Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-07-20


met with worse than death had not the
bravest heart and the best sword In
England defended them VIGOROUSLY
against such fearful odds. He left
them at Bridewell without hurt or In
jury, though covered with wounds him.
self. This man is condemned to be
hanged. drawn and quartered. but
know not your majesty's heart II he
be not at once reprieved and richly re-
warded. Think, my king! He saved
the royal honor of your sister, who is
so dear to you and has suffered so ter
ribly for his loyalty and bravery. The
day / left so hurriedly for France the
Lady Mary promised she would tell
you all and liberate this man who had
so nobly saved 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? / know of Brandon's death
sentence, but much as / regret 1t /
cannot interfere with the justice of our
good people Of London for the murder
of two knights in their streets. If
Brandon committed such a crime, and
l understand he does not deny 1t, /
cannot help him, however much 1
should like to do so. But this nonsense
about my sister! 1t cannot be true.
1t must be trumpet up out Of your
| love In order to save your friend. Have
care, good master, how you say such
thing. If it were true. would not
Brandon have told it at his trial?"
1T Is as true as that God lives, my
king! If the Lady Mary and Lady
Jane do not bear me out in every word
have said, let my life pay the forfeit.
He would not tell of the great reason
for killing the men, fearing to COM
promise the honor of those whom he
had saved, for, as your majesty is
aware, persons sometimes go to
Grouche's for purposes other than to
listen to his soothsaying. Not in this
case, God knows, but there are SLAM
derous tongues, and Brandon was will
ing 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 should die rather than
themselves bear the consequences of
their own folly. Do not delay, l be-
seech your majesty. Eat not another
morsel, l 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 king, this moment, and all that I
have, my wealth, my life, my honor.
are yours for all time"
The king remained a moment In
thought, with knife in hand.
"Caskoden, l have never detected
you in lie in all the years I have
known you. You are not very large in
body, but your honor Is great enough
to stock a Goliath. l believe you are
telling the truth. l will go at once to
iberate Brandon, and that little hussy,
my sister, shall go to France and en-
JOY life as best she can with her old
beauty, King Louis. I know Of no
greater punishment to inf1ict upon her.
This determines me. She shall coax
me out of it no longer. Sir Thomas
Brandon, have my horses ready, and I
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 the month be queen
Of France" This was said to the
courtiers and was all over London be-
fore night
followed closely in the wake Of the
king, though unlimited, for had de-
termined to trust to no one, not even
his majesty, until Brandon should be
free. Henry had said he would 90
first to the lord mayor and then to
Wolsey, but after we crossed the
bridge he passed down Lower Thames
street and turned up Fish street hill
into Grace Church street on toward
Bishopsgate. He said he would stop
at Mistress CORVALLIS and have
pudding and then on to Wolsey, who
at that time lodged in house near the
wall beyond Bishopsgate.
l we'll knew If the king once reached
Wolsey's it would be wine and quoits
and other games, interspersed now
and then with a little clustering talk
on statecraft, for the rest of the day.
Then the good bishop would have in a
few pretty London women, and dance.
would follow, with wine and cards
and dice, and Henry would spend the
night at Wolsey's and Brandon lie an
other night in the mire of his Newgate
dungeon.
l resolved to raise heaven and earth,
and the other place, too, if necessary,
before this should happen. So l rode,
boldly up to the king and with uncov-
cred head addressed him: "Your mai
esty gave me your royal word that you
would go to the lord mayor first, and
this is the road to my lord bishop Of
Lincoln. In all the years have known
your majesty, both as gallant prince
and puissant king. this Is the first re-,
quest I ever proffered, and new only
ask OF you to save your own noble