoine de Noailles, at that time Ambassador in England from Henry the Second of France, and the other M. Simon Renard, who performed a similar duty for his Imperial Master, Charles the Fifth of Spain. They were attired in superb dresses of the fashion of the period, and by tbe haughtiness of their conduct seemed to avoid any communication with those among whom they were now thrown. Both of them seemed to regard the scene with dislike, but more particularly was that feeling exhibited by Monsieur Renard, whose dark austere frown showed the utter hatred and contempt in which he held out those who were taking part against the Princess Mary. "True," replied the French Ambassador, "but her friends have stolen a march upon us, and I almost fear the hopes of Mary are at an end." " These proud English seem to think they are carrying every thing their own way." he observed to de Noailles, " but little guess they the plots that are hatching for the destruction of her they have made their idol.

Tbe Lady Jane has accepted the crown, but who shall say the bauble will ever decorate her head i" "By the Holy Virgin thou art wrong, de Noailles," exclaims the haughty and intriguing Spaniards, " I have sworn to elevate Mary to the throne, — the maintenance of .our religion iu this country depends upon my success, and even though I were to lose my life, it should be cheerfully laid down in a cause I hold so sacred." " But each hour that passes seems to lessen our chance of success," observed de Noailles doubtfully. " And why should even an hour be suffered to pass without consum mating our wishes ?" demanded the other. " We have friends zealous in the cause; the chief nobility of England favour the Princess Mary ; and even the commoners will rise against the pretensions of the rival whom Northumberland has exalted in furtherance of his own ambi tious schemes."

" And yet, between ourselves, Renard," answered the French am bassador, with peculiar emphasis, "These English people are jealous of foreigners, and, in my opinion, they would rather trust to the wily Duka of Northumberland than rely upon the intrigues of either Spa niard or Frenchman." " But the Spaniard," returned the other quickly, " may have im. proved his opportunities, whilst the Frenchman has been slumbering at his post. These people have discovered that I may be of service to them, and therefore will they trust their destinies in my hands." "And if they do," exclaimed de Noailles, "these islanders will soon find themselves involved in a civil war." "Not if I play my cards skilfully," answered Renard; the Princess Mary is a favourite with these people, and the numbers that advocate her cause would speedily suppress any inclination on the part of her enemies to risk their lives in support of her rival.

I have made sure calculations on the subject, Monseur De Noailles, and take my word for it, the leign of Lady Jane Gray will terminate almost at the same hour that has seen her accession to the throne." " Heaven grant it may be so !" exclaimed the courtly Frenchman, " our royal masters watch the signs of the times with intense interest, and our own reward depends upon the degree of success that follows our labours. I have been piomised a dukedom if I succeed in my plots against Queen Jane, and you may rest assured that I shall labour earnestly in an affair that holds but so alluring a temptation." " Why is it then, tbat, up to this time, you nave done nothing that can in any way further your projects ?" " Because there has hitherto been no "opportunity," answered de Noailles ; " Northumberland keeps a watchful eye upon all whom he suspects, and I have more than once fancied that, both by words and actions, he has given pretty broad hints that I am not the most wel come visitor to the English Court."

"A word in your ear, de Noailles," whispered Renard — " hist I let not a word be heard ! There is a plot afoot in which I act no inconsi derable a part, and whereby ous wishes are about to be attained. Will you make one of us, and thus aid in a cause, whieh I know, in your own heart, yeu approve?" " I will ; but is the Lady Jane marked out for death t" "That must depend on circumstances," answered the other. "If possible her life will be spared, but should it be necessary, there are those among us who will doom her to destruction, rather than hazard the plot on which so much depends." "'Tis a desperate game we play," exclaimed de Noailles, " but the necessity is great that urges us on. Northumberland has overreached himself, and 'tis for us to take advantage of the first occasion that offers."

" He dies !" muttered the -Spaniard between his clenched teeth: " Ha land when?", " 1'hat will depend on circumstances," answered the other. " We, who have doomed it, thus meet to-night in secret — shall I introduce you to the friends of a good cause ?" "First, I would know who they are ?" " Nay, that cannot be till you have taken our oath of secrecy," ex claimed Renard. " I have already told you more than I ought to have done, but a perfect reliance on your honour, assures me that the con fidence is not misplaced. Will you accompany me to the meeting of our friends " " Aye, marry will I," answered de Noailles ; " the plot — if I un derstand you rightly — is against my Lord of Northumberland, and I care not how great is the punishment with which he is visited, even though it be visited with death itself."

"Tis well," exclaimed the Spaniard, "and henceforth we are leagued together as brothers ; but hush! — the crowd again moves on, and we shall be observed by eur ever watchful enemies — remember, be cautious and vigilant, for the hour is at hand when our foe shall perish." At this moment the royal pageant was seen leaving Durham House, on its way towards the water side. Before the Queen walked, a num ber of Gentlemen and Knights, their Judges, their Doctors, their Bishops, their Lords, then the Council; after whom, followed tha Knights of the Bath in their robes ; the Bishop of Winchester, Lord High Treasurer ; next came the Earl of Shrewsbury, and after him, the Earl of Pembroke, who bore the sword; and the Mayor of London, in a gown of crimson velvet, bore the sceptre of gold. Next came the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk, and imme diately following him, was Queen Jane, pale and faint, with apprehen sion for the step she had thus been induced to take.

Young and lovely — for she was then only sixteen years of age — her appearance could not fail to excite admiration, even from those who were her avowed enemies. On the present occasion she was apparelled in white cloth of gold of damask, with a mantle of the same, furred with ermine, fastened before her with gold and silk, and rich knobs of gold, tasseled at the ends; her beautiful fair hair hanging down plain behind her back, with a caul ef cloth of tinsel, set with pearls and stones, and above it a round circlet of gold, also so richly set with precious stones, that the value of it was inestimable. On her passage to the barge, her train was home by a noble lady whose grace and beauty were scarcely inferior to her own. Close by her side, walked her youthful husband. Lord Guildford Dudley, whose appearance was hailed with murmurs of disapprobation by those who legarded his marriage with the Lady Jane, as an act of ambition not to be easily pardoned.

A little apart from the procession, walked the Earl of Pembroke and Sir William Cecil, the latter of whom, under the reign of Queen Elizabeth, rose to the highest office in the state, and who is known to posterity as the great Lord Burleigh. These two were eugaged in -deep and earnest conversation, for — like most other people — they were opposed to Queen Jane, and were, moreover, engaged in the plot that was forming against the life of the Duke of Northumberland. " My Lord of Pembroke," exclaimed Sir William, " there is evil news abroad, which, if true, will go far to endanger our lives and for tunes. 'Tis said that some dastard has betrayed our designs to the proud Duke, and I scarcely need observe to you, that if such indeed, should be the fact, our hopes are for ever frustrated." " Nay, Cecil," answered the Earl, " be assured by me that this is some idle report raised only for the purpose of seeing the effect it will have on us.

Northumberland still smiles upon us, aud you know as well as myself, that if he only suspected the Ehare we have in the transaction, our hero would have answered for it long enough since." " True," replied Sir William Cecil," unless he has some motive for remaining quiet a short time longer. The Duke is artful as he is ambitious, and I fear we will somehow or other contrive to discover our plot before it is ripe for execution." " Psha !" ejaculated the Earl of Pemkroke, " we have one among us who is fully able to cope with Northumberland, artful and suspi cious as he may be. Monsieur Renard has joined himself to our league, and that alone is sufficient to warrant the success of our plan. But see ! — some one has just approached the Duke and presented him with a paper ! By heavens ! his grace starts, and no doubt he has disco vered the mine that was about to explode for his destruction."

" As Northumberland finished reading the letter, he turned to a nobleman by his side who was in his confidence, and exclaimed : — " By heaven, my lord, there is treachery among those who ought to be the truest friends of her Majesty. This epistle warns ire of a plot that has been hatched, and had it not been for our unknown friend, there is little doubt we should have fallen into the snare of those who seek our ruin." " Does your Grace know the names of the guilty parties ?" asked the other anxiously. "Not of all," answered the Duke of Northumberland, " but some of them are mentioned here, and particularly the plotting Monsieur Simon Renard, who, no doubt, has been set on to commit the foul crime by his master, the haughty King of Spain. But their machi nations are brought to a sudden close, so now let them look te it, for the axe shall soon rid us of foes who it is dangerous to keep near us any longer."

"Does your Grace know the object of the vile plotting ?" enquired the nobleman. " Not precisely," answered Northumberland, " and yet have I learnt enough to know that one portion of their designs is to restore the Catholic Religion in these realms, by raising the Princess Mary to the throne of England." " Yet methinks," exclaimed the nobleman, " that weuld be no easy task, seeing that we are before-hand with them, and that Lady Jane has been proclaimed our Queen. The people, it is true, have not greeted her with that warmth and loyalty which I should have been glad to have seen, but she has possession of the throne, and it will be no easy task for them to drive her from it:" " Let us hope it may be so," replied the Duke," and yet I would gladly give half I possess in the world, to see these evil plotters totally discomfitted.

The Princess Mary has written to most of the no bility, laying claim to the crown of England, which she says is hers by right of birth, and calling upon them to aid in carrying her cause to a successful termination. Mary, I believe, has promised to assist* her, and there is but teo much reason to fear that a cruel civil war will be the immediate consequence." At this moment, a cry of horror was raised, and turning his eyes towards Queen Jane, he beheld an aged beldame flourishing a dagger in her band, which she was in the act of aiming against the life of the young and lovely Princess. In an instant, however, the fatal weapon was wrenched from her giasp by one of the bystanders, and thus was Queen Jane preserved from the frantic attack of a maniac, who no one doubted had been set on to accomplish the ta.sk by some of the Princess Mary'8 emissaries.

At that juncture a hundred swords were drawn for the punishment of the infuriated woman, but just then, her son, — a young man of mean appearance, rushed forward, — and implored them in an earnest tone to save the life of his parent.

Chapter II. The Maniac Mother And The Warning She Gives To The

LADY JANE. — THE ROYAL PROGRESS RESUMED. " Among the first to recover from the consternation into which the above mentioned attempt at assassination had thrown the party, was the Duke of Northumberland, who immediately advancing towards the'frenzied woman and her son, demanded, in a fierce voice, by whose contrivance this foul attempt at murder had been so nearly executed. But the maniac seemed not to fear the anger and probable doom she had thus brought upon herself, and it was not till a couple of soldiers were preparing to drag her son away that she seemed to entertain the least fear of the consequence. At the moment, however, that she saw the young man in the custody of Northumberland's followers, she rushed forward with a loud cry of anguish, and throwing herself at the feet of Lady Jane, implored her in piteous accents to spare the life of one who is dearer to her than all the world besides.

But the Duke's heart was not to be softened by the prayers of the unhappy mother, and beckoning to the captain of the guard, he exclaimed : — " Bear this old hag to prison with her son, and see that they are both brought before the Council to-morrow, in order that we may by torture, wring from them the secret they would conceal. We will discover who are the evil instigators to this foul crime, and then let the -ruilty abettors Iremble, for 1 swear to have deadly vengeance against all who have plotted against tbe life of their royal mistress !" As Northumberland spoke he glanced round upon several of those who be believed to be enemies of Queen Jane, and then hastening back to his royal daughter-in-law, entreated her to proceed with as little delay as possible, in order to seek shelter in her barge from a tempest which had long been threatening and was now ready to burst over them.

But Jane's compassion had been excited in favour of the maniac, from whose dagger she had just been rescued, and addressing the Duke in an earnest tone, she enquired anxiously what be intended to do with the prisoners. " That, your Majesty, will depend upon circumstances," answered Northumberland — " we will wring from the hag the names of those by whom she has been employed, and if she answers our questions fairly, perhaps her life, and that of her son, may be spared on consideration that they pass the remainder of their days in a prison." " And yet, methinks, my Lord of Northumberland," answered the Queen, " that would be a bad commencement of our reign, seeing that we have already but few friends to support us against those who side with the Princess Mary. Mercy is one of the fairest prerogatives ofthe crown, and rather would I lay down these vain trappings of royalty, than stain my hands thus early with the blood of one, whose murderous intent has been frustrated."

" Your Majesty will consider that an example must be made, or our foes will think we dare not punish their treason, for fear of encountering their further hostility." " Let them think so if they will," answered the Queeen, " for better would it be to give our enemies an advantage, such as you speak of, than revengefully to destroy those who have not harmed us. The woman seems lo be crazed, and I would myself ask her a few questions, in order to learn her motives for seeking rcy death." Northumberland knew that remonstrance would be in vain, and giving orders to his page, he directed him to command that the woman and her son should he brought before her Majesty. Within a few moments, therefore, the two prisoners were conducted to the place where Lady Jane was waiting for them ; but they were, by this time, assured of their safety, and both ef them waited in sullen silence, the questions that were about to be put to them.