Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-03-24

r. oAiJ w W hho"ii thNa
respected BY those who look upon them, not as
tney were made to appear, but as they were.
Here, too, the last remains of once lovely
queens repeat the same warning respecting wo-
mans beauty and most attractive grace. But
letais now look 1t the Tower for the purpose
for which il was built as 8 fortress
While contemplating the Tower. and the fierce
conflicts q The days which brought il into be-
ing, one can but wish he had more than the few
glimmering rays Of light which the pages of
history give upon these dark, Yet intensely in
tensely interesting ages. A telescope, IN which
could be seen all these people, their customs
and manners, uatarnishsd BY the scenes Of
blood shed and rapine, would BE- treat many
may WISH but few have imagination sufficient
20 construct
Amid tho terrific conflict which sprung from
the Nogthman' eadaayor ID qaenoh that spirit
Of hhelty in the bosom Of the Saxon, tic Great
or White Tower arose, and the structure which
William the Conqueror erected for i strong =
hold at onqe to shelter himself and awe tho
rebsllious, j. the ancient yet massive grandeur
before us, Thus was the Tower built, not like
our Bunker Hill Monument, ass monument of
the country y fi3edom, but BY their Conqucror.
Still it stands; and now when the conuuerors
and conquered are perfectly blended in one
harmonious whole, and the Norman and Dane.
Roman and Celt, are acknowledged as having
impaired grace and spirit to Saxon vigor, the
Tower is grand memento of their finally hap
py union.
But while one thus looks upon it, well would
it be could the long list of barbarities be placed
somewhere else, Or never have had an existence.
From all the records of history, it appears that
no foreign power has ever taken it, and more to
the shame of the people--all the horrible at
trocities therein committed have been kindled
by the passions and domestic strlfes of England s
own sons, and thus has it been in very short
space OF time, Fortress, a palace, and then a
prison, as one has usurped the throne, or an
We will consider it first as fortress-built
by William. 1t was for centuries, a favorite
object with his descendants to fortify with walls
and towers this mighty citadel, and thus arose
the twelve inner towers and the inner WALL
But these Notifications withstood all the inter-
nal strifes OF the reigns of Stephen, the Usurp-
er, John, Edward ii, and Richard II, as also
the wars of the heroes of York and Lancaster,
and of Charles |, his parliament and nation,
and has never yet been obliged to succumb to
any foreign powcrs yet they, the English,
will say, may tho time long be before it may
be compelled to prove the mightiness of its
strength. really think that they would al
most defy the world, could they all get inside
its walls, SO great is their belief in the inlpos-
sibility of its being taken by any human power
Now we will glance at the Tower as a palace
In the southeast corner, occupying space Of
nearly one-fourth of the whole enclosure, ira.
dition says, were the numerous halls and gar.
dens, and grand suite of apartments appro
priated to the queens, and all the kings up tc
the time of Charles II, here held their Courts
Henry III is said to have ordered forty-fve tc
repair and beautify, and here celebrated hi
marriage to Eleanor.
The Chapel Royal is also said to have beer
the object of his attention, and was the seem
Of many pompons religious ceremonial in hi
reign. Ancient chronicles bear ample proof t.
the gorgeous magnifcence of the scenes whcl
occasionally gilded the Towers gloomy walls
But as in many other festivities, il they coul
, have seen the background of covering woe
how different would have been those festivities
how much sadness could they have read in thei
: glittering splender; how much of apparen
gold could they have seen as dross. But n
such knowledge can we possess. Let us the
profit by their sad experience, and for momen
look at The background Of this happy picture
.E In 1877 we learn that the youthful Richar
u II, in all tho innocence Of early age, left th
!, palace gate, splendidly arrayed in white robe
:. M, \. 49,, ;.,.4a. .,,,,,.,., ,,aa;n ,
oro,s,, ,vs;.h afta, t..a,.t. XII ,,os.a
*. s,,oneI,sd y b;,os.1f r,h,a
! rst,;n ard vas;rraa 4 ;nso nv I'm. nf
: a.,,.s;., t,s;s ..as,, .,. IN. -.
! a;tod y tbo d,,,, ,o,,,, u;ols.,t q, no,.4.
= death.
d An author states that IL 1ssoo Z tbore isau,
e from the Tower sixty kniybta 81 n,,rs,rs a
: naralled far the iauatsy and s;xtv laai,s Of bo
or richly auparalled. md n,oantsd on fair n,
fryss each eadine II, esf,, Ia IL !. silver chain
! Rnt <. = oa,,,t !, asaa an1 R;ebard went
e war3 to ward III oiaany fste.
/ 4, 14s7S III q, l,es ,y;,as grased with n