Cardinal Pole; Or, The Days of Philip and Mary: An Historical RomanceAinsworth, William Harrison
History
Cardinal Pole; Or, The Days of Philip and Mary: An Historical Romance
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Great Britain -- History -- Mary I, 1553-1558 -- Fiction; Pole, Reginald, 1500-1558 -- Fiction
Accordingly, he entered the Cardinal’s barge with his friends, bidding
the oarsmen row them with all possible dispatch to the stairs at Paul’s
chain, where, landing, they made the best of their way to the palace of
the Bishop of London—a large edifice, which then stood on the north-west
side of the cathedral.
From the porter at the palace gate they ascertained that Bonner was
attending vespers in Saint Paul’s, where they could speak with him on
the conclusion of the service. Rodomont then inquired from the porter
whether any heretics had been arrested that day. The man replied that
several had been taken at a conventicle in Foster-lane, and that the
chief sacramentary, who had been holding forth to the others, was
detained in a strong-room in the gate till the lord bishop should decide
what was to be done with him.
Rodomont then explained to the porter that he was an officer in Cardinal
Pole’s household, and with his companions was in search of an heretical
prisoner named Derrick Carver, and this perchance might be he.
“Marry, ’tis the very man,” replied the porter.
Whereupon, he unlocked the door of the strong-room, and showed them
Carver within it, seated on a bench, with his hands tied behind his back
with cords. Rodomont would fain have carried him off at once, but this
the porter would not permit, saying they must tarry till the bishop
returned from Saint Paul’s.
Half an hour elapsed before Bonner made his appearance, and when he
found Rodomont and his comrades there he was exceedingly wroth, and
refused to give up the prisoner.
“The knave was taken at a conventicle in Foster-Lane,” he said, “where
he was preaching heretical doctrines, praying against her Majesty, and
giving the communion according to the prohibited book of service. I
greatly marvel that the Cardinal should allow such a pestilent wretch to
go forth to spread contagion abroad. Depart now, and tell his Eminence
that I will bring back the man to him to-morrow. He is safe here, as ye
can bear witness.”
“Our orders are to bring him back wherever we may find him,” rejoined
Rodomont, “and those we must obey.”
“What!” cried Bonner. “Will ye take him from me by force?”
“We trust your lordship will not drive us to that extremity,” replied
Rodomont. “We claim this man as the Lord Cardinal’s prisoner, and we
require your lordship to deliver him up to us. If you resist, the fault
will rest with you.”
“E’en take him, then,” rejoined Bonner furiously. “But ye may rest
assured I will not be robbed of my prey. He is a preacher of heresy and
sedition, a blasphemer and traitor, and I will burn him in spite of the
Cardinal. It shall go hard if I burn not Mistress Constance Tyrrell at
the same time.”
Rodomont and his comrades stayed to hear no more, but carried off the
prisoner, and placing him in the barge, conveyed him to Lambeth Palace.
On arriving there they took him at once before the Cardinal, and
Rodomont explained what had occurred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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