In the Days of Queen Mary

hall with more than customary state and

of purple velvet, and men noted that,

icent apparel, and wearing the Colla

the Lady Elizabeth, lately restored to Court favour; next to her sat De Noaille

Pembroke, Arundel, and Clinton w

ilver lamps fed with perfumed oil. Foreign minstrels provided sweet music, to which the guests seemed to pay little heed

he gorgeous salon which was adorned by some famous pictures of Titian, brought hith

s by Holbein and many works of

stly nature, being chiefly of ebony

r sconces, and it shone upon the fairest dames which England had

resent-among whom the Cardinal sto

le, though it was a faint and weary one. For Mary was growing feeble in health and broken i

poor

s, childless and neglected by he

ee how the young gallants gathered ro

t, and she saw, with bitter pain, that the Spanish King was strangely attentive to her young rival.

" thought the Queen

in succession to the Throne, according

ndone, and the fondest, deares

saw Pole approaching her, and his very

rose Mary beckoned him to a seat beside her, and t

en was growing weary, yet she sai

Chapel, in my boudoir;

had left

ussels, and together with Don Renar

portfolio, and that business being transacte

o walk warily in their dealings with him. Eminent service and a long discharge of duty would n

knew this

the English as he did, and Philip placed great reliance on his astute coun

Royal officer; that, moreover, he had a suspicion that this was a Prot

k very wari

the Council of the City of L

s of the loan your Majesty did them the

hat eagerly, "and I trust

lenders of Madrid or Amsterdam, they are not satisfi

rowned, as

angs fire, and the English troops are badly e

ity," said Renard, "we must do somethin

d the King petulantly

bedience to Philip's nod of assent, he continued, "That young man, Ralph Jefferay, who

, the frown on his face deepening;

eplied Don Renard. "But the real reason goes far deeper than that: he is know

was not

you have something furt

h zeal in your service. There is a deed on record, just late

e rescue on the Thames, hiding for the moment his own connection wi

t he was something of a soldier, an

who was he, you have not

n, Don Diego, sir

I see," sa

oments thought

ion be not undergone by the condemned man. Yet, Renard, he is a seditious man, and,

shmen to come forward to fight our battles," replied Renard. "Pardon me once more, sire, if I make a suggestion to you. We

ldiers. They have an intended brother-in-law, a young nobleman named Geoffrey de Fynes. Al

gracious pardon to Ralph Jefferay, on the condition that the three

the King's brow, he e

e made a great lawyer; well, be it as you

ire?" said t

g; "I must not urge State matters

r acts promptly, and to-morrow at ten o'clock Ralph Jef

somewhat angered; he was not

craved admission into the chamber,

a few minutes interview

ill wait upon her immediat

e Ambassad

er, Don Renard-Heav

k God!" replied

Ambassador had at heart

and, at the accustomed hour, she had gone to Vespers in the

vice she retired to her boudoir, d

ntil an usher came to summon him to the Q

her diamonds no longer glistened on her head and neck. She w

entered she kn

ing, father

is turn the Prelate kne

ned him t

ies-in-waiting. Pointing

leave us? It shal

tated for

that he might be pitting the Queen against her husband i

" he said, and thereupon the Queen

nald lifted up his heart

late and you are weary, I will be

sin, the hour matters not and your voice brings comfort to

l addressed hims

racy,' yet am I sure that, though he may be guilty on this charge in a strictly legal sense, yet is he absolutely innocent morally; so loyal to your royal person is he at heart, that when the c

y recounted the episode

though the Pursuivant threatened him with dire puni

ttentively, but she

had not yet convinced his noble auditor's ju

representing the matter as a heretical plot and Ral

l appealed to Heaven for hel

the brothers' exploit on the Thames and

a deep sense of pity took possession of me. He had atoned for his offence! It could not be that one so yo

eached his ear, and he look

s deeply mo

voice, "I have heard enough. God spared that

in a few minutes he was at the door, the A

d kissed the Queen's hand, then, rising

or she dearly loved her husband-alas, he

mbassador, and extended her hand towa

he had made lowly obeisanc

await your gracious pleasur

Mary apologetically, glancing at the Spanish Ambassador, "but

d gracefull

at your Majes

Star Chamber as a conspirator. He has given me good reason to believe that the youth is innocent of the alleged offence, he attributes his assault upon our Pursuivant in the woods of Chiddingly t

Philips face

, was urging me to seek your Royal pardon for him. I do so, on the condition (may it please your Majesty) that the two brothers take service in the English contingent now being

ter confidently in the hands of the Cardinal and the Ambassador,

tepped forward an

ties' permission t

eigns' nod of ass

here a blank form of Royal Pardon;

at Mary's feet and

igned it and gave the precious

interview

d the Ambassador) knelt before the R

people were awaiting him with a carriage, into

the silent and deserted streets, "yet I think we are in good time; I sent word to the Governor of the prison, ere I ca

efferay that to-night I hoped to bring him good news

riage drew up at the frowni

ed the prison and followed the warder to the Governor's lodging. The Fleet was the most gloomy pr

of a great noble, and the fine hall into which the two vi

by a chimney-piece sculptured with many a quaint device. On a table in the centre of the hall wax candles

l the Governor (Sir Thomas Middylton) haste

tors would honour him by resting awhile and

ve to say, it must be done quickly. We come to you from Whitehall: the Queen has been graciously pleased to extend her ro

who read it with grave deference. He then touched a gong, and, as

the hall in the charge of two warders, a

you a full and free pardon; you are no longer in my custody, and I am happy to del

one amazed an

e pillory, that the common hangman would do his cruel office of

vernor stood his deliverers. As they stepped forward to greet him he recognized the Cardinal,

or her goodness. And here is one," he continued, "to whom you owe much more than to me; for while I wr

nately embraced him, kis

speechless with joy th

departure, I am sure, for we must hie to

led the way to the great gate of the pr

Inn a

brother received from the hands of the liberators the re

ppiness were theirs that night, as they kne

e men of the party gathered together round the heart

Lord Clinton, who happens to be in London. I fear that this portends that the

d his campaign against the French King, and t

departure from Lewes was delayed, but that he would follow him in a few hours. Perhaps we assumed

Ralph; "he will tell you himself, as he has ofte

" was said, and the men

overjoyed to see Geoffrey de Fynes already at table; he had ridden up to London that day. Very he

xhibited all the manly grace which seemed to be hereditary in the noble family of the Dacres, of which he was the sole male representative. He had not heard t

d, as he leapt from his seat

ily; they would be his "brothers-in-arms" now, and ere l

for at that moment Susan entered the

e library, and I hastened thither," she said. "Now tel

sk for Susan's hand in marriage, and now he was re

s trouble, and she hastened to d

se; for think! at this very hour our beloved Ralph might have been st

the young people were summoned to the library, where Don Renard and Lord

narrowly scanned his young recruits. He was still in the prime of life, though h

rance of the young men, of whom Don Renard had t

onour of forming part of the escort which accompanied Queen Ann of Clev

s anxious to make their personal acquaintance, and perhaps

of eight thousand men, of whom an advance body would

with posts on his own staff. If this met their views it would be necessary for them to join

consent, and so the matter was deci

so, I doubt not, will be the case with these young gentlemen.

leave of his two protégés, and t

prevailed at Gr

o be made, many farewells to b

companied by a trusty serving-man, mounted their horses for

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