Part 10 (1/2)
”My dear young sir, his father died soo”
I stared at hi he must be mad Then I saas theEdward IV is dead?” I asked, in surprise
”Not until this moment,” he replied
So now,it took for news to travel in those days, of which I aressive now, but it is surprising still to learn how long it doth take for news to reach those distant parts, even yet
We stayed that night in Tewkesbury
The next evening we rode into the town of Ludlow, and entered the Castle
I was ad, as, at that tie As I was ushered in I beheld the little King, and his uncle, Lord Rivers, sitting near his Majesty, by the case Edward's feet, I kissed his hand and said:--”Hail to your Majesty!”
At first he did not seem to co face Then, as Rivers sprang to his feet, the boy's face becaasped out the words:--”Is my father dead?”
I did not answer; but stood with bowed head, mine eyes upon the floor; for I could not bear to hurt this young innocent with my cruel news
The poor boy burst into a flood of tears, and buried his head beneath the arm of his uncle, who spakewords
Meantime I walked to the far end of the roo of it, I wiped ht of this poor little fatherless King stole my manhood from me, and I wept
I have no recollection of any otherraised himself so much in mine estimation, in so short a tin I had always heard that he was a kind-hearted gentlereat refinement and education; but I had never known hientle manner of the man drew me to him at once
”Weep not, my dear,” said he ”I kno thy heart must ache for the loss of so noble and kind a parent Be assured, Edward, we all do feel the loss most keenly But think of thy poor mother, and how she must ache at heart Rereat responsibility hath fallen upon thee Think of that and call up thy courage and deterht to thee:--'Do but screw up thy resolution, and all things can be overcome;' yea, even thy sorrow”
So he kept on, until he had quieted the child, which sat hihtfully out of theI could read the boy's thought He was looking far away to Windsor, and the Palace there He saw his mother and his dear father as he had last seen them His sire took him in his arms and kissed him, ere he mounted his little palfrey to ride to Ludloith his uncle And now all should be changed When he should arrive at the Palace his mother alone would meet him, and there would be tears in her eyes I knew histhe sad picture: and yet, had he but knohat the reality was to be, he had rather stayed where he was, safe with his uncle, on the borders of Wales--of which he had heretofore been the Prince, but was now its King--than to have returned unto his mother Then his Majesty moved, and this did break my reverie I remembered my mission; so I walked across the room to Rivers, and handed hietfulness He waved race, thus showing his s all the too short ti in this man's company I never saw hiland's ablest warriors
”What meaneth this?” he broke out suddenly ”'Levy an ar, s not well at Windsor?”
”As well as hness, the Duke of Gloucester, was appointed Protector by the late King, shortly before the noble Edward's death”
”So her Majesty infors?”
”He seems to be uncoht, so I thought,” said he, speaking ha back and forth across the room, with his head bent upon his chest, and his hands clasped behind him
”He seems most friendly with the Duke of Gloucester; in fact they are inseparable” Then did I think it wise to tell him of the conversation that I had overheard So I beckoned hi ht not be alarmed by what I had to tell I repeated it word for word as I had heard it; for it was so graven upon my memory that it can never be erased
He listened attentively until I had finished, and then said in that quiet manner which so well became him:--”Bradley, there may be trouble afoot; however, we cannot be too cautious I need not warn thee to keep thine own counsel This is a dangerous tie” And then he asked me every question he could think of; and had ye but known hiht have had so kindly invited ht Sir Richard Grey, one of her Majesty's sons by her first husband, was also present at supper
Soon after theretired; but we sat up late, and discussed the affairs of state, and laid plans for the levying of the forces to escort the King to London Lord Rivers and Grey both see away from their control and influence, unless they took a sufficient force to make such a step impossible On this I did not express an opinion; for who could tell whatorders were sent out through several counties to raise troops