For the Master's Sake: A Story of the Days of Queen MaryHolt, Emily Sarah
History
For the Master's Sake: A Story of the Days of Queen Mary
Holt, Emily Sarah
Counter-Reformation -- England -- Fiction; England -- Social life and customs -- 16th century -- Fiction; Historical fiction
In February, 1554, a great commotion was caused in the City and suburbs
by the insurrection of Wyatt, which had for its object to arrest the
Queen's projected marriage with Prince Philip of Spain. The Londoners
did not show themselves particularly valiant on this occasion, and the
doughty Doctor Weston--one of the most active and prominent of the
Popish clergy--sang mass to them with a full suit of armour under his
vestments. The Duke of Suffolk, whose sad fate it was to be perpetually
getting himself into trouble in the present, for fear of calamities
which might never occur in the future, ran away in terror lest he should
be suspected of complicity with the rebellion; a proceeding which of
course roused suspicion instantly, and sealed not only his own fate, but
that of his daughter, Lady Jane Grey. The latter was beheaded on the
twelfth of February, the former on the twenty-third. For weeks the
prisons were full, and the gallows perpetually at work. The Londoners
were in so excited and frightened a state--is it any marvel?--that when
the phenomena of a mock sun and an inverted rainbow occurred on the
fifteenth, they were terrified beyond measure. There was enough to
terrify them on the earth, without troubling themselves about the sky.
No man's property, liberty, or life was safe for a moment unless he were
a devout servant of holy Church; and even in that case he held them by a
frail tenure, for private spite might accuse him of heresy, and then for
him there was little hope of mercy. One after another, the few who had
hitherto remained staunch either fled from England, fell from the faith,
or suffered at the stake.
These being the awkward circumstances of the case, Mistress Winter
thought it desirable not only to gild Saint Thomas, but to put on a
cloak of piety. The garment was cheap. It was not difficult to attend
evensong as well as matins, and that every day instead of once in the
week; the drama performed in the Cathedral was very pretty, the music
pleasant to hear, the scent of the incense agreeable. It was easy to be
extremely cordial to Father Dan, and to express intense subservience to
his orders. This kind of religion was no inconvenient bridler of the
tongue, nor did it in the least interfere with the pride of the natural
heart. Humiliation is one thing, and humility is quite another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
For the Master's Sake: A Story of the Days of Queen Mary — John Shaqi
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account