The Colloquies of Edward Osborne, Citizen and Clothworker of LondonManning, Anne
History
The Colloquies of Edward Osborne, Citizen and Clothworker of London
Manning, Anne
Biographical fiction; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Fiction; Osborne, Edward, 1530?-1591 -- Fiction
On the _14th Sept._ good Master _Latimer_ was sent Prisoner to the
Tower. Seeing a Warder there whose Face he remembered, he cried
cheerily, "What, old Friend! how do you? See, I am come to be your
Neighbour again!" The good _Cranmer_ was committed thither the same Day.
But these Things were done privately: a Boat, more or less, privily
shooting the Bridge and gliding aneath the Traitors' Arch, was ta'en no
Note of; while the Stretes and Highways were all astir with Preparations
for the Queen's Crownation, which was set for the _1st Octr._ The
_Easterlings_ were providing her a mighty fine Pageant, at _Gracechurch
Corner_, with a little Condyt that ran Wine: the _Genouese_ had theirs
in _Phanechurchstrete_, the _Florentines_ at the farther End of
_Gracechurchstrete_, with an Angel in Green and Gold, that, at pulling
of a String, set a Trumpet to his Mouth and made believe to blow
it,—only a real Trumpeter stood behind. With these and such-like Toys
the City amused their Minds, and humoured themselves into receiving the
Queen with due Loyalty.
But when she came forth ... alas! what an ill-favoured Lady! Sure, we
are all as GOD made us, for Homeliness or Comeliness; but yet a sweet
Nature may be discerned through the plainest Favour; but it could not be
discerned here. And she declined her Head upon her Hand, as though for
some Ache or Ail that constrained her to regard Everything done in her
Honour askance and awry. 'Tis Pity o' my Life! when a Lady is so ill at
Ease, she can't hold her Head strait on her Crownation-day. Doubtless
crowned Heads are liable to Aches as well as those that own ne'er a Cap;
and 'tis a heaven-sent Immunity when they are able as well as willing
for all Public Occasions, like our Royal Lady that now rules the Land.
With Bone-fires and Feastings, there were many private Families enjoyed
that Day more heartily, I wot, than the Queen's Grace in her Chair of
State. The Ceremonial was spun out beyond all Reason; and when she
returned, 'twas with the three Swords of the three Kingdoms borne
sheathed before her, and another unsheathed—alack! not the _Sword of
the Spirit_.
Old Master _Cheke_ dined with us next Day ... he was now a withered
little old Man, with a frosty Bloom still on his thin Cheek, but no Fire
in his Eye. He was mighty cast down at the late Imprisonment of his
Nephew, who, though now set at large, had had a narrow Escape of it, and
behoved to lie close. Wherefore, to the old Man's Thought, all Joy had
vanished, the Mirth of the Land was gone: and he took up his Parable and
prophesied evil Things.
"And who knows not," quod he, "whether we shall not shortly have a
_Romish_ King set over us? The Queen is in Love to Death with _Reginald
Pole_; and although he will none of her, he may not be able to resist a
matrimonial Crown. We shall have him sent for presently, and released
from his VOWS, as sure as _London Bridge_ is built on Wool-packs."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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