Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-05-12
THE TOWER OF LONDON.
The A ncient Fortress Thrown Open to the
Pubiic-Tts Past History.
London Morning Post, April S.

A fresh chapter In the history of the
Tower of London was begun on Satur-
day, when for the first time the grim
fortress was thrown open to the public.
In future twice a week, on Mondays and
saturdays, the Tower may be visited by
all who come, without the payment of
any fee, the only formality to be gone
through being that of applying for a
ticket at the entrance lodge, which
stands on the site of the old Lions
Tower. The privilege thus conferred
by the Government upon the public
cannot be too highly estimated by those
who value freedom of access to our few
historical show places, and the present
Prime Minister may be sure that when
the people come to consider his claims
to their popularity his action IN this par
ticular matter will not be overlooked.
eff prison walls could only speak, what
tales of mystery and horror they would
relate! I" We often hear such phrase
quoted with reference to some dungeon
or castellated fortress whose gray stones
are Wondering into dust. But we do
not ask that the walls of the Tower of
London might speak, for, thanks to
such intelligent students as Mr. Dixon,
we know almost as much of the Tow er's
history as the ancient stone walls them
selves. From the days of the Con-
queror, the tyrannical Norman King
who caused that famous military archi-
tect. Gundulph, Bishop Of Rochester,
to build the Middle Tower, down to
Yesterday, we have the complete story
of the Tower before us. And what a
marvellous narrative It is! It should
be written in blood. Every inch of the
ground, every foot of masonry is associ-
ated with some cruel deed, some tyran
nous act. To use the words of that
Countess of Somerset who, with her
husband, poisoned Overbury and sub
sequently occupied the prison in which
he had been confined, the place is s'full
of the ghosts of the dead" These
spectres confront the visitor at every
step and will not be shaken off. In the
White Tower, with it's watch-towers at
each angle, and its walls fifteen feet
thick, was imprisoned Maud, the third
daughter of Earl Fitzwalter, that stout
baron, who, to avenge the Kings
treatment of his child, compelled
him to sign Magma Charta
at Runnymede. Here, in
dungeon compared with which the
Black Hole at Calcutta would be pala-
tial residence, was imprisoned Guy, or
Guido Fawkes; and here was the prison
home of the seven bishops, at whose
knees even the soldiers of the guard fell,
imploring their benediction, while the
shore was crowded by PROSTATE specta-
tors asking blessing. The prosecuted
prelates were lodged in the Earl of Lei
cester's Tower, where Heriot first Oh
served the satellites of Jupiter. The
sun-dial Of this famous astronomer yet
remains, and the story of Heriot and
the three magi," as his companions
were called, is by no means one of the
least interesting episodes of the Tower.
In the Bloody Tower, called the Garden
Tower until the murder of the two little
princes-perhGps the most tragic and
pitiful incident in the annals of the
fortress ranmer, Latimer, and Ridley
held their conference, asking only for a
Bible from which to get counsel and in
struction IN their hour of need. Here,
too, Sir Walter Raleigh wrote his ellis
tory of the World his essay entitled
ssThe Parliament &C Man. and other
brilliant political treatises. They show
you the wall upon which on Saturday
stood a group of visitors drinking in
greedily all that Mr.. Dixon told them
about the celebrated navigator and
chemist. "Full of the ghosts of the
death p Memories of those Inflated
great ones arise everywhere, and it
does not require overmuch magma
ton to conjure up those dread morn
ings when Raleigh passed out of his lit
tie room to the block, and when the
executioner waited with his glittering
axe on the green for patient Lady Jane
Grey, who was lodged in the house
where now resides Mr.. Hughes, the
Yeoman jailer. Up the narrow stair
cases and into the little rooms of this
house the curious crowd poured on
Saturday and heard with establishment
the story of the chivalric Earl of Essex,
whom some aver cut his throat in the
yeoman jailer's house, but whom we
know to have been privately beheaded
on the green by order of Queen Eliza
beth. The force of contrast is sufi-
GENTLY remarkable everywhere, but no.
where is it more strongly marked than
In the little Church of st. Peter ad Vir-
cula, whittier used to resort all not
privileged to enter the Royal Chapel.
The Easter decorations are up, and
while the yeoman iailer, in his middle
age costume, is informing visitor that
the church is open to all corners at II
and 3 on Sundays, Mr.. Hepworth Dix
on outlines the past history of ST.
Peters, and tells how that underneath
the flags are buried Anne Boleyn, Lady
Jane Grey, the Earl of Essex, and near
ly all who were executed for treason.
Indeed, we walk upon stones which
cover piles of royal and noble flesh,
that of the unfortunate Earl of Mon
mouth among the rest; and then, issu-
into the fresh air again. we find our
selves gazing at little slab in the GEN.
tire of a railed-off space, placed there by
the Queen in memory of Anne Boleyn.
1t was on this green that royal and il
lustrious persons were executed. Now
I