Читать книгу The Tower of London: A Historical Romance, Illustrated - Ainsworth William Harrison - Страница 15

The brief and troubled reign of the ill-fated Queen Jane was fast drawing to a close. Every fresh messenger brought tidings of large accessions to the cause of the lady Mary, who was now at the head of thirty thousand men, – an army trebling the forces of Northumberland. Added to this, the metropolis itself was in a state of revolt. Immense mobs collected in Smithfield, and advanced towards the Tower-gates, commanding the warders to open them in the name of Queen Mary. These rioters were speedily driven off, with some bloodshed. But their leader, who was recognised as the prisoner Gilbert, escaped, and the next day larger crowds assembled, and it was feared that an attack would be made upon the fortress.

Meanwhile, Northumberland, whose order of march had been prescribed by the council, proceeded slowly on the expedition; and the fate that attended him fully verified the old proverb, that delay breeds danger. An accident, moreover, occurred, which, while it greatly disheartened his party, gave additional hope to that of the lady Mary. Six vessels, well manned with troops and ammunition, stationed off Yarmouth to intercept Mary in case she attempted to escape by sea, were driven into that port, where their commanders were immediately visited by Sir Henry Jerningham, who was levying recruits for the princess, and were prevailed upon by him to join her standard.

When the news of this defection reached the Tower, even the warmest partisans of Jane perceived that her cause was hopeless, and prepared to desert her. The Duke of Suffolk could not conceal his uneasiness, and despatched a secret messenger to Lord Guilford Dudley, who during the whole of this trying period had absented himself, commanding his instant return..

On receiving the summons, Dudley immediately answered it in person. Jane received him with the utmost affection, and their meeting, which took place in the presence of her father, the Duchess of Northumberland, and the Ladies Herbert and Hastings, was deeply affecting. Lord Guilford was much moved, and prostrating himself before the queen, besought her forgiveness for his ill-advised and ungenerous conduct – bitterly reproaching himself for having deserted her at a season of so much peril.

“I will not upbraid you, dear Dudley,” rejoined Jane, “neither will I attempt to disguise from you that your absence has given me more anguish than aught else in this season of trouble. My crown you well know was your crown. But now, alas! I fear I have lost that which, though a bauble in my eyes, was a precious-jewel in yours.”

“Oh, say not so, my queen,” replied Lord Guilford, passionately. “Things are not so desperate as you imagine. I have letters full of hope and confidence from my father, who has reached Bury Saint Edmund’s. He means to give battle to the rebels to-morrow. And the next messenger will no doubt bring news of their defeat.”

“Heaven grant it may prove so, my dear lord!” rejoined Jane. “But I am not so sanguine. I have despatched missives to the sheriffs of the different counties, enjoining them to raise troops in my defence, and have summoned the Lord Mayor and the city-authorities to the council to-morrow, to decide upon what is best to be done in this emergency.”

“Daughter,” said the Duke of Suffolk, “it is my duty to, inform you that I have just received letters from his Grace of Northumberland, very different in purport from that which has reached Lord Guilford. In them he expresses himself doubtful, of the result of the conflict, and writes most urgently for further succour. His men, he says, are hourly deserting to the hostile camp. And, unless he speedily receives additional force and munition, it will be impossible to engage the enemy.”

“This is bad news, indeed, my lord,” replied Jane, mournfully.

“Have we not troops to send him?” cried Lord Guilford Dudley. “If a leader is wanted, I will set forth at once.”

“We cannot spare another soldier from the Tower,” replied Suffolk. “London is in a state of revolt. The fortress may be stormed by the rabble, who are all in favour of Mary. The Duke has already taken all the picked men. And, if the few loyal soldiers left, are removed, we shall not have sufficient to overawe the rebels.”

“My lord,” observed the Duchess of Northumberland, “you have allowed the council too much sway. They will overpower you. And your highness,” she added, turning to Jane, “has suffered yourself to be deluded by the artful counsels of Simon Renard.”

“Simon Renard has given me good counsel,” replied Jane.

“You are deceived, my queen,” replied her husband. “He is conspiring against your crown and life.”

“It is too true,” added Suffolk, “I have detected some of his dark practices.”

“Were I assured of this,” answered Jane, “the last act of my reign – the last exertion of my power should be to avenge myself upon him.”

“Are the guards within the Tower true to us?” inquired Dudley.

“As yet,” replied Suffolk. “But they are wavering. If something be not done to confirm them, I fear they will declare for Mary.”

“And the council?”

“Are plotting against us, and providing for their own safety.”

“Jane,” said Lord Guilford Dudley, “I will not attempt to excuse my conduct. But if it is possible to repair the injury I have done you, I will do so. Everything now depends on resolution. The council are more to be feared than Mary and her forces. So long as you are mistress of the Tower, you are mistress of London, and Queen of England – even though the day should go against the Duke, my father. Give me a warrant under your hand for the arrest of the council, and the ambassadors Renard and De Noailles, and I will see it instantly executed.”

“My lord!” she exclaimed.

“Trust me, my queen, it is the only means to save us,” replied Dudley. “This bold step will confound them and compel them to declare their purposes. If they are your enemies, as I nothing doubt, you will have them in your power.”

“I understand,” replied Jane. “You shall have the warrant. It will bring matters to an issue.”

At this moment, the door of the chamber was thrown open, and an usher announced “Monsieur Simon Renard.”

“You are right welcome, M. Renard,” said Lord Guilford, bowing haughtily. “I was about to go in search of you.”

“Indeed,” rejoined the ambassador, coldly returning the salutation. “I am glad to spare your lordship so much trouble, – and I am still more rejoiced to find you have recovered your temper, and returned to your royal consort.”

“Insolent!” exclaimed Lord Guilford. “Guards!” he cried, motioning to the attendants – “Assure yourselves of his person.”

“Ha!” exclaimed Renard, laying his hand upon his sword. “You have no authority for this.”

“I have the Queens warrant,” rejoined Dudley, sternly.

“The person of an ambassador is sacred,” observed Renard.

“The emperor, Charles the Fifth, will resent this outrage as an insult to himself.”

“I will take the consequences upon myself,” replied Lord Guilford, carelessly.

“Your highness will not suffer this wrong to be done?” said Renard, addressing Jane.

“Monsieur Renard,” replied the queen, “I have reason to believe you have played me false. If I find you have deceived me, though you were brother to the emperor, you shall lose your head.”

“You will have cause to repent this step,” rejoined Renard, furiously. “The council will command my instant release.”

“The order must be speedy then,” replied Dudley, “for I shall place them all in arrest. And here, as luck will have it, are your friends the Earls of Arundel and Pembroke. They will attend you to the White Tower.”

So saying, he motioned to the guards to take them into custody.

“What means this?” cried Pembroke in astonishment.

“It means that Lord Guilford Dudley, who has been slumbering for some time in Sion House, has awakened at last, and fancies his royal consort’s crown is in danger,” rejoined Renard with a bitter sneer.

“This is some jest surely, my lord,” observed Pembroke. “The council arrested at a moment of peril like this! Will you provoke us to manifest our power?”

“I will provoke you to manifest your treacherous designs towards her majesty,” replied Dudley. “Away with them to the White Tower! Shrewsbury, Cecil, Huntingdon, Darcy, and the others shall soon join you there.”

“One word before we go, gracious madam’?” said Pembroke, addressing the queen.

“Not one, my lord,” replied Jane. “Lord Guilford Dudley has my full authority for what he does. I shall hold early council to-morrow – which you shall be at liberty to attend, and you will then have ample opportunity to explain and defend yourself.”

Upon this, the confederate nobles were removed.

“It is time to put an end to this farce,” remarked Renard, as they were conducted along the gallery towards the White Tower.

“It is,” answered Pembroke, “and my first address in the council to-morrow shall be to proclaim Queen Mary.”

“The hair-brained Dudley imagines he can confine us in the White Tower,” observed Renard, laughing. “There is not a chamber in it without a secret passage. And thanks to the jailor, Nightgall, I am familiar with them all. We will not be idle to-night.”