The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18

day l left so hurrfedly for France the
Lady Mary promised she would tell you
nobly served her; but she is a woman
and was born to betray.
The King laughed little at my We
hemence.
What is this you are telling me. Sir
Edwin? 1 know of Brandon's death SEN
tence, but, much as / regret 1t, l can
not interfere with the justice of our good
people of London for the murder on Nwo
knights on their streets If Brandon com
mitted such a crime, and, L understand
he does not deny 1t, cannot help him,
however much l should like to do so.
But this nonsense about my sister! 1t
must be trumped up out of your love in
order to save your friend Have a care,
good master, how you say such thing
II 1t were true. would not Brandon have
told it at his trial?'
1T is as true as that God lives. my
Jane do not bear me out in
every word l have said. let my life
pay the forfeit. He would not tell OF
the great reason for killing the men, fear
ing to compromise the honor of those
whom he had saved. for. as your Majesty
is aware, persons sometimes go to GrOu-
ten to his soothsayings- Not in this. case.
God knows, but there are sanderous
tongues, and Brandon was willing to die
with closed lips rather than set them
wagging against one so dear to you. 1t
seems that these ladies, who owe so
much TO him, are also willing that he
the consequences of their own folly. Do
not delay. L beseech your Majesty. Eat
not another morsel. pray you. until this
brave man, who has so truly served you
be taken from his prison and freed from
his sentence of death. Come, come. my
I<ingi this moment, and all that have,
for all time
The King remained a moment in
thought with knife In hand.
"caskoden. / have never detected you
"a
you; you are not very large in body, but
your honor is great enough to stock
Goliath: believe you are telling the
don, and that little hussy my sister. shall
go to France and enjoy life as best she
can with her old beauty, King Louis. 1
upon her. This determines me; she shall
coax me out of it no longer Sir Thomas
Brandon, have my horses ready, and 1
will go to the Lord Mayor then to my
Lord Bishop of Lincoln and arrange to
close this French treaty at once. Let
everybody, know that the Princess Mary
will, within a month, be Queen Of
France" This was said to the courtiers,
and was all over London before night
King. though unlimited for l had deter
mined to trust no one. not even his Maj
esty, until Brandon should be free. Henry
MaYor ssa and he the3 w9qd to g@ b9 th Ld
crossed the bridge he passed down Lower
Thames street and turned up Fish-street
Bishopgate. He said he would stop at
Mistress Corvallis and have a pudding.
and then on to Wolsey, who at that time
lodged in house near the wall beyond
Bishopgate.
/ we'll knew II the King once reached
Wolsey's it would be wine and quoits and
other games, interspersed now and then
with little clustering talk on statecraft,
for the rest of the day. Then the good
Bishop would have In few pretty Lon
don women and a dance would follow with
would spend the night at Wolsey's, and
Brandon lie another night in the mire of
hiszNewgate dungeon.
I resolved to raise heaven and earth,
and the other place. too, if necessary, be-
fore this should happen. So / rode boldly
addressed him: your Majesty gave me
your royal word that you would go to
the Lord Mayor first. and this is the road
the years I have known your Majesty,
both as gallant Prince and puissant King,
this is the first request / ever proffered,
and now / only ask of you to save your
and King"
These were bold words, but did not
care one little farthing whether they
pleased him or not. The King stared at
me and said:
"Caskoden. you are a perfect fiste at
my heels. But you are right; I had for
ner, and my stomach called loudly for
one of Mistress CORVALLIS puddings; but
friend you are in case of need. Would 1
had one like you"
Your Majesty has two of whom I
know; one riding humbly by your royal
side. and the other. lying in the worst
dungeon in christenJom."
With this the Kin gwheeled about and
started west toward Guildhall.
Oh. how l hated Henry for that cold
blooded. selfish forgetfulness worse than
crime; and how l hoped the Blessed Vir-
gin would forget him in time to come,
thousand
years In purging flames just to show him
how it goes to be forgotten-in hell
To the Lord Mayor we accordingly went
without further delay. He was only too
glad to liberate Brandon when he heard
my story. which the King had ordered
from a doubt of its truth.
The Lord Mayor was kind enough to
say that he felt little doubt of my word
man to any extremity, even falsehood, to
save a friend.
Then l offered to go into custody my
self and pay the penalty, death. for help
ing convicted felon to escape If I told
not the truth, to be confirmed or denied
by the Princess and her first lady in wait
ing. | knew Jane and was willing to risk
her truthfulness without a doubt-it was
so pronounced as to be troublesome at
times-and as to Mary-.well, had no
doubt of her either. If she would but
stop to think out the right she was sure
to do it.
1 have often wondered how much Of
comes from thoughtlessness. Cultivate
thought and you make virtue-I believe.
But this Is no time to philosophiZe.
NY offer was satisfactory, for what
more can a man do than pledge his life
for his friend? We have scripture for that
or something like 1t.
The Lord Mayor did not require my
proffered pledge. but readily consented
that the King should write an order for
Brandon's pardon and release. This was
done at once and we. that is, l. together
with a Sheriffs sergeant and his four
yeomen, hastened to Newgate while
HenryJwent over to Wolseys to settle
Mary's fate.
Brandon was brought up with chains
and manacles at his ankles and wrists.
WhetA, he entered the room and saw-f1e
he exclaimed: '.Ah, Caskoden, is that
you? l thought they had brought me
up to hang me. and was glad for the
change: but l suppose you would not
come to help at that. even If you have
left me here to rot. God only knows how
long: ! have forgotten"
l could not restrain the tears at sight
of him.
Your words are more than just" I
said: and being anxious that he should
know at once that my fault had not been
so great as ii looked continued hurredIy:
hours notice the day after your arrest
/ know only too we'll | should not have
gone without seeing you out of this. but