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
Proceeding along the platform by the side of a low wall which guarded
the southern moat, Jane passed under a narrow archway formed by a small
embattled tower connected with an external range of walls facing Petty
Wales. She next traversed part of the space between what was then called
the Bulwark Gate and the Lion’s Gate, and which was filled with armed
men, and passing through the postern, crossed a narrow stone bridge.
This brought her to a strong portal, flanked with bastions and defended
by a double portcullis, at that time designated the Middle Tower. Here
Lord Clinton, Constable of the Tower, with the lieutenant, the gentleman
porter, and a company of warders, advanced to meet her. By them she
was conducted with much ceremony over another stone bridge, with a
drawbridge in the centre, crossing the larger moat, to a second strong
barbican, similarly defended and in all other respects resembling the
first, denominated the Gate Tower. As she approached this portal, she
beheld through its gothic arch a large assemblage, consisting of all the
principal persons who had assisted at the previous ceremonial, drawn
up to receive her. As soon as she emerged from the gateway with her
retinue, the members of the council bent the knee before her. The Duke
of Northumberland offered her the keys of the Tower, while the Marquess
of Winchester, lord treasurer, tendered her the crown.
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At this proud moment, all Jane’s fears were forgotten, and she felt
herself in reality a queen. At this moment, also, her enemies, Simon
Renard and De Noailles, resolved upon her destruction. At this moment,
Cuthbert Cholmondeley, who was placed a little to the left of the queen,
discovered amid the by-standers behind one of the warders a face so
exquisitely beautiful, and a pair of eyes of such witchery, that his
heart was instantly captivated; and at this moment, also, another pair
of very jealous-looking eyes, peering out of a window in the tower
adjoining the gateway, detected what was passing between the youthful
couple below, and inflamed their owner with a fierce and burning desire
of revenge.
II.-OF THE INDIGNITY SHOWN TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL BY THE DUKE OF
NORTHUMBERLAND; AND OF THE RESOLUTION TAKEN BY SIMON RENARD TO AVENGE
THEM.
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