Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-02-01
THE TOWER OF LONDON.


preserved. Some assign it n very re
mote antiquity, and julius Caesar an
Constantine the Great have both bee
considered the builders. Authentic an
mails inform us that the White Towe
was bull. in the time Of William th,
Conqueror. Walla, bastons and dun
geons were added at sundry times till in
the reign Of Edward the Third, it attain
ed its present form and axtent. During
a period of three hundred years tht
kings of England went in procession
from it on their coronation days.
During the period that Richard II
filed the throne, this building was gay
and noisy with dance and banquet. Here
too, that monarch lay prisoner, and
was forced to resign his diadem 1t was
afterwards the scene of injustice and
tyranny. 1t was here were imprisoned
the princes of France, whom Henry v,
whose chivalry has been so loudly ex-
tolled, conquered in honorable warfare.
James the First of Scotland, whom Hen
ry the Fourth mad seized by treachery,
was confined in one of the dungeons of
this grim and gloomy pile. From the
window of bis room the captive king saw
beautiful damsel, and smitten with her
charms, sent her letter that so pleased
the the lovely miss that she gave her
heart and hand to the royal lover.
Hundreds have suffered cruel tortures
in the Tower on account OF their relig-
ious opinions. Here Lord Cobham lay
loaded with chains for many weary
months, because he worshippod God af-
ter the manner in which the dominant
sect pronounced heresy. Because he
denounced the worship Of Images, and
was opposed to making pilgrimages, and
entertaining end openly professed the no
tions- obnoxious TO those who believed iu
those things, the titled victim was con-
demned to suffer the most ignominiJus
and painful sentence. He was drawn
from the Tower to St. Giles Field, where
he was suspended by the middle from
chain; fire was kindled under him,
and he was thus burnt TO death"
Twice the amiable and harmless Hen
ry VI. was confined within these dark
walls, aud here the unfortunate monarch
was found cold and stiff in death. Its
doors were kept continually swinging or
their hinges by the vile and bloody Rich
ard III. For framing an answer then
questioned, touching the mode ih which
two innocent women should be punished,
with an :" if in it, Lord Hastings was
dragged by body of servile soldiers
from Council to the Green near the
chapel within the Tower, and his head
severed from his body on a log Of wood.
The fascinating and corrupt Jane Shore
was immured in one Of the gloomiest
cells Of the Tower for a crime that was
not written against her in the Book Of
the Recording Angel, and liberated after
her prosecutors had stolen her worldly
substance. The wretched outcast died in
want.
The doors of its dark vaults never
opened and shut so often in the same
period as during the reign of that taci-
turn, sagaciOus, bloody tyrant, Henry
VIII. Empson and Dudley suffered
the same punishment they had inflicted |
on SO many innocent persons. Bainham
and Firth were tortured by Sir Thomas
Moore, who 10 his turn fell under the axe
Of the executioner. The mood in which
that nobleman met his death was shock
ingly cut of keeping with that solemn
hour which comes to all. On his way
TO the scafold he amused the bystanders
with lively observations, and witticisms
fell from his lips the moment before the
axe descended. After he had committed
his soul to God, and laid his head upon
the-block, the headsman prayed his for
giveness. Il forgive thee," said he,
" but prithee let me put my beard aside,
for that hath never committed treason !"
adding, "pluck up thy spirit, man, and
be not afraid to perform thine Office
my neck is very short take heed, there
fore that thou strike not wrong for the
saving Of thine honesty"
The clever and captivating Anne Bo-
leyn was the next victim of suspicion
and cruelty. Her headless body lay for
some time on the Green of the Tower
and was placed by rough hands in COM
mon chest and buried in the chapel con- =,
nec;ed with the grim building. The
Lady Catherine Howard was the next |
queen whose blood stained the horrid
axe. The scholarly and engaging Earl Of
Surrey one of the fastest friends the ?