"I must see the King, Master Graves," said William Seymour, on the
afternoon of the day, some of the events of which we have just
recorded, "and that immediately, if it be possible."
"You cannot have speech of him now, sir," replied the usher. "His
Majesty is deep in consultation with Lord Essendon."
"Lord Essendon!" exclaimed William Seymour; "who may that be? Oh, Sir
Robert Cecil, I suppose; but, nevertheless, Master Graves, I must beg
you to inform his Majesty that I am here, and have something important
to communicate to him."
After considerable hesitation, the usher quitted the antechamber and
entered the King's closet. The door was partly left open behind him,
and Seymour heard the monarch's voice engaged in instructing Cecil in
the art and mystery of removing the dew-claws of deer-hounds.
Nevertheless, he appeared not a little disturbed by the interruption
of this important disquisition, said first, that the gentleman must
wait, asked what need he had to be in such a hurry; and at length,
being informed that his business was of importance, he bade the usher
show him in, adding, with a horribly blasphemous oath, "Let him come
in, then, let him come in; but if I find he interrupts my council
without cause, I will have his ears slit."
The blood came up into Seymour's face as he heard those words, and he
walked slowly and with a stern brow into the King's presence, as soon
as the usher threw back the door to give him admission.
"Well now, man, well," cried James, shuffling himself impatiently to
the other side of his chair, "what's the matter now, that you must
disturb us when in deep consultation on matters of importance? What,
is this all?" he continued, taking up a letter which Seymour placed
before him. "The lassie's epistle might well have waited for a more
convenient season. We will criticise it at our leisure. Her style is
not amiss, and deserves correction. You may go, sir; but you must
learn not to intrude with trifles upon a King who has more serious
matters to think of."
"The lady informed me, sire," replied Seymour, "that the letter was of
the utmost consequence. She bade me promise to deliver it into your
Majesty's own hand, and not to lose a moment till I did so."
"That's the way with all these women," said James, throwing down the
letter upon the table; "they think that the merest trifle about
them--a pair of gloves, or a pot of perfume--is as much as the safety
of a kingdom, or a fundamental point of doctrine."
"The Lady Arabella Stuart said, sire," answered Seymour, taking a step
towards the door, "that the letter concerned your Majesty's safety,
and the welfare of the state."
"Ha!--what? What's that ye say, sir!" exclaimed the King, snatching up
the letter again, with a nervous twitching of the face. "Our immediate
safety? Stay, man, stay," and he opened the letter in haste.
"Odds life!" he cried, when he had read it, and before he had opened
the enclosure, "she's a good lassie, and has a tender regard for our
sacred person, with all due humility on her part. Read what she says,
my Lord, while we peruse the enclosed."
Cecil took the letter from the King's hand, and examined the contents
attentively, but with his usual cool and impenetrable look, showing
not the slightest emotion of any kind. In the meanwhile, the King read
through from beginning to end the letter from Lord Cobham which
Arabella had enclosed, without making any remark till he came to the
conclusion, when he said, "Just so, just so; this is full
confirmation."
"Perhaps, sire, Mr. Seymour had better retire for a little," observed
Cecil.
"No need, man, no need," replied James; "he's a discreet young man,
and will not divulge the King's counsel. What think ye of this affair,
my Lord?"
"The lady seems to treat it very lightly, sire," replied his
councillor; "she evidently looks upon the whole matter as a scurvy
jest."
"Ay, does she? and rightly," said the King, "as far as she is
personally concerned; but ye see when she comes to speak of our
safety, she takes up a very different tone, saying, 'Whatever affects
your Majesty, however, immediately grows into a matter of such
importance, that although I cannot help regarding what this Lord has
written to me as even more foolish than wicked, and in fact only to be
laughed at, yet I will venture to send the letter to your Majesty.'
She might have spared that word," observed the King, looking up to
William Seymour. "You must tell her, sir, always to attend to the
euphony of her sentences; and there is nothing that destroys it so
much as tautology, producing a cacophony very unpleasant to the
ear"--and turning to the letter again, he read on, "'trusting that you
will rather forgive an over zeal, though it be troublesome, than a
neglect of duty.' That's not amiss, my Lord; we have nothing to
reprove in that phrase. Now, sir, what think ye ought to be done?" and
he looked slily in Cecil's face, with an expression which the minister
did not comprehend.
"I should suggest, your Majesty," replied Cecil, "under correction of
your wisdom, that a warrant should be immediately issued for the
apprehension of this Lord Cobham. Though it is usual to call the
council together upon such an occasion, yet your Majesty's undoubted
prerogative, and the necessity of haste, well overstep such
ceremonies."
"True, my Lord, true," said James; "for if a rat-catcher lets all his
dogs run on before him, he'll not gripe many of the long-tailed gentry
that frequent the holes and corners of old houses."
"Assuredly, sire," replied Cecil, gravely.
"Do ye not think it's better," continued the King, "for him to go
quietly and secretly to work, peering into this hole, and that, and
catching a beast here, and a beast there, and baiting his traps
artificially with a piece of cheese, or a piece of bacon; as the case
may be, without even whispering in the cat's ear to take care where
she puts her paws!"
"Beyond all doubt, sire," answered Cecil, "that is the most expedient
course."
"Well, man, well," cried James, bursting into a fit of laughter; "I am
the rat-catcher, and by this time, I trust, I have gotten all the
brutes safe in the trap."
Practised as Cecil was in the ways of a court, powerful as was his
command over his own countenance, he could not refrain from an
expression of some surprise, not unmingled with curiosity, as to the
monarch's meaning. As the intention of James, however, was evidently
to astonish him, the courtier may have perhaps displayed even more
than he felt, when he exclaimed aloud, "Your Majesty fills me with
wonder--I cannot tell what you mean."
"We will tell thee, we will tell thee," cried James; "we will expound
the matter, my good lord secretary. Here is a list of certain
gentlemen," and he produced a paper, not the most cleanly in
appearance, which he proceeded to read, saying, "The Lord Cobham, the
Lord Grey de Wilton, Sir Walter Raleigh, knight, Sir Griffin Markham,
Sir Edward Parham, both knights, Master George Brooke, Master Copely,
Fathers Watson and Clarke. There's a goodly list, containing some of
the most ill-ordered men in the kingdom. Two popish priests, a
puritan, an atheist, three or four free-thinkers and libertines, and
all traitors. Now, if God have any mercy left for this poor realm of
ours, all these rats, man, are by this time in the Tower, by virtue of
a warrant under our hand, despatched yesterday evening at four of the
clock."
"I can scarcely believe my ears, sire," exclaimed Cecil. "How might
your Majesty's wisdom discover this affair?"
"Ay, that's a secret, man; that's a secret," cried the King, "and
by--" and he used one of his usual blasphemous oaths of a very
terrible and disgusting sort, "I will never tell how I discovered it.
But it is just so, Cecil; and had this girl not thought fit to let us
know the treasonable practices of these men towards her, she might
have brought suspicion on herself. You see, my Lord, that this letter
of the Lord Cobham is dated the evening before last, at five, post
meridian. Now she could not well get it till this morning."
"I found her in great tribulation, sire," said William Seymour, "and
she said she was glad to find a messenger she could trust. Master
George Brooke, too, whom your majesty has just named, called while I
was there, but the Lady Arabella refused to see him, and sent him away
with a short answer."
"Ha!" exclaimed the King, "she should not have done that, she should
have admitted him to her presence, given him soft words, and lured him
gently to display all his evil intentions and secret machinations."
"Perhaps, sire," said William Seymour, with more respect in his tone
than he really felt in his heart, "she might think that therein she
might have trenched upon your Majesty's peculiar province; for nobody
I should think is so competent to carry on such a keen and subtle
investigation as yourself."
Cecil gave a sharp glance at him, to see if he felt the keen satire of
his own speech, or if, on the contrary, he had uttered it in
simplicity. William Seymour's face, however, was perfectly calm and
grave; and the King, according to his custom, took nothing but the
complimentary part to himself.
"True, sir, true," he cried, "a very discreet observation, and
doubtless the young lady judged rightly in leaving the matter in our
hands. We are, it must be confessed, not insignificantly astute in
discovering the designs of conspirators. We have had, to our sorrow,
much experience in such matters, our good people of Scotland being a
somewhat unruly and self-willed race, with very little reverence for
anything, especially for kings, though they should know that a
monarch, being anointed of the Lord, is, in fact, God's Vicegerent on
earth, to whom all men owe obedience and honour."
Seymour merely bowed his head; but Cecil enlarged upon the theme, and
expressed without any reservation his wish that people would a little
more consider whence the authority of kings was derived.
"Wait a little, wait a little," cried James, "we will indoctrinate
them, and, if there be any sense left in the world, will show them
from Scripture on what the prerogative of a monarch is founded. And
so, Cecil, I can see you would fain know whence came our information
regarding this plot--Ye'll never divine, man. It's a secret for our
own keeping. But this much I'll tell ye, that it came from neither an
Englishman nor a Scot, a Frenchman nor an Italian, a Spaniard nor a
Hollander. Now go to and con your riddle."
"It is beyond my capacity, sire," replied Cecil, "and it only remains
for me to inquire what your Majesty would have further done."
"They must all be tried, man; they must all be tried," said King
James; "but the plague being still in London, we will have them
brought to Winchester. Though it may be as well to have the man called
Markham and the two priests fetched hither; for we would fain ask our
fair cousin Arabella whether they are the men she saw in
Cambridgeshire."
"May not that be better done at the trial, sire?" asked Cecil, who
would fain have prevented the King, if possible, from stepping out of
the usual course of proceeding.
"No, no, man," cried James, "we will have it so. A little preliminary
investigation by ourselves will save the lawyers a great deal of
trouble. And you, sir," he continued, addressing William Seymour, "as
you have behaved yourself very discreetly in this affair, shall go
over on the Wednesday morning,--was it not Wednesday, we said?--with
another gentleman, to escort the Lady Arabella to our court. What,
sir, you do not look pleased!"
William Seymour, who, to say truth, was only displeased at having any
one else joined with him in the commission, immediately replied, "I am
here only to obey your Majesty's command, and am always well pleased
to do so."
"That is right, sir, that is right," said the King; "always act as
wisely as you have done in this, and you shall have advancement;--you
may now retire."
Seymour gladly obeyed the monarch's commands; for though he was of a
loyal race and disposition, it was very difficult to keep up a
remembrance of what is always due to a monarch for his very office
sake, in the presence of one whose character as well as his demeanour,
whose acts as well as his person, had so little in them to secure
respect. He had pleasant anticipations before him, however; and the
rest of the evening was passed in thinking of the sweet task appointed
for the following Wednesday, or in building airy structures, with the
aid of those master architects, Hope and Imagination.
Alas! how often does it happen that the events to which we look
forward with the brightest expectations, which seem to our eyes full
of coming joy, are fraught with sorrow and disaster! We must not
exactly say, that the day to which Seymour stretched the longing eyes
of love and hope, proved the most unfortunate in his life, for such
was not the case. There was a far darker and more fatal one beyond;
but still the events it brought forth were amongst the most unpleasant
which had yet befallen him in life.
The morning of that Wednesday dawned brightly; the sky was clear and
serene; there was sufficient air to refresh the traveller as he rode
along; and William Seymour, followed by his own servants, and
accompanied by Sir Lewis Lewkenor, who held the office of master of
the ceremonies at the King's court, proceeded at a quick pace to the
temporary residence of the Lady Arabella Stuart.
They found her dressed and waiting for them, her servants all
prepared, and her own horse saddled, and at the door. She could not
refrain from greeting Seymour with more warmth than a mere stranger;
and, to say the truth, her countenance fell a little at the sight of
his companion; for she had hoped that they might enjoy, during their
two hours' ride, some of that private conversation which they had now
but too few opportunities of obtaining. Sir Lewis, perhaps, remarked
this difference of manner towards himself and Seymour, with whom he
had been giving himself some airs of importance as they came along, to
which the young gentleman, occupied with his own thoughts, had paid
but little attention. The knight, at all events, chose the moment of
their departure for the display of his official consequence; and when
Arabella, after taking leave of her aunt, approached the side of her
horse, in order to mount, he advanced as of right to assist her. But
Seymour took one step forward between him and the lady, and, with a
light and easy hand, lifted her at once to the saddle.
"Sir, I do not understand what you mean by this!" exclaimed Sir Lewis;
"you take too much upon yourself, and forget that it is my right to
place the lady on her horse, as one of the chief officers of his
Majesty's household."
Seymour turned towards him with a look of surprise, not unmingled with
anger and scorn.
"It is you who forget yourself, Sir Lewis Lewkenor," he replied: "pray
remember to whom you speak, and do not forget that you are but a petty
gentleman, somewhat honoured by the King, but not fitted to put
yourself upon a par with the old nobility of this realm."
"Sir," exclaimed the knight, in a fierce tone, which he strove in vain
to moderate, "it is on the rights of my office that I stand; and I
tell you that you have done what you ought not to have done, even had
you been a much more important person than you are or ever will be."
"The question of the rights of your office, sir," answered Seymour,
"will easily be settled by a reference to his Majesty. In regard to my
own station, I should think I lowered it, even by bringing it into
comparison with Sir Lewis Lewkenor. But to end this dispute, as you
must see it is painful to the lady, let me say that to me first the
King assigned the task of escorting her to Wilton; and I should be
neglecting my duty to myself and her, and forgetting that the same
blood runs in my veins and those of his Majesty, as well as showing
myself wanting in respect to him who gave me the commission, if I
yielded precedence to any simple knight.--If you think I do wrong, you
can report the case to his Majesty."
While he had been speaking, he had put his foot in the stirrup; and
now, springing into the saddle, he placed himself on Arabella's right.
The lady paused a moment for Sir Lewis to mount, and the whole party
then issued forth from the gates. For about two miles they continued
in the same order, Seymour speedily forgetting the little dispute that
had occurred, and talking at first gravely, but after a time more
gaily with Arabella; while Sir Lewis Lewkenor, on her left, maintained
a sombre and angry silence, working himself up into fury at the
indignity which he supposed was put upon him.
At length, however, he suddenly brought round his horse, pushed it
violently between that of Seymour and the lady's jennet, and
exclaimed, "My post is on the right, sir; and I will not give it up to
any man--though he be the grandson of a saucy Earl, who once well nigh
lost his head for his presumption."
Seymour's eyes flashed fire; and he had seized the bridle of the
knight's horse, when Arabella interposed. "I beseech--I entreat!" she
cried. "Oh, Mr. Seymour, do not show yourself so intemperate as this
person, who certainly strangely forgets himself, to do such things in
my presence."
William Seymour was calm in a moment. The angry light passed away from
his eyes; he let go the bridle of Sir Lewis Lewkenor's horse, and
turning his own rein, rode round upon Arabella's left hand. A painful
pause of a few minutes then succeeded; but, after a slight effort, the
lover mastered the feelings of indignation in his heart, and resumed
his conversation with her he loved, gradually returning to the easy
and unconstrained tone in which he had before been speaking; so that
the lady fancied he would easily forget all the offence which had been
given. Women's hearts are generally forgiving, except on one or two
points; and they are ever inclined to believe that those of men are
equally placable with their own. It is, perhaps, a happy error, and
yet it is a great one. William Seymour felt himself insulted; and he
was not one to pass over an insult, though he might forget an injury.
The ride onward, on his part, passed in perfect tranquility; while, on
the side of Sir Lewis Lewkenor, nought was displayed but that silent
and dogged sullenness, which rarely fails to mark the conduct of one
who feels that he has been both wrong and disagreeable.
They at length reached the splendid mansion of Wilton, to which their
steps were directed, and Seymour, springing from his horse, lifted
Arabella from the saddle. Their angry companion did not interfere, but
bowed low as she turned to depart; while Seymour kissed her hand, with
the admitted gallantry of the time, and followed her to the door, as
if he were going to enter with her. The moment he saw her within the
hall, and led forward by the royal servants, however, he turned
hastily upon his steps, and approached Sir Lewis Lewkenor, who was
talking to one of the grooms.
"I must have the honour of speaking to you for a moment, sir," he
said, with a low inclination of the head.
The knight looked somewhat surprised, but followed him to a little
distance, and then paused, demanding in a much more placable tone,
"What is it, Mr. Seymour?"
"Simply, sir," replied the young gentleman, "that you must be aware
such conduct as you have displayed towards me this day must be
accounted for."
"I protest, sir," replied the knight, "that I have stood but upon the
prerogative of my office; and of that his Majesty must decide."
"Certainly," replied Seymour; "but you have also used words with which
the King can have no concern. You termed me the grandson of a saucy
Earl, who had once nearly lost his head for his presumption. The man
who used such terms was a liar; and the man who ventures to be
insolent under the protection of a lady's presence, but shrinks from
the weight of what he has said when she is gone, is a coward. I trust,
sir, you are not of the latter class, and I maintain you to be of the
former. It will, therefore, become you to follow me, if you have no
urgent business that may detain you."
Sir Lewis Lewkenor was by no means a timid man; and though perhaps he
would have given not a little to have been able with propriety to
retract his words, yet the false laws of honour would not permit him
to do so; and he consequently replied, "I am with you, sir; but
perhaps you are unaware, that any one who draws a sword within the
precincts of the royal residence, subjects himself to severe
punishment."
"I am fully aware of the fact," replied William Seymour; "and I
neither intend to expose you nor myself to such consequences; but a
short walk after our long ride will do us no harm; and if you do not
object, we will retread our steps towards a solitary oak, which you
may remember we passed but now. It is beyond the limits, I think; and
though I must certainly apologize for the trouble I give you, in
making so long an excursion, I trust you will forgive me, seeing that
I have no choice."
"Well, sir, well! I will not disappoint you," said the knight. "It is
certainly beyond the precincts of the Court, and I am with you when
you please."
"I will accompany you this moment," replied Seymour; "we shall be
missed if we stay long,--my sword, I think, is somewhat shorter than
yours; so that there is no advantage on my side."
"Nor any on mine," answered the knight. "Shall we go on foot or on
horseback?"
"On foot, by all means," replied Seymour; "our beasts are too much
exhausted to do good service. Will you walk? I am ready."
"Your most humble servant," answered Sir Lewis; and with these
courteous words, they set out side by side, forbidding the servants to
follow, and taking their way towards the oak-tree Seymour had
mentioned, with every appearance of amity and good-will upon their
countenances.