historic girls-第25节

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Then；　standing　in　the　centre　of　his　court；　the　Lord　of　Misrule

bade　his　herald　declare　that　from　Christmas　Eve　to　Twelfth　Night

he　was　Lord　Supreme；　that；　with　his　magic　art；　he　transformed　all

there　into　children；　and　charged　them；　on　their　fealty　to　act

only　as　such。　〃I　absolve　them　all　from　wisdom；〃　he　said；　〃I　bid

them　be　just　wise　enough　to　make　fools　of　themselves；　and　do

decree　that　none　shall　sit　apart　in　pride　and　eke　in

self…sufficiency　to　laugh　at　others〃；　and　then　the　fun　commenced。



Off　in　stately　Whitehall；　in　the　palace　of　the　boy　king；　her

brother；　the　revels　were　grander　and　showier；　but　to　the　young

Elizabeth；　not　yet　skilled　in　all　the　stiffness　of　the　royal

court；　the　Yule…tide　feast　at　Hatfield　House　brought　pleasure

enough；　and　so；　seated　at　her　holly…trimmed　virginalthat

great…great…grandfather　of　the　piano　of　to…day；she；　whose　rare

skill　as　a　musician　has　come　down　to　us；　wouldwhen　wearied　with

her　〃prankes　and　japes〃〃tap　through〃　some　fitting　Christmas

carol；　or　that　older　lay　of　the　Yule…tide　〃Mumming〃：



　To　shorten　winter's　sadness　see　where　the　folks　with　gladness　

Disguised；　are　all　a…coming；　right　wantonly　a…mumming；　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Fa…la！

　　〃Whilst　youthful　sports　are　lasting；　to　feasting　turn　our

fasting：

　　With　revels　and　with　wassails　make　grief　and　care　our　vassals；　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Fa…la！〃



The　Yule…log　had　been　noisily　dragged　in　〃to　the　firing；〃　and　as

the　big　sparks　raced　up　the　wide　chimney；　the　boar's　head　and　the

tankard　of　sack；　the　great　Christmas　candle　and　the　Christmas

pie；　were　escorted　around　the　room　to　the　flourish　of　trumpets

and　welcoming　shouts；　the　Lord　of　Misrule；　with　a　wave　of　his

staff；　was　about　to　give　the　order　for　all　to　unmask；　when

suddenly　there　appeared　in　the　circle　a　new　charactera　great

green　dragon；　as　fierce　and　ferocious　as　well　could　be；　from　his

pasteboard　jaws　to　his　curling　canvas　tail。　The　green　dragon　of

Wantley！　Terrified　urchins　backed　hastily　away　from　his　horrible

jaws；　and　the　Lord　of　Misrule　gave　a　sudden　and　visible　start。

The　dragon　himself；　scarce　waiting　for　the　surprise　to　subside；

waved　his　paw　for　silence；　and　said；　in　a　hollow；　pasteboardy

voice：



〃Most　noble　Lord　of　Misrule；　before　your　feast　commences　and　the

masks　are　doff'd；　may　we　not　as　that　which　should　give　good

appetite　to　all；with　your　lordship's　permit　and　that　of　my

lady's　grace；tell　each　some　wonder…filling　tale　as　suits　the

goodly　time　of　Yule？　Here　be　stout　maskers　can　tell　us　strange

tales　of　fairies　and　goblins；　or；　perchance；　of　the　foreign　folk

with　whom　they　have　trafficked　in　Calicute　and　Affrica；　Barbaria；

Perew；　and　other　diverse　lands　and　countries　over…sea。　And　after

they　have　ended；　then　will　I　essay　a　tale　that　shall　cap　them

all；　so　past　belief　shall　it　appear。〃



The　close　of　the　dragon's　speech；　of　course；　made　them　all　the

more　curious；　and　the　Lady　Elizabeth　did　but　speak　for　all　when

she　said：　〃I　pray　you；　good　Sir　Dragon；　let　us　have　your　tale

first。　We　have　had　enow　of　Barbaria　and　Perew。　If　that　yours　may

be　so　wondrous；　let　us　hear　it　even　now；　and　then　may　we　decide。〃



〃As　your　lady's　grace　wishes；〃　said　the　dragon。　〃But　methinks

when　you　have　heard　me　through；　you　would　that　it　had　been　the

last　or　else　not　told　at　all。〃



〃Your　lordship　of　Misrule　and　my　lady's　grace　must　know；〃　began

the　dragon；　〃that　my　story；　though　a　short；　is　a　startling　one。

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＇　Haleddragged；　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　fortunesthe　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。







CHRISTINA　OF　SWEDEN：



THE　GIRL　OF　THE　NORTHERN　FIORDS。



A。D。　1636。



There　were　tears　and　trouble　in　Stockholm；　there　was　sorrow　in

every　house　and　hamlet　in　Sweden；　there　was　consternation

throughout　Protestant　Europe。　Gustavus　Adolphus　was　dead！　The

〃Lion　of　t