HONOURABLE DISGRACE.
January of 1646, according to the division of the year, arrived, and
with it the heaviest cloud that had yet overshadowed Raglan.
One day, about the middle of the month. Dorothy, entering lady
Glamorgan's parlour, found it deserted. A moan came to her ears from
the adjoining chamber, and there she found her mistress on her face
on the bed.
'Madam,' said Dorothy in terror, 'what is it? Let me be with you.
May I not know it?'
'My lord is in prison,' gasped lady Glamorgan, and bursting into
fresh tears, she sobbed and moaned.
'Has my lord been taken in the field, madam, or by cunning of his
enemies?'
'Would to God it were either,' sighed lady Glamorgan. 'Then were it
a small thing to bear.'
'What can it be, madam? You terrify me,' said Dorothy.
No words of reply, only a fresh outburst of agonised--could it also
be angry?--weeping followed.
'Since you will tell me nothing, madam, I must take comfort that of
myself I know one thing.'
'Prithee, what knowest thou?' asked the countess, but as if careless
of being answered, so listless was her tone, so nearly inarticulate
her words.
'That is but what bringeth him fresh honour, my lady,' answered
Dorothy.
The countess started up, threw her arms about her, drew her down on
the bed, kissed her, and held her fast, sobbing worse than ever.
'Madam! madam!' murmured Dorothy from her bosom.
'I thank thee, Dorothy,' she sighed out at length: 'for thy words
and thy thoughts have ever been of a piece.'
'Sure, my lady, no one did ever yet dare think otherwise of my
lord,' returned Dorothy, amazed.
'But many will now, Dorothy. My God! they will have it that he is a
traitor. Wouldst thou believe it, child--he is a prisoner in the
castle of Dublin!'
'But is not Dublin in the hands of the king, my lady?'
'Ay! there lies the sting of it! What treacherous friends are these
heretics! But how should they be anything else? Having denied their
Saviour they may well malign their better brother! My lord marquis
of Ormond says frightful things of him.'
'One thing more I know, my lady,' said Dorothy, '--that as long as
his wife believes him the true man he is, he will laugh to scorn all
that false lips may utter against him.'
'Thou art a good girl, Dorothy, but thou knowest little of an evil
world. It is one thing to know thyself innocent, and another to
carry thy head high.'
'But, madam, even the guilty do that; wherefore not the innocent
then?'
'Because, my child, they ARE innocent, and innocence so hateth the
very shadow of guilt that it cannot brook the wearing it. My lord is
grievously abused, Dorothy--I say not by whom.'
'By whom should it be but his enemies, madam?'
'Not certainly by those who are to him friends, but yet, alas! by
those to whom he is the truest of friends.'
'Is my lord of Ormond then false? Is he jealous of my lord
Glamorgan? Hath he falsely accused him? I would I understood all,
madam.'
'I would I understood all myself, child. Certain papers have been
found bearing upon my lord's business in Ireland, all ears are
filled with rumours of forgery and treason, coupled with the name of
my lord, and he is a prisoner in Dublin castle.'
She forced the sentence from her, as if repeating a hated lesson,
then gave a cry, almost a scream of agony.
'Weep not, madam,' said Dorothy, in the very foolishness of
sympathetic expostulation.
'What better cause could I have out of hell!' returned the countess,
angrily.
'That it were no lie, madam.'
'It is true, I tell thee.'
'That my lord is a traitor, madam?'
Lady Glamorgan dashed her from her, and glared at her like a
tigress. An evil word was on her lips, but her better angel spoke,
and ere Dorothy could recover herself, she had listened and
understood.
'God forbid!' she said, struggling to be calm. 'But it is true that
he is in prison.'
'Then give God thanks, madam, who hath forbidden the one and allowed
the other, said Dorothy; and finding her own composure on the point
of yielding, she courtesied and left the room. It was a breach of
etiquette without leave asked and given, but the face of the
countess was again on her pillow, and she did not heed.
For some time things went on as in an evil dream. The marquis was in
angry mood, with no gout to lay it upon. The gloom spread over the
castle, and awoke all manner of conjecture and report. Soon, after a
fashion, the facts were known to everybody, and the gloom deepened.
No further enlightenment reached Dorothy. At length one evening, her
mistress having sent for her, she found her much excited, with a
letter in her hand.
'Come here, Dorothy: see what I have!' she cried, holding out the
letter with a gesture of triumph, and weeping and laughing
alternately.
'Madam, it must be something precious indeed,' said Dorothy, 'for I
have not heard your ladyship laugh for a weary while. May I not
rejoice with you, madam?'
'You shall, my good girl: hearken: I will read:--'My dear
Heart,'--Who is it from, think'st thou, Dorothy? Canst guess?--'My
dear Heart, I hope these will prevent any news shall come unto you
of me since my commitment to the Castle of Dublin, to which I assure
thee I went as cheerfully and as willingly as they could wish,
whosoever they were by whose means it was procured; and should as
unwillingly go forth, were the gates both of the Castle and Town
open unto me, until I were cleared: as they are willing to make me
unserviceable to the king, and lay me aside, who have procured for
me this restraint; when I consider thee a Woman, as I think I know
you are, I fear lest you should be apprehensive. But when I reflect
that you are of the House of Thomond, and that you were once pleased
to say these words unto me, That I should never, in tenderness of
you, desist from doing what in honour I was obliged to do, I grow
confident, that in this you will now show your magnanimity, and by
it the greatest testimony of affection that you can possibly afford
me; and am also confident, that you know me so well, that I need not
tell you how clear I am, and void of fear, the only effect of a good
conscience; and that I am guilty of nothing that may testify one
thought of disloyalty to his Majesty, or of what may stain the
honour of the family I come of, or set a brand upon my future
posterity.'
The countess paused, and looked a general illumination at Dorothy.
'I told you so, madam,' returned Dorothy, rather stupidly perhaps.
'Little fool!' rejoined the countess, half-angered: 'dost suppose
the wife of a man like my Ned needs to be told such things by a
green goose like thee? Thou wouldst have had me content that the man
was honest--me, who had forgotten the word in his tenfold more than
honesty! Bah, child! thou knowest not the love of a woman. I could
weep salt tears over a hair pulled from his noble head. And thou to
talk of TELLING ME SO, hussy! Marry, forsooth!'
And taking Dorothy to her bosom, she wept like a relenting storm.
One sentence more she read ere she hurried with the letter to her
father-in-law. The sentence was this:
'So I pray let not any of my friends that's there, believe anything,
until ye have the perfect relation of it from myself.'
The pleasure of receiving news from his son did but little, however,
to disperse the cloud that hung about the marquis. I do not know
whether, or how far, he had been advised of the provision made for
the king's clearness by the anticipated self-sacrifice of Glamorgan,
but I doubt if a full knowledge thereof gives any ground for
disagreement with the judgment of the marquis, which seems, pretty
plainly, to have been, that the king's behaviour in the matter was
neither that of a Christian nor a gentleman. As in the case of
Strafford, he had accepted the offered sacrifice, and, in view of
possible chances, had in Glamorgan's commission pretermitted the
usual authoritative formalities, thus keeping it in his power, with
Glamorgan's connivance, it must be confessed, but at Glamorgan's
expense, to repudiate his agency. This he had now done in a message
to the parliament, and this the marquis knew.
His majesty had also written to lord Ormond as follows: 'And albeit
I have too just cause, for the clearing of my honour, to prosecute
Glamorgan in a legal way, yet I will have you suspend the
execution,' &c. At the same time his secretary wrote thus to Ormond
and the council: 'And since the warrant is not' 'sealed with the
signet,' &c., &c., 'your lordships cannot but judge it to be at
least surreptitiously gotten, if not worse; for his majesty saith he
remembers it not;' and thus again privately to Ormond: 'The king
hath commanded me to advertise your lordship that the patent for
making the said lord Herbert of Raglan earl of Glamorgan is not
passed the great seal here, so as he is no peer of this kingdom;
notwithstanding he styles himself, and hath treated with the rebels
in Ireland, by the name of earl of Glamorgan, which is as vainly
taken upon him as his pretended warrant (if any such be) was
surreptitiously gotten.' The title had, meanwhile, been used by the
king himself in many communications with the earl.
These letters never came, I presume, to the marquis's knowledge, but
they go far to show that his feeling, even were it a little
embittered by the memory of their midnight conference and his hopes
therefrom, went no farther than the conduct of his majesty
justified. It was no wonder that the straightforward old man,
walking erect to ruin for his king, should fret and fume, yea, yield
to downright wrath and enforced contempt.
Of the king's behaviour in the matter, Dorothy, however, knew
nothing yet.
One day towards the end of February, a messenger from the king
arrived at Raglan, on his way to Ireland to lord Ormond. He had
found the roads so beset--for things were by this time, whether from
the successes of the parliament only, or from the negligence of
disappointment on the part of lord Worcester as well, much altered
in Wales and on its borders--that he had been compelled to leave
his despatches in hiding, and had reached the castle only with great
difficulty and after many adventures. His chief object in making his
way thither was to beg of lord Charles a convoy to secure his
despatches and protect him on his farther journey. But lord Charles
received him by no means cordially, for the whole heart of Raglan
was sore. He brought him, however, to his father, who, although
indisposed and confined to his chamber, consented to see him. When
Mr. Boteler was admitted, lady Glamorgan was in the chamber, and
there remained.
Probably the respect to the king's messenger which had influenced
the marquis to receive him, would have gone further and modified the
expression of his feelings a little when he saw him, but that, like
many more men, his lordship, although fairly master of his
temper-horses when in health, was apt to let them run away with him
upon occasion of even slighter illness than would serve for an
excuse.
'Hast thou in thy despatches any letters from his majesty to my son
Glamorgan, master Boteler?' he inquired, frowning unconsciously.
'Not that I know of, my lord,' answered Mr. Boteler, 'but there may
be such with the lord marquis of Ormond's.'
He then proceeded to give a friendly message from the king
concerning the earl. But at this the 'smouldering fire out-brake'
from the bosom of the injured father and subject.
'It is the grief of my heart,' cried his lordship, wrath
predominating over the regret which was yet plainly enough to be
seen in his face and heard in his tone--'It is the grief of my heart
that I am enforced to say that the king is wavering and fickle. To
be the more his friend, it too plainly appeareth, is but to be the
more handled as his enemy.'
'Say not so, my lord,' returned Mr. Boteler. 'His gracious majesty
looketh not for such unfriendly judgment from your lips. Have I not
brought your lordship a most gracious and comfortable message from
him concerning my lord Glamorgan, with his royal thanks for your
former loyal expressions?'
'Mr. Boteler, thou knowest nought of the matter. That thou has
brought me a budget of fine words, I go not to deny. But words may
be but schismatics; deeds alone are certainly of the true faith.
Verily the king's majesty setteth his words in the forefront of the
battle, but his deeds lag in the rear, and let his words be taken
prisoners. When his majesty was last here, I lent him a book to read
in his chamber, the beginning of which I know he read, but if he had
ended, it would have showed him what it was to be a fickle prince.'
'My lord! my lord! surely your lordship knoweth better of his
majesty.'
'To know better may be to know worse, master Boteler. Was it not
enough to suffer my lord Glamorgan to be unjustly imprisoned by my
lord marquis of Ormond for what he had His majesty's authority for,
but that he must in print protest against his proceedings and his
own allowance, and not yet recall it? But I will pray for him, and
that he may be more constant to his friends, and as soon as my other
employments will give leave, you shall have a convoy to fetch
securely your despatches.'
Herewith Mr. Boteler was dismissed, lord Charles accompanying him
from the room.
'False as ice!' muttered the marquis to himself, left as he supposed
alone. 'My boy, thou hast built on a quicksand, and thy house goeth
down to the deep. I am wroth with myself that ever I dreamed of
moving such a bag of chaff to return to the bosom of his honourable
mother.'
'My lord,' said lady Glamorgan from behind the bed-curtains, 'have
you forgotten that I and my long ears are here?'
'Ha! art thou indeed there, my mad Irishwoman! I had verily
forgotten thee. But is not this king of ours as the Minotaur,
dwelling in the labyrinths of deceit, and devouring the noblest in
the land? There was his own Strafford, next his foolish Laud, and
now comes my son, worth a host of such!'
'In his letter, my lord of Glamorgan complaineth not of his
majesty's usage,' said the countess.
'My lord of Glamorgan is patient as Grisel. He would pass through
the pains of purgatory with never a grumble. But purgatory is for
none such as he. In good sooth I am made of different stuff. My soul
doth loath deceit, and worse in a king than a clown. What king is he
that will lie for a kingdom!'
Day after day passed, and nothing was done to speed the messenger,
who grew more and more anxious to procure his despatches and be
gone; but lord Worcester, through the king's behaviour to his
honourable and self-forgetting son, with whom he had never had a
difference except on the point of his blind devotion to his
majesty's affairs, had so lost faith in the king himself that he had
no heart for his business. It seems also that for his son's sake he
wished to delay Mr. Boteler, in order that a messenger of his own
might reach Glamorgan before Ormond should receive the king's
despatches. For a whole fortnight therefore no further steps were
taken, and Boteler, wearied out, bethought him of applying to the
countess to see whether she would not use her influence in his
behalf. I am thus particular about Boteler's affair, because through
it Dorothy came to know what the king's behaviour had been, and what
the marquis thought of it; she was in the room when Mr. Boteler
waited on her mistress.
'May it please your ladyship,' he said, 'I have sought speech of you
that I might beg your aid for the king's business, remembering you
of the hearty affection my master the king beareth towards your lord
and all his house.'
'Indeed you do well to remember me of that, master Boteler, for it
goeth so hard with my memory in these troubled times that I had nigh
forgotten it,' said the countess dryly.
'I most certainly know, my lady, that his majesty hath gracious
intentions towards your lord.'
'Intention is but an addled egg,' said the countess. 'Give me deeds,
if I may choose.'
'Alas! the king hath but little in his power, and the less that his
business is thus kept waiting.'
'Your haste is more than your matter, master Boteler. Believe me,
whatsoever you consider of it, your going so hurriedly is of no
great account, for to my knowledge there are others gone already
with duplicates of the business.'
'Madam, you astonish me.'
'I speak not without book. My own cousin, William Winter, is one,
and he is my husband's friend, and hath no relation to my lord
marquis of Ormond,' said lady Glamorgan significantly.
'My lord, madam, is your lord's very good friend, and I am very much
his servant; but if his majesty's business be done, I care not by
whose hand it is. But I thank your honour, for now I know wherefore
I am stayed here.'
With these words Boteler withdrew--and withdraws from my story, for
his further proceedings are in respect of it of no consequence.
When he was gone, lady Glamorgan, turning a flushed face, and
encountering Dorothy's pale one, gave a hard laugh, and said:
'Why, child! thou lookest like a ghost! Was afeard of the man in my
presence?'
'No, madam; but it seemed to me marvellous that his majesty's
messenger should receive such words from my mistress, and in my lord
of Worcester's house.'
'I' faith, marvellous it is, Dorothy, that there should be such good
cause so to use him!' returned lady Glamorgan, tears of vexation
rising as she spoke. 'But an' thou think I used the man roughly,
thou shouldst have heard my father speak to him his mind of the king
his master.'
'Hath the king then shown himself unkingly, madam?' said Dorothy
aghast.
Whereupon lady Glamorgan told her all she knew, and all she could
remember of what she had heard the marquis say to Boteler.
'Trust me, child,' she added, 'my lord Worcester, no less than I am,
is cut to the heart by this behaviour of the king's. That my
husband, silly angel, should say nothing, is but like him. He would
bear and bear till all was borne.'
'But,' said Dorothy, 'the king is still the king.'
'Let him be the king then,' returned her mistress. 'Let him look to
his kingdom. Why should I give him my husband to do it for him and
be disowned therein? I thank heaven I can do without a king, but I
can't do without my Ned, and there he lies in prison for him who
cons him no thanks! Not that I would overmuch heed the prison if the
king would but share the blame with him; but for the king to deny
him--to say that he did all of his own motion and without
authority!--why, child, I saw the commission with my own eyes, nor
count myself under any farther obligation to hold my peace
concerning it! I know my husband will bear all things, even disgrace
itself, undeserved, for the king's sake: he is the loveliest of
martyrs; but that is no reason why I should bear it. The king hath
no heart and no conscience. No, I will not say that; but I will say
that he hath little heart and less conscience. My good husband's
fair name is gone--blasted by the king, who raiseth the mist of
Glamorgan's dishonour that he may hide himself safe behind it. I
tell thee, Dorothy Vaughan, I should not have grudged his majesty my
lord's life, an' he had been but a right kingly king. I should have
wept enough and complained too much, in womanish fashion, doubtless;
but I tell thee earl Thomond's daughter would not have grudged it.
But my lord's truth and honour are dear to him, and the good report
of them is dear to me. I swear I can ill brook carrying the title he
hath given me. It is my husband's and not mine, else would I fling
it in his face who thus wrongs my Herbert.'
This explosion from the heart of the wild Irishwoman sounded
dreadful in the ears of the king-worshipper. But he whom she thus
accused the king of wronging, had been scarcely less revered of her,
even while the idol with the feet of clay yet stood, and had
certainly been loved greatly more, than the king himself. Hence,
notwithstanding her struggle to keep her heart to its allegiance,
such a rapid change took place in her feelings, that ere long she
began to confess to herself that if the puritans could have known
what the king was, their conduct would not have been so
unintelligible--not that she thought they had an atom of right on
their side, or in the least feared she might ever be brought to
think in the matter as they did; she confessed only that she could
then have understood them.
The whole aspect and atmosphere of Raglan continued changed. The
marquis was still very gloomy; lord Charles often frowned and bit
his lip; and the flush that so frequently overspread the face of
lady Glamorgan as she sat silent at her embroidery, showed that she
was thinking in anger of the wrong done to her husband. In this
feeling all in the castle shared, for the matter had now come to be
a little understood, and as they loved the earl more than the king,
they took the earl's part.
Meantime he for whose sake the fortress was troubled, having been
released on large bail, was away, with free heart, to Kilkenny, busy
as ever on behalf of the king, full of projects, and eager in
action. Not a trace of resentment did he manifest--only regret that
his majesty's treatment of him, in destroying his credit with the
catholics as the king's commissioner, had put it out of his power to
be so useful as he might otherwise have been. His brain was ever
contriving how to remedy things, but parties were complicated, and
none quite trusted him now that he was disowned of his master.