登陆注册
14732200000042

第42章

Once on a time there lived a king, who, though but a boy, did, by God's grace, in talent, industry, perseverance, and knowledge, surpass both his own years and the belief of men. And because he was good and gentle alike and conditioned beyond the measure of his years, he was the greater prey to the wicked wiles of traitorous men. And one such, high in the king's court, thought to work him ill; and to carry out his ends did wantonly awaken seditious and rebellious intent even among the king's kith and kin, whom lie traitorously sought to wed,--his royal and younger sister,--nay, start' not my lady's grace!" exclaimed the dragon quickly, as Elizabeth turned upon him a look of sudden and haughty surprise. "All is known! And this is the ending of my wondrous tale. My Lord Seymour of Sudleye is this day taken for high treason and haled[1] to the Tower. They of your own household are held as accomplice to the Lord Admiral's wicked intent, and you, Lady Elizabeth Tudor, are by order of the council to be restrained in prison wards in this your manor of Hatfield until such time as the king's Majesty and the honorable council shall decide. This on your allegiance!"[1] Haled--dragged, forcibly conveyed.

The cry of terror that the dragon's words awoke, died into silence as the Lady Elizabeth rose to her feet, flushed with anger.

"Is this a fable or the posy of a ring, Sir Dragon?" she said, sharply. "Do you come to try or tempt me, or is this perchance but some part of my Lord of Misrule's Yule-tide mumming? 'Sblood, sir; only cravens sneak behind masks to strike and threaten. Have off your disguise, if you be a true man; or, by my word as Princess of England, he shall bitterly rue the day who dares to befool the daughter of Henry Tudor!""As you will, then, my lady," said the dragon. "Do you doubt me now?" and, tearing off his pasteboard wrapping, he stood disclosed before them all as the grim Sir Robert Trywhitt, chief examiner of the Lord Protector's council. "Move not at your peril," he said, as a stir in the throng seemed to indicate the presence of some brave spirits who would have shielded their young princess. "Master Feodary, bid your varlets stand to their arms."And at a word from Master Avery Mitchell, late Lord of Misrule, there flashed from beneath the cloaks of certain tall figures on the circle's edge the halberds of the guard. The surprise was complete. The Lady Elizabeth was a prisoner in her own manor-house, and the Yule-tide revels had reached a sudden and sorry ending.

And yet, once again, under this false accusation, did the hot spirit of the Tudors flame in the face and speech of the Princess Elizabeth.

"Sir Robert Trywhitt," cried the brave young girl, "these be but lying rumors that do go against my honor and my fealty. God knoweth they be shameful slanders, sir; for the which, besides the desire I have to see the King's Majesty, I pray you let me also be brought straight before the court that I may disprove these perjured tongues."But her appeal was not granted. For months she was kept close prisoner at Hatfield House, subject daily to most rigid cross-examination by Sir Robert Trywhitt for the purpose of implicating her if possible in the Lord Admiral's plot. But all in vain; and at last even Sir Robert gave up the attempt, and wrote to the council that "the Lady Elizabeth hath a good wit, and nothing is gotten of her but by great policy."Lord Seymour of Sudleye, was beheaded for treason on Tower Hill, and others, implicated in his plots, were variously punished; but even "great policy" cannot squeeze a lie out of the truth, and Elizabeth was finally declared free of the stain of treason.

Experience, which is a hard teacher, often brings to light the best that is in us. It was so in this case. For, as one writer says: "The long and harassing ordeal disclosed the splendid courage, the reticence, the rare discretion, which were to carry the Princess through many an awful peril in the years to come.

Probably no event of her early girlhood went so far toward making a woman of Elizabeth as did this miserable affair."Within ten years thereafter the Lady Elizabeth ascended the throne of England. Those ten years covered many strange events, many varying fortunes--the death of her brother, the boy King Edward, the sad tragedy of Lady Jane Grey, Wyatt's rebellion, the tanner's revolt, and all the long horror of the reign of "Bloody Mary." You may read of all this in history, and may see how, through it all, the young princess grew still more firm of will, more self-reliant, wise, and strong, developing all those peculiar qualities that helped to make her England's greatest queen, and one of the most wonderful women in history. But through all her long and most historic life,--a life of over seventy years, forty-five of which were passed as England's queen,--scarce any incident made so lasting an impression upon her as when, in Hatfield House, the first shock of the false charge of treason fell upon the thoughtless girl of fifteen in the midst of the Christmas revels.

同类推荐
  • 与舍弟书十六通

    与舍弟书十六通

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 鬻子

    鬻子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Boyhood in Norway

    Boyhood in Norway

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 释迦如来涅槃礼赞文

    释迦如来涅槃礼赞文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 审斋词

    审斋词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 天位战尊

    天位战尊

    三万年之前,七道破灭,未央世界沦陷,成为被异族圈养的大陆。一大能者牺牲自我,驱逐异族,耗费无数心血封闭两个世界的通道。三万年之后,七道传人再现,封印松动,未央世界再次暗流涌动。易寒本为异世界顶尖杀手,却携带逆天宝典穿越而来,机缘巧合下成为七道传承者之一,逆天宝典在身,无视修炼所需庞大资源;冠绝道瞳加持,勘破一切玄妙武技;逆天战技于我,粉碎前方所有敌人。于是,他注定踩着天才的尸身前进,从此笑傲苍穹,谁与争“疯”。新书求推荐,点评等各种求。
  • 一千年以后,天气晴【已上市】

    一千年以后,天气晴【已上市】

    打个广告先:《一千年以后,天气晴》是《尾戒》的男二爱情篇,欢迎大家去看《尾戒》哈,很好看的哟~~http://www.*****.com/?a/83456/————————偶是可爱的分割线,偶的主人说给她投票的都是好孩子,嘻嘻————————他是美丽倾城的男子,带着上一世的爱,轮回至今,得到了天下女人的心,却依然得不到深爱过的女子。她只是一只小狐狸,为了报答救命之恩,修炼千年来到人间。她不再是那只无法保护自己的小狐狸,她拥有了千年的法力,和足以魅惑天下的容貌。她钩钩小指,就可以让他爱上她。可是,她却要用这样的法力,把深爱的他推到别的女子身边。她以为自己始终是那个深陷其中的局外人,可是这一次,爱情女神眷顾了她。他也爱上了她。狄金森说,等待一小时,太久,如果爱,恰巧在那以后。等待一万年,也不算长,如果,最终有爱作为报偿的话。如果,最终能有爱作为报偿的话。那么短短的一千年,又算得了什么呢?…………………………我是华丽的分割线,我的爱我的主人……………………………联系茹茹:茹茹新浪博客:blog.sina.com.cn/ruruo0704茹茹新浪围脖:t.sina.com.cn/ruruoai茹茹的QQ群:71296758(未满,极空,偶一般不推荐,去偶的围脖就好了,最近疯狂迷恋围脖)茹茹已出版作品《华清若水,花开尽》http://www.*****.com/?a/68402/《云画扇,红泪未央》http://www.*****.com/?a/83456/《尾戒》http://www.*****.com/?a/97625/茹茹未出版作品《微笑深爱》即将上市http://www.*****.com/?a/105762/《小婢女,不思议》(全本免费作品,目前暂停更新中)http://www.*****.com/?a/124490/《一千年以后,天气晴》http://www.*****.com/?a/183925/本书当当网购买,立折9元!http://www.*****.com/?product.aspx?product_id=20861791&ref=search-0-A
  • 修仙之超级枪炮系统

    修仙之超级枪炮系统

    随身携带超级系统,穿越高调修仙。AK47、加特林、沙漠之鹰、巴雷特、火箭炮、火焰喷射器等,经过法宝加持,兽灵融合,转化为超级威力的大杀器,无论肉身元婴,统统轰成渣。更有防弹衣、防弹头盔、闪光弹、烟幕弹等强强升级,一路高歌猛进。“唉……这么多枪械要升级,我实在是太穷。”杜彪无奈摊摊手。ps:474227520书友群,喜欢的书友可以进来探讨剧情
  • 战神萧東

    战神萧東

    三生逍遥定乾坤,六道轮回锁魔魂,九霄云外战神怒,武动苍穹我为尊
  • 明末特使

    明末特使

    ’特使到,流民笑,安心种地吃得饱‘这是流传祟祯十一年末的一首民谣。祟祯一时心血来潮,让明末多了‘流民安置特使’这一道官衔。尽管是无品无级,连起码的俸禄都没有,奈何文德生属于是有了阳光就能灿烂的人,照样当得风生水起,有声有色。他从收容流民入手,操练庄丁,收编官军,降伏流寇。打得多尔衮满地找牙,逼得顺治小儿出家当和尚......
  • 重生之乾坤无极

    重生之乾坤无极

    公元2188年,地球遭到了外星强者的袭击,虽然各地传说中的人物纷纷出现,但最终还是抵挡不住被攻陷,人类被灭杀。。王宇,一名在被外星强者追杀的时候,却回到了2168年的人,在这提前了20年的时间,人类的命运能否被扭转..一件拥有无限进化能力的智能电脑。一枚奇特的玉坠。这些和在一起将会怎么样呢?高科技和修炼究竟哪个才是王道?看主角是如何逆转乾坤,将高科技和修炼结合在一起形成新型的修炼系统。将地球推向巅峰之路
  • 恶魔校草:笨丫头不许乱跑

    恶魔校草:笨丫头不许乱跑

    一次林雨夏钱包被偷,他抢回来他和她的命运就这样开始了,第二次她被人骗,闯进他的房子,他和她的命运又开始了第三次她被人欺负,他为了她可以不惜自己的生命,全力保护她,‘谢谢你,我的爱人’
  • exo之我深爱的你

    exo之我深爱的你

    exo,一句又一句的我爱你已经不足以表明我对你的爱。(这是吟雪的第一篇小说,希望大家多多支持,本故事纯属虚构,有些内容也与现实生活有点不同,希望大家多多谅解。)
  • 白蛇之碧水青韵

    白蛇之碧水青韵

    “西湖水底岑碧青,这句话你们可知晓?”一只老龟在茂密的莲叶之下摇头晃脑的说,“咱们在这西湖水域做妖,那是没什么规矩。就是要牢记这么一句话。那岑碧青,岑大人是万万不可招惹的。情愿惹上了西湖龙宫的人,也别去冒犯了岑大人。”“知道了,知道了。”一只小虾兴冲冲的接道,“是青姑娘嘛!”“不是青郎君么?”旁边的小鱼一脸疑惑。到底是青姑娘,还是青郎君?谁知道呢。
  • 孽缘之相亲爱人

    孽缘之相亲爱人

    陆青青,二十六岁的准剩女,当代码农一枚。第一次相亲成功,想平平淡淡过一生,不求荣华富贵,不求轰轰烈烈,结果订婚定的硝烟四起,双方家庭数次交锋,惨淡收场。第二次相亲成功,以为遇到真爱,欣然步入婚姻的殿堂,从此过上幸福生活,结果上演的是小王子复仇记,各路牛鬼蛇神担当主角,离婚在所难免。二十六岁到二十七岁,陆青青仿佛过完了一生。真爱不过是自欺欺人,婚姻破裂,父母辞世,人生的意义在哪里?“青青,你太笨了,领结好丑”没错,上天看不过眼送了个小天使拯救了她。第三次相亲,再见经年,她不再是她,他还是他......?