The castles and abbeys of England; Vol. 1 of 2: from the national records, early chronicles, and other standard authorsBeattie, William
History
The castles and abbeys of England; Vol. 1 of 2: from the national records, early chronicles, and other standard authors
Beattie, William
Abbeys -- England; Castles -- England
Continuing their course across the channel, his mind now recovered some
portion of that serenity, to which he had long been a stranger. The
danger of discovery was seemingly past; the treachery of friends and the
machinations of enemies were alike forgotten or forgiven; and full of
pleasing anticipations of the future, he resigned himself to repose,
with this hope--
Hæc olim meminisse juvabit.
His soothing reverie, however, was soon to be dissipated. At midnight, a
rocket, or other private signal, previously agreed upon, was let off
from the mast-head, whilst the vessel continued her course. But at
length they were suddenly hailed by a ship of war--ordered to
lay-to--and instantly boarded.
[Illustration]
The result is briefly told; the noble fugitive was hurried back to the
shore, delivered into safe custody, carried to London, and lodged in the
Tower, where, after trial and conviction, he was suffered to drag out an
existence of several years under all the harshness of office, the pangs
of disappointment, the hourly sorrows of paternal solicitude, and an
exhausted constitution. Four years afterwards this nobleman was
arraigned of high-treason, brought to his trial in Westminster Hall
before twenty-five of his peers, the Earl of Derby being high steward on
the occasion.
The “Earl appeared in a wrought velvet gown furred with martins, laid
about with gold lace, and buttoned with gold buttons, a black satin
doublet, a pair of velvet hose, and a high black hat on his head.” He
was a very tall man, somewhat swarthy, and coming to the bar made two
obeisances to the state, and to the nobles, and others present. Being
required to hold up his hand, he raised it very high, saying, “Here are
as true a man’s heart and hand as ever came into this hall.” It was
urged against him that “he was a traitor, being a Papist; that the Queen
of Scots had considered him one of her best friends; that Cardinal Allen
had spoken of him as the chief hope of the Roman Catholics in England;”
and that his letter to Queen Elizabeth, written on the eve of his
intended escape by sea, had plainly accused the national justice, with
regard to his father’s trial. He was then remanded to the Tower, and
there languished till his death, which was evidently accelerated by the
cruel suspense in which he was kept as to the final remission or
execution of his sentence.
[Sidenote: 1592. {]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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