Cañon City record., 1904-01-21
When Knighthood Was In Flower


say. that what have done will lose
me my fair name-I had never thought
of It In that light-but 1t is also true
that l am innocent and have done no
wrong. You may not believe me, but
you can ask Master Brandon"-here
the king gave great laugh. and Of
course the courtiers Joined in.
at is all very well for you to laugh,
but Master Brandon would not tell you
a lie for your crown" Gods! l could
have fallen on my knees to faith like
that. What l tell you is true. trust
ed him so completely that the fear Of
dishonor at his hands never suggested
itself to me. knew he would care for
and respect me. 1 trusted him, and my
ts.Isv was not misplaced. OF how many
of these creatures who laugh when the
king laughs could l say as muchT'
And Henry knew she spoke the truth,
both concerning herself and the court
iers.
With downcast eyes she continued:
81 suppose, after all. you are partly
right in regard to me, for 1t was his
honor that saved me, not my own, and
If am not what you called me have
Master Brandon to thank-not myself"
I'VE will thank him publicly on Tow
er hill day after tomorrow at noon,"
said the king. with his accustomed del
icacy, breaking the news of Brandon's
sentence as abruptly as possible.
With a look of terror in her eyes
Mary screamed: what! Charles Bran
don-Tower hill2-You are going to
kill himT'
81 think we will,' responded Henry.
TT usually has that effect. to separate
the head from the body and quarter
the remains to decorate the four gates.
We will take you up to London In n
day or two and let you see his beauti-
full head on the bridge"
-quarter-bridge! Lord Je
sur She could not grasp the thought.
She tried to speak, but the words
would not come. In moment she be-
came more coherent. and the words
rolled from her lips as mighty flood
tide pours back through the arches of
London bridge.
'You shall not kill him. He is blame
less. You do not know. Drive these
gawking fools out of the room, and ]
will tell you ALL" The king ordered
the room cleared of everybody but
Wolsey, Jane and myself, who re-
manned at Mary's request When all
were gone. the princess continued:
Brother, this man is In no way TO
blame. 1t is all my fault-my fault
that he loves me, my fault that he tried
to run away to New Spain with me. 1t
ma t,a hat hos nt,t
that my conduct has been unmaidenly.
but could not help 1t. From the first
time | ever saw him in the lists with
you at Windsor there was gnawing
hunger In my heart beyond my control.
1 supposed of course that day he would
contrive some way to be presented to
me-
"You did?'
Eyes. but he made no effort at all,
and when we met he treated me as IL
were an ordinary girl"
HE didT
"Yes'
Horrible"
Mary was too intent on her story to
heed the sarcasm, and continued: That
made me all the more interested In
him. since 1t showed that he was diff
ferent from the wretches who beset
you and me with their fiattery, and ]
soon began to seek him on every occa-
sion. This is an unmaidenly history
am giving, ! know, but 1t is the truth
and must be told. / was satisfied at
first II l could only be in the same
room with him and see his face and
hear his voice. The very air he breath
ed was like an elixir for me. made
every excuse to have him near me.
asked him to my parlor-you know
about that-and-and did all could to
be with him. At first he was gentle
and kind, but soon, / think, he saw the
dawning danger in both our hearts, as
I, too, saw it, and he avoided me in
every way he could. knowing the trou-
BILE 1t held for us both. Oh. he was the
wiser! And to think to what / have
brought him. Brother. let me die for
him-I who alone am to blame. Take
my life and spare him-spare him! He
was the wiser, but l doubt II all the
wisdom in the world could have saved
us. He almost insulted me once in the
park-told me to leave-when 1t hurt
him more than me, am now sure, but
he did 1t to keep matters from growing
worse between US. I tried to remember
the affront, but could not, and had he
struck me believe should have gone
back to him sooner or later. oh, 1t was
all my fault! I would not let him save
himself. So strong was my feeling that
1 could bear his silence no longer, and
one day l went to him In your bed
chamber anteroom and fairly thrust
myself and my love upon him. Then,
after he was liberated from Newgate.
I could not induce him to come to me.
30 / went to him and begged for his
love. Then I coaxed him into taking
me to New Spain and would listen to