Robin Tremayne: A Story of the Marian PersecutionHolt, Emily Sarah
History
Robin Tremayne: A Story of the Marian Persecution
Holt, Emily Sarah
Great Britain -- Church history -- 16th century -- Fiction; Historical fiction
"The Queen," said he, "came first by water to the old Palace, and there
tarried she till about eleven of the clock. And thence went she afoot
to the Abbey, upon blue cloth railed in on every side; and she ware the
same array as she came in through London. Afore her went the Bishops
(to wit, all the unwedded), their mitres on their heads and their
crosiers borne afore them. She was led betwixt old Tunstal of Durham
and an other Bishop, and right behind her came the Devil in the likeness
of Stephen Gardiner, a-censing her and casting holy water upon her all
the way, which must needs have spoiled her brave blue velvet gown ere
she set foot in the Abbey. In the Abbey was the throne, covered with
baudekyn; but I pray you, demand not of me a regular account of all that
was done; for it was so many and sundry ceremonies that my weak head
will not hold them. I know only there was kneeling and courtesying and
bowing and censing, and holy water, and a deal more of the like
trumpery, wherewith I am no wise compatient [the lost adjective of
_compassion_]; and going up unto the altar, and coming down from it; and
five several times was she led thereto, once to offer there her pall of
baudekyn and twenty shillings, and once, leaving her crimson velvet
mantle behind the travers, she was laid down on a cushion afore the
altar, while four knights held the pall over her; and anointed with
tedious and endless ceremonies; and crowned with three crowns (Saint
Edward's, the imperial, and one made for her a-purpose) by the aforesaid
Stephen Gardiner; and a ring of gold set on her finger; and a bracelet
of precious stones and gold set upon her arm by the Master of the Jewel
House; and the sceptre given her of my Lord of Arundel (the old
time-server!) and the ball, of the Lord Treasurer; and the regal of
gold, of the Bishop of Winchester; and the staff of Saint Edward, of my
Lord of Bath; and the spurs, of my Lord of Pembroke. Come, pray you
now, let me take breath!--Well, after all this, the Bishops and nobles
did homage to her Highness; but the time would not serve for all, seeing
the homage to the altar had taken so much away; so they knelt in groups,
and had a spokesman to perform for them. My Right Reverend Lord Bishop
of Winchester was for himself and all other Bishops; old Norfolk stood
alone as a Duke (for all the other Dukes were in the Tower, either alive
or dead); the Lord Marquis of Winchester was for his order; my Lord of
Arundel for the Earls, my Lord of Hereford for the Viscounts, and my
Lord of Burgavenny for the Barons. All these kissed her Highness' left
cheek; and all this time stood my Lord of Shrewsbury by her, aiding her
to hold up the sceptre. Well then, believe it who will, my masters, but
after all this came the mass. And no sooner begun, than the Bishop of
Lincoln and the Bishop of Hereford marched straight out of the church,
mitres and all. It was nigh four of the clock ere her Grace came from
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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