Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-05-10

tlonS, child. come 10 tne CaSlle to-inorroW
at the hour of twelve, and we will give
thee audience. Bat tell me. who is thy
brave young champion BY my soul, he
hath right gallant spirit! !"
81 do not know, your majesty; | never
saw him BEFORE" said Rosamond.
The boy of whom they spoke had gone
back among the spectators, but on hearing
these words, he stepped modestly forward
He was handsome lad, with deep, dark,
beaming eyes, and sort of grand look "a
bout his forehead, which made him seem,
for all his plain peasant dress, nober than
any young lord Or duke in all that cayal-
cade.
The queen smiled on him, and said
"Well, young rash-head, what art thou
called ~
William Shakespeare, may itplease your
majesty"
"Marry, good name, and an honest
and thou art brave lad-doubtless we
shall hear Of thee when thou art man.
But now away with We both, for it is late
for such chicks to be abroad
Then she loosened the reins of her horse
and rode forward with Leicester, and all
the procession moved on again. They
passed through the tower, over the bridge,
and entered the castle, with another peal
of music and discharge of artillery, and
such terrific irruption of rockets that some
of the country women shrieked with fright,
thinking that the castle and all the great
folk IN it were being blown into atoms, some
even fancying that they saw the queen on
her white horse, riding straight up into the
I air.
Rosamond We're went away to Warwick,
with some friends, and William Shakespeare
went home to S!ratlord with his father and
mother They drove in rough little was-
on, for in those days only kings and mobiles
had carriages. William sat on bag OF
wool behind his parents. His head was
full Of the splendors he had seen, and hs
heart beat high and fast with pride because
of the queens praise. He was greatly eX-
cited, but he was tired also, and when they
reached home, he was found fast asleep on
the wool-bag.
The next day when little Rosamond pre-
sented herself at the castle, she was at once
admitted and conducted to an ante-room,
where she had few minutes to wait. She
met there an elegant young courtler, one
Sir Walter Raleigh, who kindly instructed
her how to conduct herself before the queen
Above all things, he told her she must re-
member never to turn her back on her ma
iesty, but when she was dismissed, 10 go
out backwards. And Rosamond promised
to do as he babe her. Just at twelve, she
was summoned BY the Lord Chamberlain
to the great hall, where the queen was hold
ing court She was seated on throne,
under canopy of state. She wore her
crown, and dress of rich velvet, soft, blue,
like the sky, covered with white lace SO
fine that it looked like light clouds, and it
was looped up with great diamonds, that
shone like stars.
After having been conducted 10 the foot
of the throne, Rosamond knelt there, and
looked up timidly into her majesty's face.
Alas it was clouded with frown
'And So" exclaimed the queen, "thou
art the daughter of that Walter We're, who
lately conspired, with other traitors, to set
our prisoner Mary of Scotland, free He
bath deserved death, and death he shall
have !"
ooh, have mercy, gracious madam, F"
cried Rosamond, "my poor father hath a
tender heart and the Queen ofScots moved
it by her tears and her beauty. Oh, she is
so beautiful, if your grace would see her,
you would have pity on her also"
! Queen Elizabeth bluShed deeply, for she
knew in her heart, that she was envious OF
Mary Stuart's beauty; and she said more
sternly than before
"Thy father hath acted traitorously and
must abide his sentence. Go, child"
But Rosamond, instead of rising, took
from her bosom a small package and placed
ii the queens hand 1t was a paper
containing a ring. On the paper was writ.
ten the name of Walter We're, and verse
Of Scripture, signed Gamma R.n On the
ring was engraved a crest, the arms of the
Boleyns.
Queen Elizabeth turned pale as she ex-
amined these, and hastily asked
"Where got you this And this 7 Speak,
grill"
my father" answered Rosamond, "was
an officer in the Tower at the time the
queen, your mother. was imprisoned there.
He was good 10 her, ard the night before
she WAS beheaded, she gave him these me-
mentoes."
Elizabeth's face softened, and tear
shone for moment in her cold, grey eye,
but did not fall then she spoke "
''For Ter memory'S sake, we grant thy
prayer We forgive thy father, but let him
see to it bow he again braves our ire.n
She then wrote an order for the lmmedi-
ate liberation Of Walter We're, stating that
she had granted him full pardon. This
paper she was about to give into the hands
of an officer to be conveyed to London, but
Rosamond begged that she might carry it
herself, and the queen kindly asserting,
placed her under the charge of the officer,
requesting him, with her own lips, to be
kind to the child. She extended her beau
tiful hand to Rosamond, who kissed it fer
vently, but was too much overcome with
Joy and thankfulness TO speak word more.
She rose UP SO bewildered, and in such
haste TO set out on her Journey, that she
quite forgot Sir Walter Raleigh's injanc-
tons, and, turning her back on the queen,
actually ran out of the hall, much to the
merriment Of the gay court.
The rest Of Rosamond's story is soon
told. She went to London and freed hel
father, who never got into any trouble Of