John and Betty's History VisitWilliamson, Margaret
History
John and Betty's History Visit
Williamson, Margaret
England -- Description and travel
Any one may pay sixpence for a ticket which entitles him to wander
about the precincts of the Tower, and to see the "Crown Jewels," and
the armory, but Mrs. Pitt, being more ambitious for her young friends,
had obtained a permit from the Governor of the Tower. This she
presented to the "beefeater" who stood by the first gateway, after
they had crossed the great empty moat. The old man stepped to a tiny
door behind him, opened it, disclosing a small, winding stair, and
called "Warder! Party, please!"
A venerable "beefeater" with white hair and beard came in answer to
the summons, and bowing politely to the party, immediately started off
with them. They set out along a little, narrow, paved street, lined
by ancient buildings or high walls.
"They do say h'as 'ow the Princess Elizabeth, afterwards Queen, was
h'imprisoned in that room, up there," stated the guide, pointing to a
small window in a wall on their left. "By Queen Mary's h'orders she
was brought in through the Traitor's Gate, there. That was a great
disgrace, you know, Miss," he said to Betty, "for h'all the State
prisoners entered by there, and few of them h'ever again left the
Tower."
Before them some steps led down to a little paved court, and beyond,
under a building, they saw the terrible Traitor's Gate,--a low, gloomy
arch, with great wooden doors. The water formerly came through the
arch and up to the steps, at which the unfortunate prisoners were
landed. As the Princess Elizabeth stepped from the boat, she cried,
"Here landeth as true a subject, being a prisoner, as ever landed at
these stairs; and before Thee, O God, I speak it!"
"Isn't there a proverb, 'A loyal heart may be landed at Traitor's
Gate'?" questioned Mrs. Pitt; and turning to the guide she added,
"Wasn't it right here where we are standing that Margaret Roper
caught sight of her father, Sir Thomas More, after his trial?" As the
guide nodded his assent, she went on, "You all remember Sir Thomas
More, of course,--the great and noble man whom Henry VIII beheaded
because he would not swear allegiance to the King as head of the
Church in England. In those days, an ax was always carried in the boat
with the prisoner, on his return to the Tower, after the trial. If the
head of the ax was turned toward the victim, it was a sign that he was
condemned. It was here, as I said, that Margaret Roper stood with the
crowd, eagerly watching for the first glimpse of her beloved father;
and when he came near and she saw the position of the ax, she broke
away from the soldiers, and flung herself into her father's arms. The
two were so devoted that their story has always seemed an especially
pathetic one to me. I suppose there were many like it, however."
"Indeed there were, lady," returned the guide, quite moved.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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