Robin Tremayne Part 37

And lastly, "He shall live." He shall come again; He shall reign over the earth; He shall live for ever. And "because He liveth, we shall live also." If He could die again, then might we. But He dieth no more, having died once for us; and we that believe in Him, He having died in our stead, can never die the second death. He hath abolished death, as well for His Church as for Himself: He that is the Living One for evermore holdeth the keys of h.e.l.l and of death. And for this cause, even the natural death, not one can suffer except by His permission. Mr Rose bade his hearers not to fall into the blunder that evil men held their lives in their hands. "Christ hath the keys, not they. If they be suffered to take our lives away, it is because we have ended our work, and He calleth us home to Him. And what child ever went home from school that went not gladly, except indeed he had an ill home? Let us not bring up an evil report of that good Land, by unwillingness to go Home." Coming back, they found Dr Thorpe returned, and talking with Thekla.

"She is the manliest woman ever I saw in all my life!" cried he.

Thekla made no answer, except a smile; but it disappeared as soon as she saw her friends, and coming forward, she began to talk in a low tone with Robin.

"There is small praise for somebody," said John. "Who is it--my Lady Elizabeth's Grace?"

"Even so," replied Dr Thorpe.

"Well, and how went the matter?" said he.

"Why," he answered, "they took her in at the drawbridge by the Traitor's Gate. And, the barge arrived there, my Lord Treasurer sent my Lord of Suss.e.x to desire her Grace to land. 'Nay, that will I not,' quo' she.

Nor could she, in very deed, unless she had gone into the water over her shoe. My Lord of Suss.e.x then went back from her to my Lord Treasurer, and brought word that she would not come. Then said my Lord Treasurer roughly, 'She shall not choose.' And all this while sat she in the rain. So my Lord Treasurer stepped forward and did proffer his cloak for her to tread on. Then up rose my Lady Elizabeth, and put back my Lord Treasurer's cloak with her hand, with a good dash. And setting her foot upon the stair, she saith stoutly, 'Here landeth the truest subject, being a prisoner, that ever landed at these stairs.' To whom my Lord Treasurer--'So much the better for you, Madam.' So in went she, as manly as ever did man; and Sir John Gage shut up the gates upon her.

She hath the stoutest stomach ever I saw. If all the men were hanged through England, there should be yet one left in her."

On Good Friday the Marquis of Northampton was released from the Tower.

Dr Thorpe said, the Queen "played at see-saw with my Lord of Northampton, for he is in the Tower this day and out the next, and so over again." In the afternoon of Easter Sunday, Esther and Mrs Rose went out together. When they returned, Mrs Rose went up quickly to her own chamber; and Esther drew her mistress aside.

"Why, Esther, what is the matter?" said Isoult.

"Methinks I had better tell you," replied she. "I would I could have helped it; yet the Blessed saw not good. As we came back through Poules, there was set up on a board a long list of all the priests in this diocese which have been divorced from their wives by decree of my Lord of London; and them that had parted by consent were set by themselves. And in this list--"

"Good lack!" cried Isoult. "Saw you Mr Rose's name?"

"_She_ saw it," said Esther in a low voice, "though I did essay to turn her away therefrom by bidding her to observe the fair carving on the other side the way; but it was to no good. She caught the two names--'Thomas Rose' and 'Margaret Van der Velde.' And she brake forth when she saw them. I thank the All Merciful we two were alone in the cloister."

"But what said she?"

"'Margaret Van der Velde!' she cried. 'I am _not_ Margaret Van der Velde! I am Marguerite Rose. I have borne his name for two and twenty years, and shall I cast it off now at the Bishop of London's bidding?

No, not if he were the Pope and the whole College of Cardinals!' Then she fell into French and Spanish mixed together. And 'Parted by consent!' quoth she. '_Ay Dios! que veut-on dire_? what consent is there? They thrust us asunder with halberds, and then say we have parted by consent! G.o.d! art Thou in Heaven, and dost Thou see all this?' she cried."

"Poor soul! And what saidst thou, Esther?"

"I said little, only essayed to draw her away and to comfort her. It is hard work to bear such things, I know. But I think we be too apt to seek to be our King's kings--to bring down the Holy One that inhabiteth eternity to the measure of our poor knowledge. 'Tis not alway when _we_ think Israel at the lowest that Othniel is raised up to judge us. He will come at the right time, and in time to save us; but very often that is not the time we would choose."

Poor Mrs Rose! Isoult could scarcely wonder at her words of indignation. But she had not seen nor borne the worst yet.

"Isoult!" said Dr Thorpe, coming in on the 8th of April, "there is a jolly sight in the Chepe. I take it, a piece of some Lutheran's or Gospeller's work, whose wit and zeal be on the thither side of his discretion. On the gallows in Cheapside is a cat hanged, arrayed in vestments, all proper, her head shaven, and her forefeet tied over her head with a round of paper betwixt them for a wafer. What say you to that for a new thing?"

"Poor cat!" said Robin; yet he laughed.

"Nay, I know not that they killed the cat o' purpose," said Dr Thorpe.

"They may have taken a dead one."

"But what say the folk thereto?" asked Isoult.

"Some laugh," he answered, "and some rail, and some look mighty solemn.

Underhill was jolly pleased therewith; it served his turn rightly. I met him on my way home, and he asked me first thing if I had seen Sir Cat."

"I warrant you," said John, "'tis a piece of his work, or else of George Ferris. Mind you not how he told us the tale of his [Underhill]

stealing the copper pix from the altar at Stratford on the Bow? I will be bound one of those merry twain hath done it."

"Little unlike," said Dr Thorpe.

Proclamation was made of a reward of twenty n.o.bles, increased afterward to twenty marks, to find the irreverent hanger up of the cat, but in vain. It was never discovered who did it. On Cantate Sunday--April 22--Mr Rose preached at Mr Sheerson's house in Bow Churchyard. John and Isoult were there, with Esther, Thekla, and Robin. After service (for they were late, and it was beginning when they entered), Mr Rose came to them, and, after a few minutes' conversation, asked if they had heard the news from Oxford.

"Nay," said John, "is there so?"

"The sorest we might well have," he answered. "My Lord Archbishop, Dr Ridley, and Mr Latimer, be all three cast for death."

Such a cry broke from Isoult, that some turned to look at her, and Mrs Holland came up and asked if she was ill, or what was the matter.

"Are you a.s.sured thereof?" asked John.

"With little question," answered he, "seeing Augustine Bernher came unto me with the news, and is lodged with me: who was himself present at the sentencing and all the whole disputation."

"If Austin brought it, it is true," said John, sorrowfully.

"But they will never burn Mr Latimer," cried Isoult in anguish. "An aged man such as he is, that must die in a few years at the furthest!"

"And my Lord Archbishop, that is chiefest subject of the whole realm!"

said John.

"There is an other before him now," answered Mr Rose. "The chiefest subject of the realm is Cardinal Pole, that is looked for nigh every week."

Austin Bernher, who had been talking with Mr Holland, now came up, and John begged him to tell them particulars of the trial.

"It was a right morris-dance," said he, "all the examination. Mr Prolocutor Weston disputed with the beer-pot at his elbow, and forgot not his devoirs thereto in the course thereof. And (whether the said pot were in fault, I will not say, but) at opening he made a sorry blunder, for he said that the Court was called 'to dispute the detestable heresy of the verity of the body of Christ in the Sacrament.'

There was much laughter in the Court thereupon. It was in the choir of Saint Mary the Virgin they held Court, and my Lord Archbishop was first examined. He denied all propositions advanced unto him, and spake very modestly, wittily [cleverly], and learnedly. So at the end of the day he was sent back to Bocardo, where they held him confined. Then the next day they had in Dr Ridley, who showed sharp, witty, and very earnest; and denied that (being Bishop of Rochester) he had ever preached in favour of transubstantiation. At _one_ point, the people hissing at an answer he had given, Dr Ridley turned him around unto them, and--'O my masters!' saith he, 'I take this for no judgment. I will stand to G.o.d's judgment.' The day thereafter called they up my master [Latimer]; who, on his entering, escaped no hissings nor scornful laughter. He came in from the bailiff's house, where he was lodged, having a kerchief and three or four caps on his head for the fear of cold, his staff in his hand, and his spectacles hanging at his breast by a string [Note 5]. He earnestly desired to be allowed a seat, and also to speak in English; for (quoth he) 'I am out of use with the Latin, and almost as meet to dispute as to be a captain of Calais.' Moreover, he said his memory was weakened, and he very faint. Then they asked him if he would allow the verity of the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament.

Quoth he, 'I have read over the New Testament seven times, and yet could I never find the ma.s.s in it, neither the marrow-bones nor sinews of the same.' You know his merry fashion. Then they asked him how long he had been of that opinion; and he said he had not been so long; that time had been when he said ma.s.s devoutly, for the which he craved G.o.d's mercy now; and he had not been of this mind above seven years. Then they charged him that he was a Lutheran. 'Nay,' said he, 'I was a Papist; for I never could perceive how Luther could defend his opinion, without transubstantiation.' And they desired he should reason touching Luther's opinion. 'I do not take in hand to defend Luther's sayings or doings,' quoth my master. 'If he were here, he would defend himself well enough.' And so went they forward, my master answering readily, but calmly: yet he warmed up high enough once, when one spake of the priest offering of Christ. Quoth he, with some of the ancient fire that was wont to be in him, 'He is too precious a thing for us to offer; He offereth Himself.' Well, after his examination was over (and they took two days to it) Master Harpsfield disputed with my Lord Archbishop for his doctor's gown. And the day thereafter (which was Friday) were they all three brought forth to be judged. Then were Dr Ridley and my master asked if they would turn; but they both answered, 'Nay; I will stand to that I have said.' So then sentence of burning was pa.s.sed upon all of them for heresy. Then said my Lord Archbishop,--'From your judgment and sentence I appeal to the just judgment of G.o.d Almighty; trusting to be present with Him in Heaven, for whose presence in the altar I am thus condemned.' Dr Ridley's answer was--'Although I be not of your company, yet doubt I not but my name is written in an other place, whither this sentence shall send us sooner than we should by the course of nature have come.' And quoth my master--'I thank G.o.d most heartily that He hath prolonged my life to this end, that I may in this case glorify G.o.d by this kind of death.' So they carried them away, each to his old lodging. And yester-morn, but an hour before I set out, there was ma.s.s, and procession down the High Street to Saint Mary's. They caused my Lord to behold it from Bocardo, and Dr Ridley from the Sheriff's house; but not going by the bailiff's house, they fetched my master to see it.

Who thought he was going to his burning, and saith unto the catchpole, 'My master, I pray you, make a quick fire.' But when he came to Carfax, lo, there came the procession in sight, Dr Weston carrying the host, and four other doctors supporting the canopy over him and his bread-G.o.d.

Which no sooner had my master seen than he gathered up his heels, and away he ran, as fast as ever his old bones could carry him, into one Spencer's shop, and would not so much as look toward it. And incontinent after that came I thence; so that I cannot tell any more."

From May to July there was a respite in some respects. Were they waiting for Philip?

The Princess Elizabeth was released from the Tower, and sent to Richmond; Mr Bertie, summoned before Gardiner in Lent, took advantage of the temporary cessation of the persecution in the summer, and escaped to Germany. The gallows set up for Wyatt's followers were taken down; the cross in Cheapside was regilded; and bonfires, bell-ringing, and _Te Deums_, were commanded throughout London, as soon as the news of Philip's landing should be received.

"I marvel," observed Mr Rose, one Sunday, "if we should not do better to sing _Miserere mei, Deus_."

Philip came at last--too soon at any time--landing at Hampton on the 20th of July. He and the Queen were married in the Lady Chapel of Winchester Cathedral on the 25th, Mr Underhill being present, and receiving a venison pasty as his share of the spoil; and on the 19th of August, London went forth to welcome its new King. Dr Thorpe, of course, put on clean ruffles and trudged off to see the sight; so did John and Robin, though they contented themselves with strolling down to the riverside to watch the barge pa.s.s. Isoult declined, as she said, "to go see one of whom she feared so much." John asked Mrs Rose and Thekla if they wished to go.

"What! to see the Prince of the Asturias?" [Note 6] cried Mrs Rose.

"Think you we have seen too little of him in Flanders? I would as soon to see Satan."

Thekla smiled and shook her head; and that was her answer. So when the three returned, they were desired to say, "what like were the King."

"Not so high as Kate, nor any thing like so well favoured," growled Dr Thorpe.

"Softly! softly!" said John, smiling.