Evening journal., 1907-02-28
A Long Prayer
IorlEinaLl

[Originall
One evening soon after the accession
Of King Charles II. Of England a young
girl called at the palace Of Whitehall
and begged to see the sovereign. She
would not have succeeded had il not
been that he was leaving to go TO the
rooms OF his mistress, Lady Castle
maine. Charles, passing the girl, who
was evidently suffering from some
great mental strain. asked her what
she wanted
ooh. sire. give me the life Of my
brother, Arthur Hewer, who is to be
executed tomorrow on Tower hill"
Hewer had fought on the side OF the
parliament, and upon the restoration
certain parties high in power deemed
It eEpedient that he should be put to
death. The king was not a blood.
thirsty man. but a great admirer OF
beautiful women. Mary Hewer, who
was beautiful. gained from him a
promise that her brother should be
pardoned. Then the king passed on
Mary, delighted, was about to hurry
away when a courtler, young Sir Rich
ard Vyner, called to bpr.
you do not know the king" he said
"His majesty intends to grant the par
don he has promised. but he has gone
to visit Lady Castlemaine, and heaven
knows when be will come away from
her. 1t may be too late to keep his
promise or be may forget II. will do
what can for you by reminding him
of 1t as soon as he comes again.
Mary Hewer was greatly cast down
at this information, but gained hope al
the young mans promise. The next
morning she received a message from
him saying that the king had not re
turned to the palace, and he feared be
would not return in time to order thl
pardon sent TO the Tower before the
hour OF execution.
Hewer was TO be executed at
o'clock in the afternoon. In those day,
all people, the highest and the lowest.
attended these executions. for which
places were engaged ahead. In a diary
of a prominent man who then -four
lshed is an entry. Engaged a place
for my wife TO see the execution. then
went to the Office" When the hour
for the tragedy came the prisoner was
conducted to the scaffold. from whence
he looked down upon a sea OF upturned
faces. There were dukes and bakers
and tallow chambers.
A few minutes before 3 the Tower
chaplain offered a short prayer for the
prisoners soul. Then as the execu-
toner stepped forward a young man
In the canonicals of the Church or
England produced an order from
James. duke OF York (the kings
younger brother. that he should be
permitted to pray for the condemned
man 50 long as he desired. The young
clergyman then knelt and began to
pray.
A half hour passed when the lieu
tenant Of the Tower interrupted the
clergyman. reminding him that the
spectators we're getting impatient for
the execution. The young man drew
the dukes order and pointed to the
words "as long as he desires" The
kings brother was too high a person
age for his order to be disobeyed, so
the lieutenant stepped back. and the
clergyman went on with his prayer.
But the clamor became so great that
the lieutenant again interrupted, beg
ging the clergyman to desist. This
time the young man paid no attention
to the request. He was kneeling. with
one hand on the block. his head sink
Ing lower and lower, his voice becom
ing fainter and fainter For nearly
two hours he prayed. Then there was
a clatter OF horses hoofs heard coming
up from the city. and a rider was seen
dashing toward the Tower holding alofi
a paper. He was Sir Richard VyneE
and bore pardon from the king. As
he threw himself from his horse and
elbowed his way through the crowd 10
the scaffold the words died on the
clergyman's lips and he sank In a
swoon.
Both the prisoner-now by the kings
order a free man.-and Sir Richard,
leaving the crowd TO mlngle shouts OF
disapproval or approval turned their
attention to the young clergyman
whose extraordinary effort at prayer
had saved the formers life. Since he
could not be at once revived they sent
for coach ard, putting him In it. got
IN themselves and drove away to the
home of the released man. Before they
reached It the clergyman opened his
eyes and. seeing Hewer beside him,
threw his arms about his neck.
Arthur
"Maryr
Mary Hewer during the morning be-
fore the execution had conceived the
plan. II delay should be necessary. OF
achieving it by spending time In pray
er. She had sent to Sir Richard vyner
ssksas q he could get kaR negaisslon