separated from his wife Jane and stands little chance of ever seeing her again.”
“What will happen to us all?” s ays Amy, shaking her head. It’s not a question that I’d like to answer. Little wonder, I think, that women these days suffer so much from depression with their scheming and ambitious husbands.
The following morning however Amy’s in good spirits as she sets off with Henry Sidney for the Tower. Henry has already obtained permission from the Lord Lieutenant for her visit and her only problem now is what she should wear! She wants Robert to see her at her best so she chooses the fine gown and velvet kirtle she wore when we left Somerset House in such a hurry in July. She chooses her best French hood with the pearls and embroidery but has to wear her leather riding boots as the day promises to be wet and the paths between the house and the boat jetty will be muddy. With a cloak borrowed from Mary she looks quite the lady once again.
As she’ s going through the door she remembers the two jars of preserve that Mrs Hyde gave her when we left Throcking. A servant brings them in a basket.
While she’ s away Mary sends one of Henry’s men to Somerset House to enquire about our two hastily abandoned chests of clothes. Elizabeth’s servants declare they know nothing of them and say that they must have been stolen by persons unknown during the period of unrest after Jane declared herself Queen!
Chapter Ten
Protestation and Unrest
Amy and Henry are back home by late afternoon. Amy is considerably excited and her cheeks are flushed.
“The Lieutenant of the Tower was so kind. He smiled at me and showed me to a bed chamber where Robert and I could be together and all alone. He left us there and went to dine with Henry. It was wonderful, Kate. Robert’s in good spirits and we had a whole afternoon together.” She gives me a meaningful look and smiles broadly when she says this.
“Robert’ s sharing chambers with Guildford in the Bell Tower but Guildford is sad because he’s not allowed to see Jane. She’s in a small cottage within the Tower but she’s not allowed outside even though the boys can walk out on the leads. John, Ambrose and Henry are in the Beauchamp Tower. Robert says that the main problem is boredom. They carve on the wooden tables and chests and even on the stone walls, Robert says.”
Amy’s face then falls and she looks troubled. “Jane and Guildford are awaiting trial. Queen Mary was willing to pardon them all after Northumberland’s execution but Bishop Gardiner and Ambassador Renard are attempting to influence the Queen to punish them. Who knows what that will mean!”
“Don’t worry, Amy,” I remark , desperately trying to think of something optimistic to say, “Nothing has happened yet and there’s been plenty of opportunity for the Queen to exact vengeance. We have to trust in our Lord Jesus to stand by their side and watch over them.”
But unfortunately they need more than the help of the Lord.
Bishop Gardiner’ s been pressing for rapid religious changes in church and this has taken the people in the city by surprise. Services are now conducted in Latin as they were ten years ago and the altars are decorated with silver crosses and candles once more. The ritual of worship has been restored and the mass has replaced the evangelical form of communion. Now the bread or host is raised to heaven by the priest at the moment it is transformed into the body of Christ. Even the evangelicals, who had recognised Mary’s right to the throne, have been shocked by the swift reversal of religious practice and there is a growing voice of dissent in the city. Printed pamphlets opposing the changes have been distributed in the city and a dead dog with a shaved head like a monk has been flung through a window into a
“What will happen to us all?” s ays Amy, shaking her head. It’s not a question that I’d like to answer. Little wonder, I think, that women these days suffer so much from depression with their scheming and ambitious husbands.
The following morning however Amy’s in good spirits as she sets off with Henry Sidney for the Tower. Henry has already obtained permission from the Lord Lieutenant for her visit and her only problem now is what she should wear! She wants Robert to see her at her best so she chooses the fine gown and velvet kirtle she wore when we left Somerset House in such a hurry in July. She chooses her best French hood with the pearls and embroidery but has to wear her leather riding boots as the day promises to be wet and the paths between the house and the boat jetty will be muddy. With a cloak borrowed from Mary she looks quite the lady once again.
As she’ s going through the door she remembers the two jars of preserve that Mrs Hyde gave her when we left Throcking. A servant brings them in a basket.
While she’ s away Mary sends one of Henry’s men to Somerset House to enquire about our two hastily abandoned chests of clothes. Elizabeth’s servants declare they know nothing of them and say that they must have been stolen by persons unknown during the period of unrest after Jane declared herself Queen!
Chapter Ten
Protestation and Unrest
Amy and Henry are back home by late afternoon. Amy is considerably excited and her cheeks are flushed.
“The Lieutenant of the Tower was so kind. He smiled at me and showed me to a bed chamber where Robert and I could be together and all alone. He left us there and went to dine with Henry. It was wonderful, Kate. Robert’s in good spirits and we had a whole afternoon together.” She gives me a meaningful look and smiles broadly when she says this.
“Robert’ s sharing chambers with Guildford in the Bell Tower but Guildford is sad because he’s not allowed to see Jane. She’s in a small cottage within the Tower but she’s not allowed outside even though the boys can walk out on the leads. John, Ambrose and Henry are in the Beauchamp Tower. Robert says that the main problem is boredom. They carve on the wooden tables and chests and even on the stone walls, Robert says.”
Amy’s face then falls and she looks troubled. “Jane and Guildford are awaiting trial. Queen Mary was willing to pardon them all after Northumberland’s execution but Bishop Gardiner and Ambassador Renard are attempting to influence the Queen to punish them. Who knows what that will mean!”
“Don’t worry, Amy,” I remark , desperately trying to think of something optimistic to say, “Nothing has happened yet and there’s been plenty of opportunity for the Queen to exact vengeance. We have to trust in our Lord Jesus to stand by their side and watch over them.”
But unfortunately they need more than the help of the Lord.
Bishop Gardiner’ s been pressing for rapid religious changes in church and this has taken the people in the city by surprise. Services are now conducted in Latin as they were ten years ago and the altars are decorated with silver crosses and candles once more. The ritual of worship has been restored and the mass has replaced the evangelical form of communion. Now the bread or host is raised to heaven by the priest at the moment it is transformed into the body of Christ. Even the evangelicals, who had recognised Mary’s right to the throne, have been shocked by the swift reversal of religious practice and there is a growing voice of dissent in the city. Printed pamphlets opposing the changes have been distributed in the city and a dead dog with a shaved head like a monk has been flung through a window into a
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