The Tower of London: A Historical Romance, IllustratedAinsworth, William Harrison
General
The Tower of London: A Historical Romance, Illustrated
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Grey, Jane, Lady, 1537-1554 -- Fiction; London (England) -- Fiction; Tower of London (London, England) -- Fiction
* This curious piece of furniture, authenticated to have
belonged to the unfortunate queen above-named, is now in the
possession of Mr. Cottenham, the architect, of Waterloo
Road.
0172
III.-HOW SIMON RENARD ASCENDED TO THE ROOF OF THE WHITE TOWER; AND OF
THE GOODLY PROSPECT HE BEHELD THEREFROM.
The night of Queen Mary’s entrance into the Tower was spent by Simon
Renard, the Duke of Norfolk, Gardiner (the new Lord Chancellor),
Courtenay, Arundel, Pembroke, and other noble and honourable persons
composing her council, in framing a public declaration of her religious
opinions, to be proclaimed on the morrow, and in deliberating on other
mighty matters connected with the establishment of her government.
Throughout this consultation, when any difference of opinion arose,
the matter was invariably deferred to the judgment of the imperial
ambassador, whose decision was regarded as final; and as he was looked
upon as the chief instrument in crushing the late rebellion, so it was
supposed he could, by his sagacity and influence, establish Mary upon
her throne.
It was late when the council separated, and instead of returning to his
apartments in the palace, Renard, fevered and wearied by the protracted
discussion at which he had assisted, preferred refreshing himself by
a stroll in the open air. Accordingly, he proceeded to the green, and
began to pace backwards and forwards, at a brisk pace, between the
lieutenant’s lodgings and the chapel. He continued this exercise for
nearly an hour, pondering upon recent events, and revolving future
schemes within his plotting brain, when just as day was breaking, and
the hoary walls of the White Tower began to reveal themselves in all
their grandeur, he perceived a man, armed with a caliver, advancing
to meet him. Renard stood still, and throwing his ample cloak over his
shoulder, awaited the new comers approach. It proved to be a warder,
who, having seen him as he was going his rounds, at first supposed he
had some ill designs in view, but finding out his mistake, as he drew
nearer and recognised the Spanish ambassador, with whose person he was
familiar, he was about to withdraw, when Renard called him back and
demanded his name.
“I am called Gervase Winwike, worshipful sir,” readied the man, “and am
one of the senior warders of the Tower.
“Whither are you going, friend?” inquired Renard. “To the summit of the
White Tower,” answered Winwike; “to see that the sentinels are at their
posts.”
“Is it inconsistent with your duty to take me with you?” asked the
ambassador.
“By no means,” rejoined the warder. “I shall feel honoured by your
presence. We shall reach the roof just at sunrise, and the view from
thence, on a fine clear morning like the present, is magnificent beyond
compare, and will amply repay your worship for climbing up so many steps
as you will have to scale to obtain it.”
“Let us make what haste we can, then,” said Renard, “I am impatient to
behold it.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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