Windsor Castle

by William Harrison Ainsworth

  V.

  What happened at the Jousts.

  The first of May arrived; and though destined to set in darkness anddespair, it arose in sunshine and smiles.

  All were astir at an early hour within the castle, and preparationswere made for the approaching show. Lists were erected in the upperquadrangle, and the whole of the vast area was strewn with sand. Infront of the royal lodgings was raised a gallery, the centre of which,being set apart for the queen and her dames, was covered with clothof gold and crimson velvet, on which the royal arms were gorgeouslyemblazoned. The two wings were likewise richly decorated, and adornedwith scutcheons and pennons, while from the battlements of the easternside of the court were hung a couple of long flags.

  As soon as these preparations were completed, a throng of pages,esquires, armourers, archers, and henchmen, entered it from the Normangateway, and took up positions within the barriers, the space withoutthe pales being kept by a double line of halberdiers. Next came thetrumpeters, mounted on richly caparisoned horses, and having theirclarions decorated with silken bandrols, fringed with gold. Stationingthemselves at the principal entrance of the lists, they were speedilyjoined by the heralds, pursuivants, and other officers of the tilt-yard.

  Presently afterwards, the Duke of Suffolk, who was appointed judge ofthe lists, appeared, and rode round the arena to see that all was inorder. Apparently well satisfied with the survey, he dismounted, andproceeded to the gallery.

  Meanwhile, the crowd within the court was increased by a great influxof the different members of the household, amongst whom were Shoreditch,Paddington, and Hector Cutbeard.

  "Marry, this promises to be a splendid sight!" said the clerk of thekitchen; "the king will, no doubt, do his devoir gallantly for the sakeof the bright eyes that will look upon him."

  "You mean the queen's, of course?" said Shoreditch.

  "I mean hers who may be queen," replied Cutbeard; "Mistress JaneSeymour."

  "May be queen!" exclaimed Shoreditch. "You surely do not think the kingwill divorce his present consort?"

  "Stranger things have happened," replied Cutbeard significantly. "IfI am not greatly out of my reckoning," he added, "these are the lastjousts Queen Anne will behold."

  "The saints forefend!" cried Shoreditch; "what reason have you forthinking so?"

  "That I may not declare," replied Cutbeard; "but before the jousts areover you will see whether I have been rightly informed or not."

  "Hush!" exclaimed Shoreditch. "There is a tall monk eyeing us strangely;and I am not certain that he has not overheard what you have said."

  "He is welcome to the intelligence," replied Cutbeard; "the end willprove its truth."

  Though this was uttered in a confident tone, he nevertheless glancedwith some misgiving at the monk, who stood behind Paddington. The objectof the investigation was a very tall man, with a cowl drawn over hisbrow. He had a ragged black beard, fierce dark eyes, and a complexionlike bronze. Seeing Cutboard's glance anxiously fixed upon him, headvanced towards him, and said in a low tone--"You have nothing to fearfrom me; but talk not so loud if you value your head."

  "So saying he proceeded to another part of the lists.

  "Who is that tall monk?" asked Paddington.

  "Devil knows!" answered Cutbeard; "I never saw him before. But he has avillainous cut-throat look."

  Soon afterwards a flourish of trumpets was heard, and amid their joyousbruit the queen, sumptuously arrayed in cloth of gold and ermine, andhaving a small crown upon her brow, entered the gallery, and took herseat within it. Never had she looked more beautiful than on this fatalmorning, and in the eyes of all the beholders she completely eclipsedher rival, Jane Seymour. The latter, who stood on her right hard, andwas exquisitely attired, had a thoughtful and anxious air, as if somegrave matter weighed upon her.

  While the queen's attendants were taking their places, Lord Rochford,accompanied by Sir Henry Norris and the Earls of Surrey and Essex,entered the lists. The four knights were completely armed, and mountedon powerful steeds barded with rich cloth of gold, embroidered withsilver letters. Each had a great crimson plume in his helmet. They rodesingly round the arena, and bowed as they passed the royal gallery,Norris bending almost to his saddle-bow while performing his salutationto the queen.

  The field being thus taken by the challengers, who retired to the upperend of the court, a trumpet was thrice sounded by a herald, and ananswer was immediately made by another herald stationed opposite Henrythe Seventh's buildings. When the clamour ceased, the king fully armed,and followed by the Marquis of Dorset, Sir Thomas Wyat, and the LordClifford, rode into the lists.

  Henry was equipped in a superb suit of armour, inlaid with gold, andhaving a breastplate of the globose form, then in vogue; his helmet wasdecorated with a large snow-white plume. The trappings of his steed wereof crimson velvet, embroidered with the royal arms, and edged with greatletters of massive gold bullion, full of pearls and precious stones.He was attended by a hundred gentlemen, armourers, and other officers,arrayed in white velvet.

  Having ridden round the court like the others, and addressed hissalutation exclusively to Jane Seymour, Henry took his station with hiscompanions near the base of the Round Tower, the summit of which wascovered with spectators, as were the towers and battlements around.

  A trumpet was now sounded, and the king and the Lord Rochford havingeach taken a lance from his esquire, awaited the signal to start fromthe Duke of Suffolk, who was seated in the left wing of the royalgallery. It was not long delayed. As the clarion sounded clearly andloudly for the third time, he called out that the champions might go.

  No sooner were the words uttered, than the thundering tramp of thesteeds resounded, and the opponents met midway. Both their lances wereshivered; but as the king did not, in the slightest degree, change hisposition, he was held to have the best of it. Courses were then run bythe others, with varied success, the Marquis of Dorset being unhorsedby Sir Henry Norris, whose prowess was rewarded by the plaudits of theassemblage, and what was infinitely more dear to him, by the smiles ofthe queen.

  "You have ridden well, Norris," cried Henry, advancing towards him."Place yourself opposite me, and let us splinter a lance together."

  As Norris reined back his steed, in compliance with the injunction, thetall monk stepped from out the line, and drawing near him, said, "If youwish to prove victorious, aim at the upper part of the king's helmet."And with these words he withdrew.

  By the time Norris had placed his lance in the rest, the trumpetsounded. The next moment the word was given, and the champions started.Henry rode with great impetuosity, and struck Norris in the gorget withsuch good will that both he and his steed were shaken.

  But Norris was more fortunate. Following the advice of the monk, he madethe upper part of the king's helmet his mark, and the blow was so welldealt, that, though he did not dislodge the royal horseman, it droveback his steed on its haunches.

  The success was so unequivocal that Norris was at once declared thevictor by the judge. No applause, however, followed the decision, from afear of giving offence to the king.

  Norris dismounted, and committing his steed to the care of an esquire,and his lance to a page, took off his helmet and advanced towards theroyal gallery, near which the Earl of Surrey and Sir Thomas Wyat werestanding talking with the other dames. As Norris drew near, Anne leanedover the edge of the gallery, and smiled at him tenderly, and, whetherby design or accident, let fall her embroidered handkerchief.

  Norris stooped to pick it up, regarding her as he did so with a glanceof the most passionate devotion. A terrible gaze, however, was fixedon the unfortunate pair at that moment. It was that of the king. WhileHenry was careering in front of the gallery to display himself beforeJane Seymour, a tall monk approached him, and said, "Look at Sir HenryNorris!"

  Thus addressed, Henry raised his beaver, that he might see moredistinctly, and beheld Norris take up the embroidered handkerchief,which he recognised as one that he had given, in
the early days of hisaffection, to the queen.

  The sight stung him almost to madness, and he had great difficultyin repressing his choler. But if this slight action, heightened toimportance, as it was, by the looks of the parties, roused his ire,it was nothing to what followed. Instead of restoring it to the queen,Norris, unconscious of the danger in which he stood, pressed thehandkerchief fervently to his lips.

  "I am hitherto the victor of the jousts," he said; "may I keep this asthe prize?"

  Anne smiled assent.

  "It is the proudest I ever obtained," pursued Norris. And he placed itwithin his helmet.

  "Does your majesty see that?" cried the tall monk, who still remainedstanding near the king.

  "Death of my life!" exclaimed Henry, "it is the very handkerchief I gaveher before our union! I can contain myself no longer, and must perforceprecipitate matters. What ho!" he cried, riding up to that part ofthe gallery where the Duke of Suffolk was seated--"let the jousts bestopped!"

  "Wherefore, my dear liege?" said Suffolk. "The Earl of Surrey and SirThomas Wyat are about to run a course."

  "Let them he stopped I say!" roared Henry, in a tone that admitted ofno dispute. And wheeling round his charger, he dashed into the middle ofthe barriers, shouting in loud, authoritative accents, "The jousts areat an end! Disperse!"

  The utmost consternation was occasioned by the announcement. The Duke ofSuffolk instantly quitted his seat, and pressed through the crowd to theking, who whispered a few hasty words in his ear. Henry then called tothe Earl of Surrey, the Marquis of Dorset, the Lord Clifford, Wyat, andsome others, and bidding them attend him, prepared to quit the court.As he passed the royal gallery, Anne called to him in an agonisedvoice--"Oh, Henry! what is the matter?--what have I done?"

  But without paying the slightest attention to her, he dashed through theNorman Gate, galloped down the lower quadrangle, and quitted the castle.

  The confusion that ensued may be imagined. All saw that somethingextraordinary and terrible had taken place, though few knew preciselywhat it was. Dismay sat in every countenance, and the general anxietywas heightened by the agitation of the queen, who, uttering a piercingscream, fell back, and was borne off in a state of insensibility by herattendants.

  Unable to control himself at the sight, Norris burst through the guard,and rushing up the great staircase, soon gained the apartment to whichthe queen had been conveyed. Owing to the timely aid afforded her, shewas speedily restored, and the first person her eyes fell upon was herlover. At the sight of him a glance of affection illumined her features,but it was instantly changed into an expression of alarm.

  At this juncture the Duke of Suffolk, who, with Bouchier and a partyof halberdiers, had entered the room, stepped up to the queen, andsaid-"Will it please you, madam, to retire to an inner apartment? Igrieve to say you are under arrest."

  "Arrest!" exclaimed Anne; "for what crime, your grace?"

  "You are charged with incontinency towards the king's highness," repliedSuffolk sternly.

  "But I am innocent!" cried Anne--"as Heaven shall judge me, I aminnocent!"

  "I trust you will be able to prove yourself so, madam," said Suffolk."Sir Henry Norris, your person is likewise attached."

  "Then I am lost indeed!" exclaimed Anne distractedly.

  "Do not let these false and malignant accusations alarm you, madam," saidNorri. "You have nothing to fear. I will die protesting your innocence."

  "Sir Henry Norris," said the duke coldly, "your own imprudence hasbrought about this sad result."

  "I feel it," replied Norris; "and I deserve the worst punishment thatcan be inflicted upon me for it. But I declare to you as I willdeclare upon the rack, if I am placed upon it--that the queen is whollyinnocent. Let her not suffer for my fault."

  "You hear what Sir Henry says," cried Anne; "and I call upon you torecollect the testimony he has borne."

  "I shall not fail to do so, madam," replied Suffolk. "Your majesty willhave strict justice."

  "Justice!" echoed Anne, with a laugh of bitter incredulity. "Justicefrom Henry the Eighth?"

  "Beseech you, madam, do not destroy yourself," said Norris, prostratinghimself before her. "Recollect by whom you are surrounded. My folly andmadness have brought you into this strait, and I sincerely implore yourpardon for it."

  "You are not to blame, Norris," said Anne; "it is fate, not you, thathas destroyed me. The hand that has dealt this blow is that of a queenwithin the tomb."

  "Captain Bouchier," said the Duke of Suffolk, addressing that officer,who stood near him, "you will convey Sir Henry Norris to the strong-roomin the lower gateway, whence he will be removed to the Tower."

  "Farewell for ever, Norris!" cried Anne. "We shall meet no more onearth. In what has fallen on me I recognise the hand of retribution. Butthe same measure which has been meted to me shall be dealt to others. Idenounce Jane Seymour before Heaven! She shall not long retain the crownshe is about to snatch from me!"

  "That imprecation had better have been spared, madam," said the duke.

  "Be advised, my gracious mistress," cried Norris, "and do not let yourgrief and distraction place you in the power of your enemies. All mayyet go well."

  "I denounce her!" persisted Anne, wholly disregarding the caution; "andI also denounce the king. No union of his shall be happy, and otherblood than mine shall flow."

  At a sign from the duke she was here borne, half suffocated withemotion, to an inner apartment, while Norris was conveyed by Bouchierand a company of halberdiers to the lower gateway, and placed within theprison chamber.