T H E T O W E R O F L O N D O N BY WALTE R G E OR G E BE LL W I T H E L E V E N D R A W I N G S BY H A N S L I P F L E T C H E R

JOH N LANE TH E BODLEY HE AD NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCM! ! I

C ONTENTS

PAGE

THE NORMAN KEEP

' THE TRAITORS GATE

' S L PETE R AD V I NCULA

BLOODY TOWER AND RE GAL IA

THE BEAUCHAM P TOWER

’ THE KI NG S H OUS E

’ S P T. JOHN S CHA EL

ENTRANCE TOWERS

I LLUSTR ATIONS

A RI V ERSIDE GLI M PSE

TOWER OF F ROM THE RIV ER TH E CON! UEROR’S KEEP TH E TRAITORS’ GATE

TH E F W LL W CUR E , OR BE , TO ER

ST. PETER AD VI NC ULA CHAPEL BLOODY TOWER AND WA KEF IELD TOWER BEAUC HAM P TOWER F RO M AC ROSS THE MOAT

’ TOWER GREEN AND THE KI NG S HOUSE N ’S A L WI I N ST. JOH CH PE TH THE KEEP MIDDLE TOWER AND BYWARD TOWER TH E TOWER PHOTOGRA PHED F ROM AN AEROPLANE

I N TH E TE! T

PLAN OF THE TOWER STRONG ROOM I N THE BELL TOWER JACOBITE ’ STONE TH E DUDLEY REBUS ! UEEN JANE INSCRI PTION

PR E FAC E

HESE chapters upon the were written for The ” Daily Telegraph , and they are reprinted with the kin d permission of its proprietors . My purpose was a simple one , to endeavour to interest Londoners in their

s own pos ession . I have stepped into no

s s ll controver ie , sti less have I attempted any contribution towards settling them . If I am told that everything here said is li fami ar , then I shall be glad , for that will indicate a deeper knowledge by London citizens of their historical buildings and the matchless history of their city than has been disclosed to my own experience . Never yet have I met the man who has made open confession that he does not know

The Tower . There would be a sense of

s or o S hame in it . The mi f tune for L ndoners

9 I o PREFACE is that The Tower is in London , where it - they have no time for seeing not, as it

s should be , in ome fastness of Wales , or r o o r r emote in C rnwall , pe ched upon a

r mountain in the Lake Dist ict . Then every London visitor on h oliday would hasten to

o r ss g over it . When I have p e ed anyone casually met to say when he w as last at the

w r o f o has To e Lond n , the reply been Ah

— — es well now y , it must be quite fifteen

s year ; but I mean to go . My own effort

l s r its wi l have e ved end if it sends him there . The justification for this volume must be

’ r M r H an sli found prima ily in . p Fletcher s

i s for s s draw ng , in them he di play a sympathy with his subj ect which rarely has been

su is achieved with ch success . It good that a great London newspaper should enrich its

w r s ll pages ith such a ti tic i ustrations . For present purposes I have somewhat enlarged

s o the c pe of the chapters . In condonation of my offence in producing yet another book

r upon the Towe of London , may I plead that there is no other short book accessible OF LONDON

THE FORTRESS

rILLIAM THE CONQUEROR N buil t the formidable tower or

Keep , four square to all the winds that blow , which is the central and

s Of most conspicuous tructure the fortress , and the Tower of London it was then and ever since has been . It has never been called a castle . The Tower has stood to guard the river gate of London for eight and a half centuries , and nothing else within it has the age , or indeed the strength , of this earliest work , the Norman Keep . The Conqueror had two obj ects in view when he began to raise this formidable pile of masonry by the Thames side twelve years

s after his seizure of the Engli h Crown . It should dispute the passage of any enemy who 13 1 4 THE TOWER OF LONDON might venture to sail up the Th ames to attack the commercial capital . But , more than

s a s thi measure of protection , one im g ine , it was designed to overawe the Londoners . It was studied insolence on the Conqueror ’ s part to throw down a length of the defensive

’ wall that had been Lo ndon s protection in order that he might build his Tower ; the wall that had existed since the knowledge of

—fin i man knew not to the contrary fact , s nce the Roman occupation .

s s Becau e of thi challenging act , flung out , as it were , in defiance of any who should contest his will , a portion of The Tower of less than eight acres stands outside the City as its anciently limited by wall , the remainder

its be of eighteen acres , if the outer scarp

W the included , being ithin wall . A fragment of the Roman wall which encircled Lo ndon still may be seen by the littl e ruin of the s t demoli hed Tower, near the sou h — east angle of the Keep not the ruin rising some eight or ten feet high , which often is TH E FORTRESS 1 5

is mistaken for it . The Roman masonry level

s with the ground , being merely the ba e of the wall , and is noteworthy as the only piece exposed which shows the sandstone footing with its bevelled edge . William the Conqueror built the Keep as

s ffi we have it , a stronghold amply u cient in that day to stand by itself . Its massive walls

1 ! in the lower courses are 5 ft . in thickness , — and high above ground fully I I ft . too substantial to be burrowed through by the poor military engines of the eleventh cen tury .

ul Little harm co d then befall it , especially when it was defended by armed men above .

I ts single entrance was raised high , well out of reach of besiegers attacking the fortifica tion after the stage which gave access had been knocked away, isolating the garrison . There is question where the original entrance w as e placed , but it is probably indicat d by remains of an important arch to be seen on the south wall . I 6 THE TOWER OF LONDON

The dungeons had no entrance from the

r s level , but we e reached olely by the internal - staircase within the north eastern corner

r turret , which ran down to thei depths and up to the roof and battlements of the Keep .

A single entrance meant safety . Water for a besieged garrison was provided by the wide

0 . s mouthed well , 4 ft in depth , with side

s closely masoned , which still fill below the floor of one chamber . The light of an electric - lamp to day ill uminates it . As an isolated

r . fort , the Keep fulfilled eve y need

’ It is doubtful if in the Conqueror s lifetime any other portion of the fortress was com l eted . 1 0 8 p If begun in 7 , the date generally

r s accepted , there emained but nine year of his r formid reign , and military wo ks of such

u s r able nat re a thes e made slow p ogress .

Gun d ul f e , the monk of the great Abb y of

s s s Bec , made Bi hop of Roche ter oon after his u arrival in , b ilt the Norman

his Keep , and he toiled on with military architecture through the reign s of William

1 8 THE TOWER OF LONDON

O UTER F ORTI F I OATI ONS

King John and others are credited with some s hare in the strengthening of the wall

n r contai ing the Inner Wa d , employing the - term in use to day but it was not till King - Henry III set his hand to the outer fortifica tions that the Tower of London took the form in which we know it Till then it

s s r con i ted of a cent al Keep and one wall , with

rs o as towe ab ut it a supplementary defence ,

s s - roughly quare . Thi Inner Ward of to day

s ss r — po se ed one ent ance , and one alone the dark and fro wning archway beneath the

o s Bl ody Tower , it elf of great antiquity , having the Wakefield To wer on its right its s is heavy portculli , with winch , still in

r place , and still in wo king order , ready to be

r lowe ed . That w as the entrance to The

r r for s s Of Towe , whethe King , pri oners State , or for the garrison and below the gate the bank shelved steeply to the tidal Thames

flowing by . THE FORTRESS 1 9

l The bo ats rowed up here . Al passed that way , by the one gate . That is why the Bloody Tower and the Wakefield Tower were b uilt so strong .

It w as a land fortress . The formation on the foreshore of the Thames of the Tower

" c old aS H en r Wharf , whi h is as y III , the building complete of the outer wall , with its

! large bastions and the six towers on the

-or river face , and the digging all round

o ee —Of a with more likeliho d d pening . moat

s into which the Thame water flowed , greatly

r ss strengthened the fort e , and , moreover ,

r greatly altered its appea ance . The old means of entrance beneath the Bloody Tower now became merely an internal gateway . It is still the onl y legitimate means of access

r to the Inner Ward , the ent ance by which - visitors to day pass being merely a breach in the wall made last century for convenience of running stores from the river wharf up to the Keep . Access by water was given by Traitors ’ 2 0 THE TOWER OF LONDON

’

. Gate , heavily guarded by the St Thomas s

r . r Towe , built above it A principal ent ance had to be made west for use by the garrison and all coming and going by land . The strong Byward Tower can be traced back to

r bu t Richa d II , a defensive turret and gate here became a first necessity of the scheme of

r s oute fortification , and probably were raised by King Henry III . He was the greatest builder among our Kings , and his gigantic works in masonry are seen at and Windso r Castle as well as at The

Tower . Long as he reigned , he could not do all . There is much Edwardian work in

’ ul London s fortress , and interior va ting in certain of the towers indicates the period of King Richard II . From the Byward Tower a drawbridge could be thrown across the moat to meet the causeway . By the land (or City) Side , di guar ng , was a work known as the Lion

c Tower , all tra es of which have now dis appeared . As an additional defence at the THE FORTRESS 2 1

entrance was built the Middle Tower . This is attributed to King Edward I , and the moat was diverted hereabouts into two wide

M r streams . The iddle Tower is the fi st to be

- e passed to day , and the name s ems meaning less , but it was so called because it stood middle between the Byward Tower ' across the moat and the Lion Tower towards the

City bank .

In order to understand the fortress , it is necessary to realize that it consists of these

f s three parts . They are of di ferent age , and consist of

1 . The central Norman Keep .

z. Encircling the Keep , the wall about the

Inner Ward , with its twelve surviving towers ,

e l of which the B l Tower , the Bloody Tower ,

are Wakefield Tower , and Beauchamp Tower best known to visitors and

3 . Encircling these in turn the outer line of fortifications , beginning at the Byward

Tower, the moat being external to all .

n After carrying the outer fortifications , a 2 2 THE TOWER OF LONDON

a a E x O 3 d s u £ z o a 8 8 o n g s g 3 5 a a E o o m m 3 m fi

a n n . me w THE FORTRESS 2 3 attacking host would be brought up by the

0 . . inner wall , some 4 ft in height If that

es s was succ sfully a sailed , the survivors among the garrison could retire into the Keep , and

Was there hold out . The Tower of London ,

s . in fact , immen ely strong

All this is , of course , obvious to anybody who studies the plan . But numbers of

s to s h s r per ons , hurrying get to the mo t i to ical

s e s spot , find thems lve by the Keep , or on the execution ground of Tower Green , or at the

e B auchamp Tower , with turrets and walls

Of about them , and small appreciation their meaning . It then seems a strangely confused

’ littl f place . A e kn owl edge beforehand O why i the build ngs came to be so placed , and the

s purpo es which each was intended to serve , greatly adds to the intelligent enj oyment of a visit to this most historical of all our for

s . s s tresse Purpo ely , to avoid confu ion of l mind , I have mentioned by name on y those towers about the Inner Ward which are l accessib e to the public and known to them , 2 4 THE TOWER OF LONDON

The others are to a lesser extent living history, and the inquirer will find them indicated in the plan here attached .

A STATE PRISON The Tower of London became the one great State prison because it was so strong , a prison that in Tudor days was crowded with the victims of our devious system of

r statec aft . It was not built for that , and , f indeed, a single stone stronghold , su ficiently

s i olated , would have served that end better but early in its record it was utilized as a place of confinemen t for prisoners of distinc tion , and Royal captives of our wars held to — s . was ran om It a Royal palace never , — indeed , comfortable and as such was used

s r t ll by all the Engli h Sove eigns i Charles II , who was the last to lodge there before his

Coronation , and make the historic j ourney in procession from The Tower through the City

s r streets to We tminster . Its walls gua ded

e l wa th Mint , and the coinage of the rea m s

2 6 THE TOWER OF LONDON

arf r at the Tower Wh , to which the boats d ew

an dr o up , d a light awbridge ver the moat and postern by the side of the Byward Tower admitted Royalty and distinguished travellers

a s to The Tower . There was l o the Iron Gate , where the approaches now run

o u . l beside the m at , but that was little sed A l

o n e led to the Outer Bailey only , the means Of access to the Inner Ward s till being

an d r beneath the Bloody Tower , it was ca e

u in fully guarded . The p blic , except times of disturbance , were freely admitted to the

but Outer Bailey, the Inner Ward was

’ as r as i i regarded a Royal a ea , be ng the K ng s

r a Palace , and f om that p rt till after Tudor

s day they were excluded . The old Royal Palace within The Tower was erected on ground between the Keep and

s r the inner wall toward the rive , when

s o manner s ftened , and the cold comfort of - the Keep itself was found ins ufficient for kings more luxurious than were the first

N ma is a a . or n m sters of Engl nd Little , in ! TH E FORTRESS 2 7

' fact , known of these Royal apartments , and their age is uncertain . They contained a Great Hall on the line of the wall of the Inner

a s W rd ea tward of the Wakefield Tower , and from old picture maps which include The Tower apparently had many rooms and l scattered offices . Oliver Cromwe l is credited with having destroyed the last remainin g i bu ldings , then much in decay , foreseeing in his blindness no future use for Royal Palaces

s for king , since which time the distinction

s has had le s importan ce . THE NORMAN KEEP

HE Norman Keep is the oldest di buil ng of The Tower , and it is also the one which has undergone

s 1 . s lea t change . Walls 5 ft in thickne s and masoned so well as these do not require a renovator , nor do they give him material

i his upon which to d splay unfortunate skill ,

s save at excessive co t of labour . There has been one regrettable alteration . Strength was the first essential with the Norman builders , light and ventilation being quite subsidiary . Their windows were mere loop s holes , or narrow slits in the ma onry , at least till a great height above ground was reached . The substitution two centuries ago of large windows with stone facings for the original Norman openings has done something to 28 THE NORMAN KEEP 2 9 diminish the simple grandeur of these vast

ll n eces walls , ti then impregnable . It is not

’ saril y Sir Christopher Wren s work , though

or- to him is given the discredit . Maj General

r Youn husban d Sir Geo ge g , the Keeper of the li Rega a , recently has pointed out that a plan

’ dated 1 72 1 exists in his Maj esty s Office of

Works , showing the old windows , and Wren then had passed his ninetieth year .

Apart from this , the Keep stands as the

Gun d ulf Conqueror and , his architect , may themselves have looked upon it— the most perfect relic of Norman military architecture ” in England the mighty Tower of London ,

hi a as Freeman , the stori n , enthusiastically calls it , having no eyes for anything else but this one austere building . Its height to the

fir battlements is 90 ft . It is delusive at st sight the Keep is not square , as it seems . It b has been correctly descri ed as a large ,

u irreg lar stone building , no one side answer in g to another , nor any of its watch towers , of ” which there are four at the top . The longest 3 0 THE TOWER OF LONDON o external measurement is 1 16 ft . n rth to

' is 1 f s s . r south and 07 t . ea t to we t The e a - large ap sidal proj ection at the south east

s . corner , making the line of the ap e of St

’ John s Chapel and of the crypt and sub

it - s c crypt below , and at the north ea t orner

' a circul ar r is turret from g ound to roof , which gives access to each floor and goes down to the dungeons .

s Internally there are three cro s walls , in t S ft par s . in thickness , which divide each

floor into three rooms of unequal dimensions .

l a us s . The bui ders had ide s of spacio ne s , and

on e e r measur the great chamber on ach floo ,

0 . . con ing 9 ft to 95 ft in length , would be sid er ed large in any modern palace .

a The Keep is complete , cont ining within

s for r ss itself the accommodation requi ite fort e ,

, st Royal palace , and State prison . The fir

as storey , known the main floor , was that

r devoted to the main gua d of the fortress , and in ancient days was crowded with mailed — officers and men at arms the garrison ;

32 THE TOWER OF LONDON spans from wall to wall supports by heavy timber logs must always have been necessary those now in service are not of the most ancient date As the White Tower the

in Keep has for ages been known , and the

r beautiq earliest d awing we have of it , a y coloured picture story attached to the Poems — of Charles Prince of Orleans a marriage gift by King Henry VII to his Queen ,

Mu Elizabeth of York , now in the British seum collection—it appears radiantly white against the grey turrets and walls of the fortress . It is said to have obtained that name from

i a having been coated with wh tewash , and dozen writers have so repeated . Perhaps . But there is no historical basis for the k assumption that I now , and I have always been sceptical about that whitewash coat

a s no easy m tter to apply to the e broad walls ,

0 . in rising 9 ft height .

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS

It is about the Council Chamber on the

’ topmost floor that the incidents of Engla nd s THE NORMAN KEEP 3 3 history associated with the Keep mostly

There was made the accusation by Richard Duke of Gloucester which afforded Shake speare the material for a dramatic scene in his Kin g Richard I I I A circular stairway

ul . leads up , and a va ted passage , only 3 ft w in idth , has upon this floor been left in the thickness of the exterior wall right round the four walls of the Keep . Its purpose is

u e somewhat vag e , but it has be n thought to be designed so that , in event of a siege , the troops on the roof migh t communicate more readily with ot her floors of the Keep by the

a . internal st irways This passage , on that

1 8 June day of 4 3 , had been filled with armed soldiers , concealed . At a signal from Richard , bringing his fist down violently on the table around which the Council was assembled , cries of Treas on ! treason l were heard

. s s i without Soldier , ru h ng in , seized

r d Hastings , whom the P otector enounced for

d s r plotting his destruction , and i pe sed the 3 4 THE TOWER OF LONDON

n s u Council . Hasti g , witho t pretence of trial , was hurried below for execution outside the

r u Keep , a rough timber log b o ght there for purposes of repairs serving for the blo ck .

r In this same apartment King Richa d II ,

’ r s s s when fo tune favour de erted him , and the reign which had begun so auspiciously

his r ended , surrendered c own to Henry of — Bolingbroke another scene which Shake speare has pictured with undying pathos .

r s Prelates , lo ds , knight , and j udges of Eng land had proceeded On horseback to The

s s s Tower , pas ing , a tately proce sion , to this

n chamber , and Richard , a prisoner , crow ed

r s and robed , appea ed in their mid t . Frois sart ’ s simple prose perhaps tells the anguish of the moment as poignantly as any

I h e een K n of En nd Du e of A u n e av b i g gla , k q itai , an d Lo rd of Ire n d ou en -one e rs h h la ab t tw ty y a , w ic se n or ro s e re ro n an d her e I ig i y, yalty , c pt , c w , itag clearly resign here to my cousin H enry of Lan caster an d I d es re him here in h s o en resen e in en er i t i p p c , t in of the s me ossess on to e h s s e re g a p i , tak t i c pt . THE NORMAN KEEP 3 5

The mystery of his end is dark as night .

s ad The face , still retaining under the lines wrought by care something o f its personal — beauty and charm Richard w as but thirty — four years Of age at death appeared once

r w mo e at The To er . After the tragedy of

s his r s s s Pontefract Ca tle , co p e re ted a ingle

s night in the Tower of London , expo ed to

’ view~d oubtl e s s before the altar of St . John s

H is u as . h Chapel sk ll , by the way , been submitted to modern examination (so we investigate ancient stories of murder nowa

s dis s rr day ) , and it prove the na ative of the violent blow at the hands of a Sir Piers of

Exton . That Richard was starved to death is

’ probable The . examination of Richard s poor skull had better j ustification than a

i i u u s m lar inq iry conducted by Lord N gent ,

’ who in 1 82 8 opened John H ampd en s grave to find whether the patriot ’ s death at Chal grove Field was due to a bullet wound in the s houlder, or , as one related , to an over 3 6 THE TOWER OF LONDON loaded pistol having exploded and shattered his hand . That all doubts might be removed - the historical detail seems of small im — po rtance he amputated both arms of the body with a penknife , and minutely examined them Later Lord Nugent acknowledged that he had reason to believe this outrage had been committed upon the wrong ma n .

’ s fate was decided , not at

s Westminster , as was cu tomary with all great

State trials , but within The Tower , in the

’ King s Hall . There has been much dispute concerning the particular apartment in which

s id enti the Court as embled . It is generally fied as one of the rooms on the middl e floor of

r u n the Keep , eithe the Banq eti g Hall or the smaller chamber into which the visitor to

’

s . n The Tower emerge from St Joh s Chapel,

’ but others believe the Queen s tri al to have been staged in the Great Hall of the Royal i Palace , wh ch seems likely ; this long since was demolished . Both the upper State floor with the Council Chamber and the Banquet THE NORMAN KEEP 37 in g Hall floor are now fill ed with the coll ec tions of arms and armour , which for historical interest are unrivalled in England .

THE ARMO URIES

They are the subj ect of a recent magn ifi

M r s r . cent monog aph by Charles ffoulke ,

s Curator of The Tower Armourie , f published by the Stationary O fice , and only one learned in armour is fitted to des cribe them . To that I make no pretence . The visitor cannot fail to notice how finely displayed are the figures bearing the armour - knights in mail of the til t yard riding horses ~ heavily mailed , footmen in mail carrying

s pikes , drawn up as if to tart . I had a fancy one day of seeing the whole line in movement , horse and foot , marching with a clatter out of these halls and out of The Tower . What a spectacle that would make - Foot soldiers , however , were never com

l etel p y covered in mail , as is seen in some unhorsed models here . The steel helmet and 3 8 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

’ cuirass continued in use by Cromwell s Iron

sur s s sides , and , indeed , vive in the peace dre of our ow n Life Gu ards This historical co llection has its origin in that formed by

r w King Henry VIII at G een ich Palace , and many of the pieces were made as gifts to

f r b s r Mr. o l s s that mona ch . f u ke de c i e the central equestrian figure n ow exhibited in

m r s om the Council Cha be , howing c plete armour for horse and man engraved with

s s o r s r u lis s ro e , p meg anate , po tc l e and other badges of Henry VIII and Catherine of

’ o as s r Arag n , the fine t example of the a mourer s

rm r craft in existence . The a oure w as Conr ad

S eusenhofer s , one of a famou family of

r Augsbu g smiths .

- s or r The battle axe , maces , have inte ested

a s me . In the c ses , lying ide by side with maces of polished steel employed in the old

s o f s r ou ill day the melee by knight in a m r , w

ou s o s u o s s e be f nd h rt , to t wo den tave , fitt d with iron rings and knobs at the top desperate weapons at close quarters . Thes e

40 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

seemed impossible , were sometimes used as a

R an d f r . ul State p ison There Flambard ,

s —or Bi hop of Durham , the first prisoner — first of any importance that The Tower

n had held , was confi ed by King Henry I , and he is said to have got away by the little Norman window that has es caped the

’ restorer s attentions , lowering himself by a

TO pe to the ground . He had been too active

n in extorti g taxes for building the fortress .

’ n s l Llewely rebellious son Gruffydd , ater attempting to regain liberty by the same

rr his means , met with a te ible end , body

n Whi bei g found at the foot of the te Tower , with his head thrust in between his ” r shoul ders . The ope he had made from his linen had broken under his weight . The Keep w as als o the prison of Charles of

r O leans , the princely poet of France , taken by Henry V at Agincourt , alive amongst

s s tho e left for lain , and perhaps the most romantic captive whom The Tower has irnm re u d . Joan of Arc considered him to be TH E NORMAN KEEP 41

’ l believ one of her country s chosen de iverers , w ing that all would go well ith France , and

e . victory be hers , were his releas obtained

1 0 His weary imprisonment ended in 44 , when Joan of Arc had suffered martyrdom at Rouen

r nine years before . King John of F ance ,

Poictiers captured at , probably occupied

s these same Chamber , to which the wars of the English Edwards on the Continent and at home brought other captives . John de

s . Baliol , King of the Scots , was one of the e On the main floor is the massive stone

’ crypt below St . John s Chapel . The block

x therein e hibited , a gnarled piece of oak brown with oil and age , is that upon which Simon Fraser Lord Lovat suffered for par ticipation in the Scottish rebellion of 1 745 the last man behea ded in England . Two marks Of the axe are clean cut upon its surface . The block was the possession — maybe the perquisite o f a former

Po n d on warder, John y , who when his own death was approaching made a gift Of it to 42 THE TOWER OF LONDON

’ s The Tower . The head man s axe shown at

r its side is of ea lier date . A wall case contains a few instruments of

r r the thumbscrew s to tu e , , a spiked collar for

r s s p isoners , bilboe for ecuring captives by the feet , and that dreadful appliance , The

’ s u Scavenger Da ghter , by which the victim w as ru s c shed , with head , hand and feet s is s o r ecured , till , it aid , blo d spurted f om

i u beneath h s fingers . A Lie tenant of The

r r S keffin t on Towe , Sir Leona d g , has the

u o s d bious h nour of thi invention . There

is also a model of the rack . Odd thing to place such a collection in a church crypt !

r s The name the e di played , Sir Walter

’ s is s r is Raleigh Cell , mi leading ; the e no

o evidence , and no likeliho d , that any part of

’ Raleigh s long captivity was spent in the i e . s s n ot r so o Ke p Thi a p i n fl or , but some of

’ the followers of VVyatt s rebellion were thrust

’ s w as s into thi crypt . That it u ed in Mary s reign for prisoners is evident fro m a few

s in criptions carved on the wall . One of these TH E NORMAN KEEP 43 reads He that endureth to the ende shall

s . I O . . . be saved . M R Rud ton Dar .

1 Anno 553 . Another is Be faithful unto

crown e . deth , and I wil give the a of life

1 is s J . Fane . 554 and there al o , T . f r Culpeper of D ar ord . O iginally the place

ar s s ss was in total d kne s , ave po ibly for a loophole opening the window hacked out of

’ ss is the wall s thickne modern . These carvings are at the side of a vaulted f t . 8 . 1 0 cell , ft by , now without a doorway .

Its use is ut uncertain , b it is thought to have

sto re l ace s r r been a p for trea u e , p otected by its o wn strong walls and the sanctity of the

Church . TH E D UNGEONS

It is only of recent years that the dungeons

ss have become acce ible to the public , and to those who make the tourof the Keep they are the last chambers to be visited . The feeling as one first enters is that of dis ll i n m irn i us o ent and disappointment . It is

s pos ible here that it should be otherwise . 44 THE TOWER OF LONDON

’ The gloomy dungeon of one s imagina

s tion , cavernou , dark , deep , is a thing to — peer into and with a shudder pass by it can

r s r of its natu e have no u e . The p oper way to go down into a dungeon is over worn , slippery stone stairs , with a flaming torch

fitful held high in hand , throwing light into

i s s black recesses , d sper ing a mist of moke — an occasional Choking sensation present in the throat , the consciousness of damp . That way I would go down to the dungeons of romance .

’ One there is among The Tower s dungeons

- s that even to day tells its purpo e , the sub

’

e . crypt of St . John s Chap l It is , in fact , the Of smallest the three , but with its long

s vaulted barrel roof , the light gli tening on - the stones of walls and ceiling and earthen

r floo , and fading into indistinctness in the

s barew hOrribl — di tance , y bare that dungeon

a I can imagine as it was when , in the medi eval

s per ecutions , scores of Jews were flung into it . All light then shut out , without ventila THE NORMAN KEEP 45

tion , crowded , I can imagine the stagnant air from so many breaths , fetid as over a pool covered with green slime . But for the other

u d ngeons , brightly illuminated throughout th with e best electric lamps , stone paved ,

a d filled with cannon n mortar , exhibits of commanding interest which distract atten tion from the enclosing walls—they are as

’ ’ pleasant as is one s friend s wine cellar . l No doubt all Space in The Tower , so bad y needed , has to be put to use , but I think that the authorities who gave to us the dungeons in their present guise had small historical sense . I would prefer them empty , and so

’ dark tha t one must grope one s way about .

But in fact , a good span before our time , their original character was largely destroyed by the building within them of the heavy brick abutments and arches that support the main floor above . The dungeons of the Keep are level with the ground on the south side , and sunk only

o a few feet on the north , facts which sh uld 46 THE TOWER OF LONDON dispel some ridiculo us legends concerning them . Fancy has played most freely about the

s r Little Ea e . Like the est of the Keep , the floor of the dungeons is divided by strong

l s n r r internal wal i to th ee chambe s , and - Little Ease to day is merely an arched pass age through the thick division wall from

r s one to anothe . On one side it can be clo ed

r s l in s o by a heavy oak doo til po iti n , and there are the spikes on which a do or or wicket

r is once swun g on the othe side . Guy Fawkes

r the traditional prisoner walled in the e . If ever it w as used as a cell (of which there is s o w as rr ou i ome d ubt) it ho ible en gh , be ng

r its r s c amped in Space , black in da knes , but to accentu ate the shudders which the place

s o s r rs h uld give , ome mo bid write have pictured the muddy Thames waters flo wing

’ s o r so r s s in , ri ing to the c nfined p i ne wai t , if

to his s l rs r s s not hou de , befo e they ub ided , and

r No t rendering him mad with terro . only is ” n s Little Ease above grou d , but it stand

48 THE TOWER OF LONDON

s s monk , su pected by the same monarch , on good evidence , of being party to the forcing

s of the Royal Treasury at We tminster Abbey , and the robbery of the English regalia and

’ r r s r t easu e tored the e . Nor did the dun geons use cease with the darkest years of the Middl e l s . w as Age The rack kept here , where so id walls might stifle the cries of tortured victims

r r f om the outer wo ld , and , worked by light of torch or lantern , it was freely employed by

r Hen y VIII and great Elizabeth , and last used by James I .

s The we tern Chamber is 91 ft . long by 35 ft . in width . The second dungeon measures

. 1 47 ft length by 5 ft . breadth . The doorway cut in the north wall of the Keep through which the visitor emerges into the open air is modern . THE TRAITORS ’ GATE

APPILY it is not necessary to regard the statements of our ancien t English chroniclers as cold records of the facts of their times , or to dis miss them as worthless be cause they con tain much tha t obviously cann ot be accepted

an as strictly historical . They lived in age of

’ a s simpler f ith than ours , when men minds

u were more receptive to the marvello s , and much more influenced by it . Their Latin was

a not lways impeccable , but through the texts there exudes the glow of religious fervour . Too often for our liking such facts as they dealt with were made subsidiary to the moral , for with few exceptions they were d religious men of one brotherhoo or another , l clerks possessing the abi ity , rare in their age , D 49 5 0 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

to write . So I turn to Matthew Paris , the monk of St . Albans , for his story of the build

’ ’ s ing of St . Thoma s Tower and the Traitors

ur s Gate with the ass ance that , be his vi ion

w s us r worth hat it may , he tell quite t uthfully

s thi , that the continuous growth in strength of the formidable fortress of The Tower was

rs very unpopular with the Londone , j ealous

s of the personal power of their King , and that woven into his story is something abou t the building to which we may profitably

s li ten .

r The Towe Wharf , built out upon the

s - o Thame foreshore , which to day aff rds so

’ o f r s s pleasant a view the rive activitie , the

’ s defending St . Thomas Tower and the Water — ’ — Gate our own Traitors Gate were all one

who r work , and it was King Henry III unde took it . The commonalty found cause and courage for protest and then , on the night

’ 1 2 0 of St . George s Day of the year 4 , while

r the London populace was at p ayer , wharf and

- si n ifi water gate fell in . There was much g ’ TH E TRAITORS GATE 5 :

cance in that . We might ourselves attribute such disaster to the scour of a high spring tide , but the citizens thought otherwise .

Artificers r but took up the task af esh , on the

’ r l selfsame St . Geo ge s night of the fo lowing

r year a second time the wo k of masonry ,

r s s stones and earth c a hed , and lipped into the r iver . Matthew Paris tells that a priest then pass ing saw the ghostly figure of an arch

s in d his bi hop , dressed episcopal robes , hol ing cross , and attended by the spirit of a clerk , gazing sternly on these new works The

figure Spoke to the masons , asking , Why build ye these Sharply he struck the walls with the holy cross , whereupon they reeled i and sank into the tide , leav ng a wreath of smoke behind . The priest was too much scared to accost potent spirit , but he turned to the

’

i s s . humble clerk , ask ng the archbi hop name ”

. u St Thomas of Canterb ry , said the shade . 52 THE TOWER OF LONDON

To his further request why this destruction. was done , the shade replied

St . Thomas , by birth a Citizen of

e e London , mislik s these works , becaus they

a are raised in scorn , and ag inst the public

c e right . For this aus he has thrown them down beyond the tyrant ’ s power to restore them .

There is more , and incidentally the ghostly

had t assurance that if St . Thomas not ac ed , the Confessor himself would have swept the

s i building away . But what make me th nk

’ that a Becket s interference was interpolated into the story of destruction a little later is e that Henry III , a pious king , the gr at

and builder of Westminster Abbey, the

c o l espe ial devotee of the Confess r , disp ayed

n ot no concern . Ghos tly interference did dismay him . Only he built more strongly

his than ever , and with such stability that ~ work stands ; there is the Wharf and the

’ ’ Traitors Gate and St . Thomas s Tower as

i ou ev dence of it , th gh the last named as we ’ THE TRAITORS GATE 53

’ now see it is largely S alvin s reconstruction

half a century ago .

n But perhaps I am wro g , for notice the dedication of the guarding tower is to

. a e St Thom s hims lf ; and in the tower , by - the side of his water gate , the King made a

l o n ittle ratory for religious devotio s , also

dedicated to the Canterbury martyr . Were these meant for appeasement of the unseen power ! The Keeper of the Crown Jewels - ’ to day has pleasant quarters in St . Thomas s

Tower, and there is an overhead way by

i the wh ch he may get to Wakefield Tower , wherein the Regalia is safe kept, without

i ir go ng in to Open a .

THE ARCH AND STEPS

’ The arch over the Traitors Gate is remark

s . able for its Span , having no key tone It

its 6 1 ft . e extends , and each stone of low st

is w course keyed in to the nex t ith a cog ,

c . u spa e for which is cut out So constr cted ,

stands st on in t e and e a . The it r g , defy g im d c y 54 THE TOWER OF LONDON

e gates swing Op n , though water no longer comes up to them ; an oaken lattice work

fills in the space to the arch . From the wall r still hangs a large iron ing , to which the boats that have brought so many doomed men to The Tower from their trial at Westminster

. u Hall , tied up What n mbers of men and women whose memories bulk large in our history has this gate shut out from a world that should know them no longer

It has no stains of blood . Its associations are not those of the close walls of the Beau im champ and other towers , upon which prisoned men have scratched a record of their name and fate for future ages to read ; but the boats silently drifting in beneath this arch to the steps , the processional axe turned with its edge towards the condemned prisoner , have conveyed so much human anguish and despair as assuredly make this one of the s addest spots in this Tower of sadness . The old steps that prisoners of State have trodden in The Tower ’ s most momentous

’ TH E TRAITORS GATE 55

are s days there . A modern tone and course

s of brick covers and protect each , but the ends of the old worn stones are left visible .

s Despite the ascriptions in so manybook , it is probable that the greatest figure among The ’ — Tower s prisoners , Queen Elizabeth then a young Princess—did not land here upon that rainy Palm Sunday of 1 554 . The tide was found to be too low for the barge to reach the

r causeway . She sp ang out on the mud , then threw herself down on a wet stone . Better

S it . here than in a worse place , she remarked All this suggests the more honourable entrance

’ r by the Queen s Stai s . I pray you all , good ” fellows and friends , Elizabeth said to The

s Tower guard , bear me witne s that I come

u in no traitor , but as tr e a woman to the

’ Queen s Maj esty as any now living , and thereon I will take my death .

CAPTIVES AT TRAITORS ’ GATE

’ To the Traitors Gate , earlier , had come a — ’ l . Queen Elizabeth s mother , Anne Bo eyn 56 THE TOWER ! OF LONDON

She was brought from by water

The r the zn d 1 6 to Towe , May , 53 , the Lord w

Chancellor, the , and others

-it her o attending , and was pris n during the remaining seventeen days of life allowed to

! o her . As the b at floated in to the steps , a strong guard assembled . It was a distracted woman who landed , and was there handed

s . e c over to the Con table J su , have mer y — on me 1 Anne Bo leyn cried a n d then S he

n d kneeled down, weeping a great Space , a in the same sorrow fell into a great laughing ; ” so s and she did everal times aft erwards . It is all very human .

’ We meet Anne Boleyn again in the King s — House it then was known as the Lieu

’ —ou n tenant s Lodgings the execution grou d ,

in and the sad little church of St . Peter ad

Vincula within The Tower . There is a story of her ghost having appeared to the sentry pl aced in the night watch beneath her

. in o window I have small faith gh sts , but if

a l s such exist , be sure there is mong the egion ’ THE TRAITORS GATE 57

e the S hade of this pathetic Que n , so much t defamed , whose rue character still remains

i e o so largely concealed n myst ry , that ver it historians may haggle . Queen Katharine Howard entered by

’ Traitors Gate ; Archbishop Cranmer, to whom The Tower was but a resting-place in his progres s to the stake at Oxford ; Sir

Thomas Wyatt , the rebel against Queen

s l Mary the Earl of E sex , after the fai ure of his rising against Elizabeth ; Strafford and

rc A hbishop Laud , Monmouth , and many

— n more . Late for its use was then drawi g — towards a close came the Seven Bishops ,

at sent to The Tower by King James II , and

i e the r entrance a strange s ene h They were

e brought by water from Westmins ter . Th ' barge having passed through the Traitors

Gate , as they landed on the steps the warders and guards knelt and implored their blessing ,

a a k a d soldiers in b rr c s cheered , n from the river came through the shouts an d blessings of the populace which had accompanied them 58 THE TOWER OF LONDON

ss throughout their pa age , all London being

see out to them go by , mingling with the

’ r s sound of St . Pete s bell ringing for evening service . MO RE AT THE TOWER Standing in the narrow street of the bailey

s n between the outer and inner wall , looki g toward the Traitors ’ Gate in its most familiar

r r View , we may pictu e af esh one of those domestic and most human incidents which

s illuminate the last days of Sir Thoma More . He had walked from his prison to West

e i minster , fe bly lean ng upon a stick , and , leaving Westminster Hall after con d emn a tion , was allowed to return to The Tower by water . His grandson writes , in the Life of More

When Sir Thomas was n ow come t o the Tower

Whar his es e o ed h d m Aun R o er f , b t b l v c il , y t p , d es rous t o see her her hom she e red she i fat , w f a shoul d ne er see in h s or d er t o h e his s v t i w l aft , av la t

essin e here end n e to mee him hom bl g , gav t att a c t w as soon as she had es ed she ran h s un o him pi a tily t , ’ TH E TRAITORS GATE 59 and W hou cons der o or re for herse ss n it t i ati n ca lf , pa i g hrou h the m ds of the hron an d u rd of men t g i t t g g a , who h i s and h er s om ssed him roun d wit b ll alb t c pa , ' here o en in the s h of hem em r ed him t p ly ig t t all b ac , and oo him ou the n e an d iss ed him n ot t k ab t ck k ,

e to sa an ord but Oh m her oh m abl y y w , y fat , y

her H e n e her mos n ur and d e r fat , liki g w ll t at al a f e t on o rd s him e her his her ess a f c i t wa , gav fat ly bl in e n her h h soe er he shou d suffer g ; t lli g t at w at v l , hou h he ere nnocen et Was not hou the t g w i t , y it wit t will of God an d that he knew well enough all the se re s of her he r ounse n her to accommo c t a t , c lli g

’ d e her to od s essed e sure and to be at will G bl pl a ,

r hi os patient fo s l s .

She was no soo er r ed rom him and had one n pa t f , g sc rce ten s e s hen she not s sfied h the a t p , w , ati wit ormer re e li e one who had or o herse f fa w ll , k f g t lf , r shed w the en ire o e of so or h her avi ith t l v w t y a fat , having neither respect to herself nor t o the press o f eo e ou him sudd en urned and ran p pl ab t , ly t back , h s to him and oo him ou the ne an d a tily , t k ab t ck divers times together kissed him whereat he spoke not ord but rr in s his r e rs el a w , ca y g till g avity, t a f l

so rom his e es ea here ere er few in al f y y , t w v y all the tr00 who oul d re r n here rom ee n p c f ai at f w pi g,

n o not the u rd hemse es . Yet s h , g a t lv at la t wit a u hear she was se ered rom him h h me f ll t v f , at w ic ti 60 THE TOWER OF LONDON an other of our women embraced him and my

’ un s m d Doro h Co is did the i e of hom he a t ai t y ll l k , w

s d er was home but r o n d one . ai aft , it ly ve y l vi gly

He passed in with the guard beneath the dark archway and portcullis of

and Tower, thence to the

his e o was prison , only to merge up n the scaffold .

6 2 THE TOWER OF LONDON amused by a correspondence in an archaeo

o logical paper about its survival , when rem te hamlets and vill ages were instanced which keep the o bservance in honour from their

r is church belf ies . But then London always

r big enough to be ove looked .

— s The Bell Tower ometimes , because of the association , called the Curfew Tower is r s or oughly circular . Many hi t ians believe — it to be one of the buildings put up b y King Henry III when he w as strengthenin g

s the fortres , though others have dated it as

r as is ea ly Richard I , and there much to

r r be said for the ea lie date . The simple crudity of the structure suggests the Lion hearted King rather than the ornate builder

s of We tminster Abbey . It is immensely s l trong . The base itself is so id masonry , and

s s the first arrow lit appear high above this , where the walls are many feet in thickness .

r l Even at the windows far ove head , ighting

r are 8 . . the upper chambe , the walls ft thick t This streng h was necessary , for the structure THE BELL TOWER 63

c an o cupies important position , being the corner fortification of the ballium wall enclos

rd be r ing the Inner Wa , and it would the fi st

ZO FEET

PLAN O F TH E STR ONG R OOM

to repel attack had entrance by the

l en fil e Byward Tower been forced . The s its ad

s the walls on either ide , and from them a continuous flight of arrows could be dis 64 THE TOWER OF LONDON I charged upon the soldiery hemmed in the narrow spaces below . 6 l o 0 . i e Alth ugh rising ft n height , the B l

o s . Tower has but two storeys , or fl or It can

’ be entered onl y through the Lieutenant s

’ o f - Lodgings the King s House to day , which extends east above the ballium wall . The enlarged modern windows and balcony

x i ie of that building , giving an e tens ve V w

and ffi over the river its passing tra c , have been placed there for the convenience of the

o o f T resident Maj r he Tower , who nowadays

s occupies these hi torical quarters .

S I R THOMAS MORE The tower takes its name from the little the wooden turret on the summit , where still

ell bell is hung . This was the alarm h of the

r e as fortress , perfo ming this s rvice well as giving the curfew ; AS a place of great

o e strength , and being als und r the immediate

e who com supervision of the Li utenant ,

' man ded so means of the le access and exit ,

THE BELL TOWER 6 5 the Bell Tower was frequently chosen as the place of irn muremen t of important prisoners

s of State . The lower chamber is a tone vaulted cell , the ribs square and without

s ornament , though there are remain of ancient circular shafts an d capitals . Light enters only through the narrow piercings of the wall .

s s Thi was the pri on of Sir Thomas More , and for a time the aged Bishop Fisher w as confined in the apartment above him , till both in turn passed out to the block on Tower

When More was committed to The Tower

r the Yeoman Porter there , p ivileged by : custom , demanded of him his upper garment

Mr Por r i an oo e . e uo h he heere s d t , q t , it , t k

Off his an d d el ered to him s n I am capp , iv it , ayi g , ” er sorr i f h Noe sir s n oe e er or ee. v y y it b tt t , , ” uo h he r An d t or e I mus h e our owne. q t p t , t av y g soe w as he by the Lieuten an t conveyed t o his l o d in g ge.

’ s More quaint humour , irrepressible even when he reached the scaffold , survived the 66 THE TOWE R OF LONDON

is Sir months spent in th dreary place .

n e William Kingsto , the Constabl of The

T his ri his od ower and old f end , did best to l ge

en t his him dec tly, expressing a trus that prisoner woul d accept his goodwill and such

o as m li p or cheer he had . I do not is ke my

n o ru cheer , but whe s ever I so do , then th st me ”

u . out of yo r doors , More answered In this c c ell , not la king in space , though poorly lit , More wrote boo ks of comfort against tribul a tio a e n , tr atise on the Sacrament , and was

’ en gaged upon his un finished Our Lord s

H is s P . assion family biographer , who , in devout spirit , have recorded his full life , state that when he came to expound the words ,

' and and they laid hands upon Him , held ” Him his , More was deprived of books , ink ,

and r . paper , so could write no fu ther

It was an immeasurable loss . Thereafter he darkened the few points through which

u light could enter , and sat through the ho rs in e o in n m ditati n , reply g whe questioned ,

W all s are o shO hen the ware g ne , the p

68 THE TOWER OF LONDON

I b seche ou to be ode m s er un o me in m y y g , a t , t y ne ess e for I h e n e her sh r nor su e n or c it av it i t t ,

e o her o hes h ar n e ess r for me t o e r y tt t cl t , t at c a y w a , but h b No t at ee ragged and ren t to shamefully . tt

hs ndin I m h e s suf er h he o d wit ta g ig t a ily f t at , if t i w l

ee d d e allso God m o rm. Bu m k p y b y wa tt y y tt ,

n o e h how s end er is men mes an d n oo k w t l it at y ty , in myn age my sthomak may nott awaye but with a few nd of me s h h I n I d eca e or h ky at , w ic if wa t , y f t

h and in to coafes an d d se ses of m bod e wit , fall i a y y , an d kan n o m i And ass our t keep yself n health.

Lord n o e h I h e noth n un to me for to k w t , av y g laft

ro d e an e er but ass m ro her of his own p vi y b tt , y b t

urs d ran p layeth out for me to his great hyn e ce. Wherefoor god e master secretarye eftsones I b seche ou to h e sum ittie u on me an d y y av p pp , latt me have such thyngs ass ar necess ary for me in m n a e and s e for m he h. y g , p cially y alt

In this prison-room Fisher was awakened

2 2 n d u 1 he on the J ne , 535 , to learn that must

e die that morning at nine . He ask d the

as hour . It w five . Let me by your patience , he said to the Lieutenant , sleep an hour or two , for I have slept very little this night and yet , to tell truth , not from any THE BELL TOWER 69

fear of death , I thank God , but by reason of ” s my great weakn e s and infirmity . He fell asleep again very soundly for two hours . That

’ sleep of old Fisher s , putting aside all fear of

a f death , v luing as nothing four hours of li e before eternity , is among the human incidents which lighten the sombre records of The

Tower . PRINCESS ELIZABETH

It is traditional that Queen Elizabeth ,

r when a young p incess , was an occupant of this same prison-room after committal by

s her reigning si ter to The Tower . Her health f su fering , she was allowed the liberty of the i walls and The Tower gardens . A l ttle door from the Bell Tower gives entry upon the high rampart that extends at the top of the ballium wall to the Beauchamp Tower . For a time since the memory of man knoweth not to the contrary , it has been known as

’ ” Princess Elizabeth s Walk . Heywood tells a charming story , that as Elizabeth was walk ing in the Privy Garden the little daughter of 70 THE TOWER OF LONDON one oflicers e of The Tower , having found som

ll s e o sma desk or cupboard key , innoc ntly to k

P s i them to the rinces , say ng that now she

! had the keys she could un lock the gates and go abroad . Other children of the warders walked and talked with her while

r a l n she took rec e tion , ighteni g the monotony of the hours . Of Elizabeth ’ s two months ’ captivity in

The Tower a good deal is known . She proved a discontented and somewhat troublesome prisoner . At moments she feared immediate execution , and even suggested that she might be despatched , like her mother , by the

’ French headsman s sword .

The Royal Palace was then standing , and

. l the late Mr Richard Davey , a carefu historian , has p ointed out good reasons for

l t s be ief tha that was her pri on , for at least the more humane stages of her confin ement .

When Elizabeth entered The Tower , four rooms were set aside for herself an d her attendants . She was given liberty to walk THE BELL TOWER 7 1

’ in the Queen s Lodging . In the Beding

el en e fi d Papers , m tion is made of a gr at chamber next the Princess ’ s in which she was allowed to walk . There is no other large

l n d he e roo i . m n the Be fry If , i dee , t B ll

T r r n owe eve received the great Quee , it was probably after the measures taken for her

r g eater security , for there she would be

’ s n s l es alway u der the Lieutenant watchfu ey , and the stone Chamber would no doubt have been made habitable with such comfort as

t e a Sir John Brydges , h Lieutenant , was ble to provide .

OTHER PRI SONERS

The Strong Room was not misnamed . b i e . is High , for idd ng , it held s cure It

’ reached by narrow passages from the King s

u Ho se , of which the whole Bell Tower forms ,

c r . o as it were , a o ner turret Near the do r is a

- c much defa ed inscription , cut in the wall by

t o w o the p of Ross , h was committed a

’ e prisoner there in Elizabeth s reign . The B ll ' 72 THE TOWE R OF LONDON

is its Tower, great as interest , is not made available to the public , nor can it be while the

r Towe of London remains a garrisoned place , the means of access being as they are . If other arrangements at some time become

s dl is t he pos ible , this undoubte y one of towers where the privil ege of admission would be greatly valued .

Lady Arabella Stuart , a first cousin of

s d King Jame I and also relate to the Tudors , and therefore doubly dangerous as an

s to a s a pirant the Throne , was pri oner in the

o r Bell T wer , where her sad and ha mless life

ss ended in madne Lady Catherine Seymour ,

r the siste of , and a victim of

’ r Elizabeth s fu y , another . Therein her son — was bom the infant whose destiny it was to be baptised in St . Peter ad Vincula , where

all beneath the floor his nearest relatives ,

e s having perished by the axe , lay in namel s

e C graves . The times were pitil ss that ould condemn women of gentle birth to irnmure

m n s e t here , where to live celled within the e THE BELL TOWER 73

-f -u 8 t . walls must have seemed to be walled p

o n alive . The last occupant of note was J h

1 Thelwall , the Reformer , in 794 , who had the good fortune to secure an acquittal . That was unlike the maj ority of those held captive in

s the Tower of London on charges of trea on . ST . PETER AD VINCULA

is s s o N truth , there no adder p t on

a a e e rth th n this little cemet ry , wrote Lord Macaulay of the sheltered chapel of St . Peter ad Vincula within The

. s c e no as Tower Death is there a so iat d , t,

’ in . P Westminster Abbey and St aul s , with

an d genius and virtue , with public veneration

l in our with imperishab e renown ; not , as

s s humble t churches and churchyard , with everything that is most endearin g in social and domestic charities but with whatever is darkes t in human nature an d in human

im la c destiny , with the savage triumph of p

in able enemies , with the inconstancy, the gratitude the cowardice of friends , with all the miseri es of fallen greatness and of blighted fame . Thither have been carried through 74

76 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

plot should hold all . A carpet would shel ter it . They have no monument—not even the

r sc atching of a name or initials upon the tiles , till in our own time this little service was

’ done . Others of less note in the world s judgment have monuments abo ut the church the eye turns for relief to the sculptured figures of officers of The Tower in Elizabethan

f r s an d s ru f , and insc iptions of soldier divine buried within the walls , but a plain flat

’ pavement covers all this tragedy of England s

s ffin hi tory . They were rudely co ed who lie

s below . Anne Boleyn , fallen from her plen dour and brought to this end in seventeen

s was s day , thru t after execution into an elm

s s chest , made and u ed for arrow , and so buried ; an d others were hurried below ground as little ceremoniously .

GRAVES BEFORE THE ALTAR

There lyeth before the high altar in

’ St . Peter s Church two Dukes between

D ST . PETER A VINCULA 77

’ two Queens , is old John Stow s simple

record . dl John Du ey , Duke of , is

n one of these , the man whose vaulti g ambition

brought Lady Jane Grey to this same chapel .

r Some set is his fellow , one of two brothers , the elder Protector of the Realm of England during the minority of the boy King

ouh er Edward VI , the y g Thomas Seymour , Lord Seymour of Sudeley and Lord High — Admiral of England both beheaded , both after the quarrels of their intriguing lives

finding rest in this same earth . Queen Katharine Howard is companion in sepulture

to Anne Boleyn , and a third I would add to this Royal company of Queens Jane the

’ n - Quee e , though hers was but a nine days

s reign . Monmouth , who by an armed ri ing

n struck out for a crow , was placed actually beneath the altar ; in the Armoury within the Keep you may see scythe blades used in

r the harvest field , oughly nailed upon poles , which served as wea po ns for the poor peasants 78 THE TOWER OF LONDON of Sed gemoor inveigled into support of his cause .

r the o Robert Deve eux , hands me Earl of

’

e t s . rebel Ess x , Elizabe h favourite , and a a s ! al l gain t the great !ueen to whom he owed , is with two representatives of the long line of the Dukes of Norfolk and the aged Countess of Salisbury , Margaret Pole , is another . She would not bend her grey head to the heads

’ man s stroke . So should traitors do , and I ” am none , she protested . Fifteen in all lie in

e o o W this hallow d gr und ab ut the altar , ith i 6 ft Monmouth apart , n a double row . in — 8 6 . 1 . t 2 . dep h , with ft in width for each ft

1 f — by 2 t . that is enough . The axe has harvested all , save only Sir Thomas Over

The r was bury , whose mysterious end in Towe

o . P due to pois n hilip , Earl of Arundel , dying

od in imprisonment , was buried here his b y was later removed to the chapel at Arundel . Where else in the wide world does so little

c spa e hold so much , telling so poignantly of the end of all human grandeur AD ST. PETER VINCULA 79 80 THE TOWER OF LONDON

This plot before the altar was res erved for the mo st distinguished victims of State . Royal or noble blood would seem to have

f r been the requisite o admission there . But the chapel has given its shelter in nameless graves to many others whose part upon the

’ world s stage has won fo r them in perhaps greater measure the veneration and awe , and

s s . sometime even the contempt , of po terity - There is a lis t of thirty four names on a modern memorial tablet by the entrance

r door . The good Sir Thomas Mo e was l brought here from Tower Hi l for burial , and

s Bi hop Fisher , condemned like him for denial of the spiritual supremacy of King Henry

his — a VIII , was laid by side the two m rtyrs for Faith among a large company whom alone the chapel holds . Laud , an obj ect of Puritan

e hate , though b headed on , never

s rested here . Some aid as he came out to execution that he had painted his face that - morning purple ; but the standers by were hushed into sudden awe on seeing that purple

82 THE TOWER OF LONDON

ment . Many more there are , famous or

’ who r fitful infamous in story , afte life s fever

C s sleep . Jeffreys , the Lord hief Ju tice , one feels glad has been removed from a company

his r dis that exec ated memory honours , and , now his body reposes in his family vault /at the City church of St . Mary Aldermanbury . Closing the long 1011 are the three rebel ’ — ’ lords of the 45 Prince Charlie s fruitless

effort t o seize the throne of Scotland and

l Balrn erin o a England . Ki marnock and lone had their stone marked by a peculiar Sign which puzzled all who attempted to decipher

t he r its meaning , until at enovation of the

1 8 6 hi chapel in 7 their co ns were found below .

is It a shaft with two rings , and presumably the lozenge was added when that sly old fox ,

Simon Fraser Lord Lovat , the last man d beheade in England , j oined their company . 8 ST . PETER AD VINCULA 3

’ r in I I s Sir Simon de Bu ley , King Richard

r r reign , had been the fi st to pe ish on Tower Hill by the more honourable death of the

x e a . Simons both . The stone , close by the

door , you almost step upon when entering

n the chapel . The cutting is slowly undergoi g

r oblite ation by many passing feet . Leaden

s s coffin plate of the Jacobite lord , inscribed

with names , style , and ages , are exhibited on

the adj acent wall . Till the renovations carried out by Queen

Victoria , when the galleries added by. George - W II and the high backed pews ere removed , the church was in a deplorable state of I . ts S k neglect floor had un in many places ,

’ and the walls were covered with whitened plaster and the roof concealed—conditions

’ well j ustifying Lord Macaula y s expression of

’ disgust at the b arbarous stupidity which has transformed this interesting little church into the likeness of a meeting-house in a

is n ow manufacturing town . That all changed ; there is nothing to exasperate or 84 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

j ar the sense with any feeling of pain . An

s Army Chaplain is always the pa tor , and the

is o or cure much sought after , for the pp tunities it gives for work and study . Christ

’ mas and Easter are the chapel s great days .

EASTER DAY

’ St . Peter s , setting aside its memories of

. The sadness , then takes festal array Tower

s -dr s Warders , the full corp , don their full es uniform of the King ’ s Body Guard of the ff , with the ru and silk stockings and big rosettes to the shoes . i Bear ng their halberts , they attend the Governor and Maj or of the Tower in State from the King ’ s House to this place of worship . The Chief Yeoman Warder carries the Tower Mace , the tall shaft surmounted by a pretty model in old silver of the Norman

r Keep . Church plate is b ought for the special occasion from the Regalia . The warders surround the Governor, himself in

’

G l . T z eneral s ful dress hey sit , a bla e of D S T. PETER A VINCULA 85

s carlet and gold and steel , within the grey

s wall , with the khaki of the military garrison

s around , and the ombre attire of such of the

public as may have gained admission . That

s is the picture made . It is a moving ervice ,

’ the hymns sung lustily by so many men s

r voices , in a chu ch which is unique for its

s hi torical associations .

r King John , or it may be an earlier mona ch ,

l s estab i hed the Chapel of St . Peter ad Vincula — in The Tower S t . Peter in chains . At the

r n s church of S . Piet o in Vi coli at Rome , to thi

s day , the Chains of the aint each year are

us 1 exhibited to the faithful on Aug t . The chapel at least has mention in King John ’ s

u time , and is likely to have been b ilt over the detached crypt to which the human remains removed from below the floor of the nave and

aisle have been committed . The chapel as we know it owes its origin to

is King Edward I , but in its present state largely the work of King Henry VIII , who after a survey of The Tower had been made 86 THE TOWER OF LONDON and a repo rt drawn up spent considerable

s u s sum pon it . The fine che tnut roof now dis s clo ed is his , and the arches and the windows , excep t that over the west entrance

. s door, are of that period Of the two altar ,

i . the chief was ded cated to St Peter . The

s o other , in the north ai le , was in hon ur of

r r s the Vi gin , and the e is a hagio cope , or s u cut q int , through the wall , to enable the

' priest there Officiating to observe the high

r alta . The monument at the head of the Single

s r o ai le is that of Sir Richa d Ch lmondeley , Lieutenant of The Tower in the reign of King

s -s Henry VII , and bear recumbent life ize efligies in alabaster of the knight and his wife

has b Elizabeth It een Opened , but was — found to contain no human remains nothing beyond fragments of the old stone font that

r r we e packed within it . That the couple we e buried elsewhere is made the more likely

r f om the date of death having been left blank . No doubt Sir Richard and the Lady Elizabeth T AD S . PETER VINCULA 87

gained satisfaction from gazing upon their i effig es when often they worshipped here .

- r Field Marshal Sir John Fox Bu goyne ,

s Con table of The Tower , was the last person

1 8 1 to be buried in the chapel , in 7 .

For a long period St . Peter ad Vincula was not accessible to visitors to The Tower except

s by written permi sion specially obtained , a restriction the sense of which I could never

s s under tand . Happily the authoritie having - charge of the fortress to day have found more

r enlightenment , and when a wa der can be

Spared . from other duty he is at liberty to take

s visitor over . It is probably little known that any worshipper among the public may attend the garrison service at this historic church at

’ eleven o clock on Sunday mornings , and , indeed , will be welcomed . BLOODY TOWER AND REGALIA

o HE Blo dy Tower, square and i menac ng , its old stones dark with

age and weathered , defends the one low arch and narrow causeway which

mmedi gave admission to the Inner Ward . I

’ ately opposite is the Traitors Gate . The prisoner of State landed there had but a few

s his steps to cros , and once through t portal , i i him the black portcull s lowered beh nd ,

its which still shows j agged teeth , he was held

n doubly secured . The cobble stones have ru g to the feet of men famous in po wer and in adversity .

a Through this archway, wrote Lord Ron ld

all Sutherland Gower , have passed the State prisoners that the old fortress has drawn into its — grim maw prelates , queens and princes , 88

BLOODY TOWER AND REGALIA 89 s tatesmen , judges , courtiers , and soldiers of — all degrees the patriot willing to lay down ” his life for the old cause , as Algernon

his Sidney called policy , and the favourite of

s and some fickle Royal master , thrown a ide allowed to perish by a Henry , an Elizabeth , or

s a Charles . For five centurie this old tower has seen pass beneath its black walls many who have helped to make the history of our

s race this pathway has been their via cruci . w Look up , hen through the arch , to the little square window directly above it s point . When warders had used the Bloody Tower for their quarters a box of homely flowers lightened the sill with colour , and a caged l bird sang from the wal . That was the window through which Laud , fated himself to die by the axe three years later , extended his hands to give the last blessing to Strafford as that statesman passed beneath to ex ecu tion on Tower Hill . Then he fell back

! fainting into the arms of his servants . I ’ i ” hope by God s ass stance , murmured the 99 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

r s A chbi hop , and mine own innocency , that

u o when I come to my own exec ti n , I shall show the world how much more s ensible I am

’ of my Lord S trafford s loss than I am of ” my own . Memories cluster abou t the Bloody Tower as thickly as anywhere within the fortress .

is s is s r s It mall as it t ong , and crime have

its been committed within walls , by dagger and poison and harsh imprisonment unduly

o s or pr longed , that well j u tify the f bidding name it has bo rne these three centuries past

u us and more . Mingling c rio ly with them are literary associations we can ill afford to spare .

RALEIGH AND ELIOT

Sir Walter Raleigh spent thirteen years of captivity here , and beguiled some of the tedium of the hours by writing in the Bloo dy Tower his no ble fragment of the History of

r the Wo ld . In the one ample chamber that

s the Bloody Tower contain , when last I

ss C had en pa ed through , a opy of the book be

92 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

the sorrowful company in the church of St .

Peter ad Vincula within The Tower . The literary associations of the Tower of London would be sadly incomplete without mention of William Penn , the founder of

Pennsylvania , though evidence is wanting to tell in what turret he was confined . The great Quaker was brought there for having published a pamphlet called A Sandy o ” F undation Shaken , which bigots of the l time considered blasphemous , and whi e in

r imp isonment he wrote his No Cross , no ” Crown , the most enduring of his religious writings . MARTYRS F OR FAITH

The visitor enters the Bloody Tower at the w floor above the archway , where is the ind lass for raisin g and lowering the portcullis

r . n that can still be wo ked It is worth oting , for there are but one or two others authentic in England . This place seems but a small passage , but when many captives had to be accommodated it was used as a windowless BLOODY TOWER AND REGALIA 93 - . e cell The one larg prison room , stone paved , is on the left , and opens high to the roof for

i the floor above , which no doubt spread r ght across , has been carried away in all but a small portion Archbishop Cranmer was

all confined in the Bloody Tower , in proba bilit y in this chamber , and there in Queen M ’ ary s reign , when London was stocked l fu l with prisoners , so that even the City churches were utilized as places for immure

Latirner ment , and Ridley were brought to keep his company , and in converse they strengthened one another in theological con victions . All three passed out to die at the stake at Oxford .

Felton , the fanatical assassin of the Duke of Buckingham , favourite of two monarchs , was held fast in the Bloody Tower . A later Duke of Buckingham was himself five times

’ a prisoner in London s fortress . Later still there came here the infamous f Chief Justice Je freys . Saved from lynching by an angry mob , after a law clerk had 94 TH E TOWER OF LONDON recognized his unforgettable face peering out

o f l ow - s of the window a ale hou e at Wapping , he spent his last miserable days in this place

o r di . of glo m , and the e ed

l s ou s If w al c ld peak , the Bloody Tower

r woul d tell many a tale of terror . The e Henry

r o Percy, Ea l of N rthumberland , who had

’ n r s s r is r fallen u de Elizabeth eve e d favou ,

his s s in r met my teriou end . Suicide d ead of

as r s his s execution a traito , and to ave e tates

s was n from confi cation , the explanation give

rs s r out . His pe onal ervants had been emoved

r of was and a st anger sent . In dead night

hue cr . raised a and y Sir Owen Hopton , the

r o Lieutenant of The Towe , g ing to the

o i s chamber , f und the Earl ly ng dead , tretched

C beneath the lothes , and on pulling them

r down saw the bed soaked with blood , f om

r s repeated dagger thrus ts in the left b ea t .

s s s u s That circum tance and other gge t , not

ss s suicide , but the midnight a a sin ; at any

r for . rate , the e was no need trial

Sir Thomas Overbury , confined in the

96 THE TOWER OF LONDON - ill o men bears . It was the place of the murder of the little Princes , the boy King

Edward V , twelve years of age , and his

r r younge brother , the Duke of Yo k . Long tradition points out the small room to which the visitor passes on the floor above as the actual scene of the crime . A dark stone i sta rcase , circular and so narrow that one at

a . , time only can pass , goes up to it There is another means of gaining entrance , by

’ k i s Raleigh s Wal , on to wh ch the vi itor steps when leaving the tower . Here , along the top of the ballium wall , the murderers , Dighton ,

Forrest , and Slater , stealthily approached ,

or f cing a way into the room , and , finding the

s i u . boy sleep ng , they s ffocated one The

r was . othe , waking , despatched with a dagger The bodies were hastily committed to earth by the basement of the adj oining Wakefield

r Tower , and afterwa ds removed , Sir Thomas

! ” s s r More say to con ec ated ground , they

’ being King s sons . But the site of the burial was long a BLOODY TOWER AND REGALIA 97

st r the my e y, for Sir Robert Brackenbury ,

o s b at C n ta le of The Tower, was killed

Bosworth Field , and the priest who conducted

s r the ec et interment had died . In excavations by the south wall of the Keep , at the foot of

’ s s s I I s the the tair , in King Charle reign , bones of two young boys were found together

t e a foo or two b low the surface . Believing

s r - the e to be the emains of the ill fated Princes , that monarch had them removed to West

s e . min ter Abb y , where they now lie Theguilt of that black crime history has placed to the infamy of King Richard III , an n l s d the judgme t wil tand , despite the efforts of some recent writers to rehabilitate his tarnished character . By one of these we are asked to believe that the boys died ! natural , if convenient , deaths

THE RE GALIA fl The Wakefield Tower anking , and the Bloody Tower built above and about the a e rch , def nd the one historical entrance to

G 98 THE TOWER OF LONDON

the Inner Ward . The Wakefield Tower has almost lost its identity in the Crown Jewels contained within it , yet should command

r its own inte est . An English King , Henry VI , was murdered therein . It is among the earliest buildings of the Tower of London .

On the other hand , the Regalia makes no claim to antiquity . Nothing is really ancient except the Am pulla , or Golden Eagle , which holds the anointing oil used at a Coronation , and the

Spoon into which the oil is poured , and with them the Black Prince ’ s ruby worn in

’ the front of the King s State Crown . The

s City churche , and some few among the

can s City Companies , boast posse sion of

’ ’ examples of the goldsmith s and silversmith s work of greater age than the Regalia , the produ ct of skilled craftsmen of King Edward

VI and Elizabeth . That is becau se there was Civil War in

a this country , and King Ch rles I pledged and disposed of a good deal of the Crown

1 00 THE TOWER OF LONDON

the dethroned monarchy , or to a Parliament man who took it at a bargain price and returned it to the Regalia at a gorgeous

o profit , none can now tell . But the ruby f und its way back to King Charles II at the

r Resto ation , and is prized among the j ewels . Crowns went cheap at this astonishing sale , these being some priced items in the inventory

’ K n A fred s Cro n of o d re i g l w , g l wi ,

h s s o es e h z m n o . wit all t , w ig t 79} ,

z 10 o at £3 per o . A small crown (apparen tly the Crown of King Edward V I)

the o d di mon ds ru es sa g l , a , bi , p

hires etc o f o e p , ab v

’ ueen Ed h s Cro n former ! it w , ly

hou h m ss o d foun d to be t g t a y g l ,

s er h rn e s e rls ilv gilt , wit ga t , p a ,

s h res o dd s on es 1 6 0 0 app i , t £ Large glass cup wrought in figures (actuall y the agate Chalice of Edward the Con fessor) £1 02 5 0

Two s e res h e r s a nd ems c pt , wit p a l g an d gold £65 1 6 1 05 — Y n husban d The ewel H ous e . . ou g , ! , pp 97 9 BLOODY TOWER AND REGALIA 1 01 ll Coronation robes were Cheaper sti , sold for an Old song

! On e ro e ed h o d e b , lac wit g l lac On e robe of crimso n taffaty

On e air of us n s o h of s er an d p b ki , cl t ilv

s er s o n s er old ilv t cki g , v y On e pair of gloves embroidered with gold Three swords with scabbards of Cloth of gold £3 0 0

On e er-o oured s ro e er old liv c l ilk b , v y an d worth n othing

di Of course , there have been many ad tions

s since Charles II , and the Briti h Regalia - - to day by far out valu es that of any other

u -i- monarchy . To the famo s Koh Noor has in recent years been added the still larger

’ r Cullinan diamond . The King s State C own contains between five and six thousand

. r as separate j ewels The great gems , t e ured merely because they are vulgarly big , may — appeal to many people all are to be seen in this unique collection—but some will derive greater satisfaction from the gold and 1 02 THE TOWER OF LONDON

silver plate . There are many excellent ex

’ amples of the skill ed craftsman s work since

r Ca olian times .

’ The Sovereign s Crowns are three in number

I ( ) the Crown of England , or Edward the

’ r is Confesso s Crown , which a replica made for Charles II on the lines of the histo ric

2 r crown earlier destroyed ( ) the State C own ,

but made for , and slightly al s tered by the two succeeding monarch , but

’ s containing hi torical j ewels , the Black Prince s

’ r e r s uby , Queen Elizabeth s p a ls , and other

r s and (3) the Imperial Indian C own , mo tly Set with diamonds and with a few very

r la ge emeralds and rubies , which was manu factured in London for King George V his Majesty was crowned with it Emperor of

India in the year 1 91 2 . There are besides the smaller Queen ’ s

Crowns . In this surfeit of blazing riches which is the Regalia one looks with content — ment upon a simple diadem it is not really — a crown that Kin g James II made a gift

THE BEAUCHAMP TOWER

HOMAS BEAUCHAMP , Earl of l Warwick , himself a bui der of War

w as s wick Castle , committed to thi

1 It w as r tower in 3 97 . a cha acteristic , but ’

Ri r him not a kingly , act of cha d II to invite to a banquet , then have him arrested at the bo ard and clapt into this stron ghold . If treachery there was , then it was on both

is sides . Altogether h imprisonment in the Tower of London lasted little -more than a

r ai his twelvemonth , and he eg ned liberty in

o the triumph of Henry of B lingbroke . War

1 w as e wick not a gr at figure , either for s r t ength of character or for achievement , and his chief remembrance is that he gave his name to the Beauchamp Tower . It became in Tu dor times the principal

104

1 06 THE TOWER OF LONDON

occu floor , but the apartments above , now

the pied by a warder, were used for same purpose . That in days when the Tower of London was crowded with captives the basement also was utilized for irnmuremen t is evident from the inscriptions still remain ing there . Peverel , cut into the stone , with a shield and the device of a crucifix with

e s . a ble ding heart in the centre , excite interest It is said to have suggested the name to Scott

his i r for novel , though of th s Peve el prisoner

i is noth ng known . Marmaduke Neville , a plotter for Mary Queen of Scots in Elizabeth ’ s

al has . reign , so left his name These two graphites are to be found above . A narrow winding stair is the sole means of communica

o tion with each fl or from ground to roof , and it is on the first floor that the visitor finds himself entirely absorbed with the records that s o many hapless prisoners confined here

are i have made . They of varying qual ty , but some , like that illustrated opposite , have great artistic merit . THE BEAUCHAMP TOWER 107

CARVIN GS BY PRISONERS

The walls are covered with inscriptions . First to arrest attention is the elaborate 1 08 THE TOWER OF LONDON

The block ere this inscription was cut had

r o al eady claimed one , an ther rose to be

’ Elizabeth s magnificent Earl of Leicester ; the carver himself , condemned as a traitor

but r against Queen Mary , eprieved , died in this prison . The central obj ect of the des ign i is the Dudley crest , a bear and a l on , deeply

f . cut in bold relief , supporting the ragged sta f This is contained within a frame composed Of

s ill flow ers s garland of roses , g y , honey uckle , and oak sprigs with acorns . Four lines of poetry set out beneath are these

Yow that thes e beasts d o w el behold an d se Ma d eme W he e se wherfore here m d e he be y it a a t y , Withe bord ers eke wherin

r her n es who s to serche the r un d 4 b ot s am li t g o .

With ease , the rebus certainly has not

e b en read , for it has puzzled the brains of a

as great many people . The third line w left

s unfini hed , and one can only speculate what

his was intended . The Rev . R . Dick , in mono

r r graph on this towe , has suggested eading into the blank Space the words there may

1 1 0 THE TOWER OF LONDON

word Jane . Lady Jane Grey was never held prisoner in the Beauchamp Tower , and this is suppos ed to have been carved by her youthful husband during the days of his

Among the m any these walls have confined w as li the unfortunate Phi p Howard , Earl of

’ un a s r Ar del . Eliz beth age permitted no f ee dom to Roman Catholics , and Howard , seek ing abroad what was denied to him in his own land , was seized in the Channel and brought

l for to The Tower , where he ingered eight

s years after entence of death , knowing that any day he might be called out for execution . His father and two ancestors of his line had suffered at the block , and his own fate seemed

is s always near . H last gaoler w a Sir Michael

s Blount , the Lieutenant who e fine monument

o is in St . Peter ad Vincula , bl cking up the

’ al hagioscope . This man s brut ity Arundel

- s n reproved upon his death bed , ayi g to him When a prisoner comes hither to this

Tower , he bringeth sorrow with him ; then THE BEAUCHAMP TOWER 1 1 1

f i do not add a fl ction to affliction . Your com

s ll mis ion is only to keep with safety , not to ki

with severity . A Latin inscription cut by the

: Earl , and now above the fireplace , reads

The more suf er n for Chr s in h s or d the f i g i t t i w l ,

more r r Th u h s glo y with Ch ist in the n ext . o a t

rown ed him h hon our an d or O Lord ! I n c wit gl y,

memo e r n d e ] r e l st he be us . Arun y v a i g will ! t l ,

un e 2 2 1 8 J , 5 7 .

all The prisoners were not noble , nor even

r important . Cha les Bailly has left several

s graphites , obviou ly having found consolation

in carving them . He was concerned in one of many plots to free Mary Queen of Scots from

’ captivity , and was seized by Elizabeth s officers while carrying treasonable correspond

ence . Worldly wisdom came late , and he has thus moralized on his prison wall !

1 1 . s 57 Die Aprilis . Wi e men ought circum s ectl p y to se what they do , to examen before

r they speake , to p ove before they take in

com an e e hand , to beware whose p y th y use , and abouve all things to whom they truste . 1 1 2 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

! s r s are Charle Bailly . Other p ecept by him

The most unhappy man ! i n the world is he

is acie t that not p n in adversities . For men are not killed with the adversities they have ” r but with ye impacien ce which they suffe .

s s m The igh are the true testimonies of y _

uis ang h Last , Hope to the end and have

cie pa n ce .

Mia h An Irishman , Thomas g , though he

’ r had had expe ience of Elizabeth s torturers , was more hearty in expression of his senti ment s

Tomas Miagh whiche li eth here al on That fayn e would from hen s be gon By tortyre straynge mi troyth w as tryed

o f m Iib rti d n ed Yet y e e e y .

- r n In all , there are ninety one insc iptio s on

thes e walls . A few do not belong to this

r tower , but have been b ought from others

r has r s or o whe e decay equired re t ati n , and so

r u r se ar all ca ef lly prese ved , but the few ap t , are the handiwork of prisoners who cro wded - the Beauchamp Tower in Tudor days ih the

1 1 4 THE TOWER OF LONDON

s - with Thoma above , is an easily read

s for r rebu Thomas Abel , Queen Cathe ine of

’ Aragon s chaplain .

r r s r An unhappy man , William Ty rell , p i one

1 1 r l his s in 54 , utte s in Ita ian de pair to the unresponsive stone Since fortune has

t o chosen scatter my hopes to the wind , I wish my time were ended , my planet being ” s ever ad and unfortunate .

Others are brief . Grief is overcome by

rd . u us 8 1 8 . a . . G ffo 6 p tience G y A g t , 5 An ” c s r s evil cons ience make men fea even ecurity . ”

s i : . Nameles , there is th s Hope in God

r s e An unknown man , a p i oner of Elizab th , has left the longest inscription cut upon these walls . William Rame is a name only . What

v s Of e er the cau e his confinement here , and

'

fate he . his , carved well and neatly Be —it patient in trouble is the same message , won from experience , that so many others have given

Better it is to be in the howse of mornyn g than in the howse of banketing : the harte of the wyse is THE BEAUCHAMP TOWER 1 1 5 in the mornyn g howse : it is better to have some

h s en n h n to h e o er mo h Tere c a t i g t a av v c e libert e. is t me for h n s t me t o be orn e and a y all t i g , a y b a tyme t o dye and e the d aye of d eathe is better than the d e of er he here is an end e of h n s ay b t t all t i g , an d the end e of a thing is better then the begenin be se nd e ac ente in troble for w sdom wy a p y , y d efend ethe as well as mon y use well the tyme of

ros erite nd e remem er the t me of misfort ewn . p p , a b y

xx e m R e. ii di Aprilis An o 1 559. Willia am

These scratchings are of many of the

u captives the only memorial . The Bea champ Tower is the mos t typical prison hold

r in the fort ess , with a message that all may

s — read . The stones peak but only of sad

s s f r hom e nes and u fe ing with fortitude , and of the cruelty of ages now past . THE KING ’ S HOUSE

’ - — HE King s House of to day the

’ Lieutenant s Lodgings of other — days stands agains t the wall of

r the Inne Ward , forming two sides of the angle . Before it extends the one wide open

ra r s quad ngle of The Towe , the paved pace still known as Tower Green . The garden

S ir r h r where Walte Raleig walked was the e ,

t r w as s s and no doub the e gras , and dai ies

a e . grew , in a bygone g Now only the black ravens of The Tower hop from stone to stone , or shelter in the shadow of the formal lines of

s o r sycamores . Occa ionally a ye man wa der

’ r s s r s walking ac os to the King s Hou e , d es ed

his ictur in Tudor costume , completes th e p esquen ess of this remote corner within the fortress .

1 1 8 THE TOWER OF LONDON

ss r u t I was a u ed , did people bother abo t hem

—in fact , the ghosts of The Tower are lament ably disappo inting . But one might fancy the shade of Guy Fawkes hovering unseen . In this room , then unceilinged and open to the roof rafters , he was examined by Cecil and l the Counci of State , but would give nothing beyond a fictitious account of his own origin

— n an d and life that his name was Joh ston , other circumstances equally remote from the

nk facts . Tha goodness , the stricter examina tion which wrung from him the confession afterwards signed by his shaking hand took

’ place away in the depths of The Tower s the Keep , where the cries of agony from rack

r a s we e stifled . The partment has mementoe — of James I and of the occasion a con

r r o f tempo ary port ait in relief that monarch , and a very large tablet in coloured marbles

s bearing long in criptions in Latin , with some

r o l r . Heb ew , in g ld ette s The vanity of that wises t fool in Christendom is almost incredible . ’ THE KING S HOUSE 1 1 9 For a sample of it I give an English translation from the tablet

mes the re Kin of rea Br n mos Ja G at g G t itai , t reno n ed for e us e ruden e e rn n w pi ty, ! tic , p c , l a i g , our e emen and the o her R o r ues of c ag , cl cy, t yal vi t the Chr s i n h of the u s e of uni ers i t a fait , p blic af ty, v al

e e the h m on her sher an u hor mos p ac , c a pi , a c i , a t , t

ee - h d mo n o e mus u us h n s e s s o . nn t e k ig t , t bl , t a pici A

ueen the mos seren e D u h er of F reder II ! , t a g t ick , h r n t e most un conquered King of the Danes . P i ce

H enr in the d ornmen s of N ure in the s ren h y, a t at , t gt of e rn n in the s Of r e mos horou h l a i g , gift g ac t t g ly

h r e r To us o h orn an d en God . C s ve sed . b t b giv by a l

n h r D u e of Yor D e row for e e r ue. k k , by ivi g t v y vi t

E z e h rue s s er of o h and mos or h of li ab t t i t b t , t w t y

h r eac pa en t .

Do Thou oresee n s ren hen hese as the , f i g , t gt t d e e e of the e e and h d e hem far licat appl y , i t away rom the ss u s of the m ous e r ess un der the f a a lt i pi , f a l

s shad ow of Thy wing . The n ames of the conspirators t o the everlasting In famy of themselves and the etern al d etestation of so great savagery

Then follow the names of the Gunpowder

Plot conspirators , a long list , and against 1 2 0 THE TOWER OF LONDON

those of the clerks are cut the words , Monks

a s who belied the saving n me of Je us . The texts recited seem to me simple blasphemy .

True , it was not King James himself , but his servile Lieutenant of The Tower , Sir William

’ Wa ad that beast Waad of Raleigh s — imprecation who placed the tablet here , but he knew well his Royal master . It was Henry VIII who built the King ’ s House as lodgings for the Lieutenant of The

Tower . It coincides in date with the growth in importance of the Lieutenant , who , as f executive o ficer , early after displaced the

s Constable , his titular head . Centurie later some stucco-minded person covered the front with stucco , concealing its features . Happily this has been torn away , within the past few

e years , below the gabl s on the western face , revealing the oak framing and beams and

r ictur Tudo brick , and the gain thereby in p

’ esquen ess is immense . The plan of the King s

o s I s u is H u e curio s it very shallow , and on the first storey of the western face all the

’ THE KING S HOUSE 1 2 1

rooms open one into another , without other means of communication save by the modern

s r external lead , though on the sto ey above there is a flanking passage , perhaps a later innovation . Where arrow-slits occur in the ballium w all i ’ aga nst which the King s House is built , in several instances cells have been made in the thickness of the stone wall , and are entered from the rooms . I had thought that each m ight be an oratory , but the likelier conclu sion is that they are prison cells , here under

’ the Lieutenant s immediate supervision . The

s Bell Tower , as already explained , form a

’ s corner turret of the King House , and that is a prison stronghold .

’ LORD NITH S DALE S ESCAPE

A room intere sting for its historical associa tion is a small chamber adj oin ing the Council

n Room , the door once communicati g now

is being blocked . It that in which Lady Nithsdale compassed the escape of her hus 1 2 2 THE TOWER OF LONDON

r band from The Tower , Lo d Nithsdale having been condemned for his part taken in the

Scottish rising of 1 7 1 5 . The next morning he was to have been executed , with the Earl of Derwentwater and Viscount Ken mure. Greatly surprised were the crowd on Tower t h Hill when two only , and not ree , of the

Jacobite lords came on to the scaffold . This

’ story ofza woman s wit and daring has often been told ; three persons pass ed in and four passed out , Lord Nithsdale himself in the

’ clothes of his wife s serving w oman i The guards were too befogged by so many comin gs

s and goings to keep the count . Nith dale and - his heroic wife lived for thirty two years thereafter in safety in Rome .

’ is Indeed , there no chamber in the King s

is r s House that not c owded with tory , for in

’ The Tower s great days as a State prison — captives of distinction prelates , statesmen ,

s s s r -di warriors , and oldier of mi fo tune ned

’ n at the Lieutenant s board , payi g handsomely for a im the privilege , and m ny were his

1 2 4 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

some one has carved a long inscription , now

is indecipherable , but there what may be the word Anna . The single casement window opens upon the battlemented walk Princess Eliza

’ — r beth s Walk whe e the wall falls sheer .

is That newly framed ; but that apart , the

s room , except for furniture , survives j u t as it might have been when Anne Boleyn stepped out to take her place in the guarded i process on to the scaffold , raised four or five steps high no great length of paces distant . The unhappy Queen had wholly habited herself in a robe of black damask , made in i such shape that the cape , wh ch was white , did fall on the outer side thereof . I am tempted to quote once more a familiar passage by Froude

A little b efore n oon on the 1 9th of May [1536]

Ann e Bo e n ueen of En n d w as l ed d own to l y , ! gla , the reen here the oun r ss an d the firs g , w y g g a t d aisies of summer were freshl y bursting in the sun

i n s o h sh ne. A si gle cannon t od load ed on t e battle ’ THE KING S HOUSE 1 2 5 men s the mo on ess n noneer was re d h t , ti l ca a y , wit smo n ns o his s d e an d hen the r in ki g li t ck at i , w c awl g hand u pon the dial of the great Tower clock touched the m d d hour h nnon ou d e t o Lond on i ay , t at ca w l t ll th The Y o f h re at all was o ver. eomen t e Guard we here an d ro d of ens the Lord M or to o t , a c w citiz ay , an d the d e u es of the u d s an d the Sher f s a nd p ti G il , i f , the Ald ermen they were come t o see a spectacle — which E nglan d had n ever seen before a head which had worn the Crown falling und er the sword of the e e u o r x c ti ne .

LADY JANE GREY

’ n s s Next to the Ki g Hou e , on the western

s side , are tho e of the Yeoman Jailer and the

r n row . wa ders , continui g the Gabled and

s s picture que , apparently of the ame age , they will be made the more attractive if at s ome

s r early day the tucco covering , found he e ,

is off. too , peeled The house of the Yeoman

J ailer has one tender memory . It was the place of confinement of Lady Jane Grey . That we know by a letter from the Privy

Council . Nathaniel Partridge then held the — office it was Gentleman Jailer in his 1 2 6 THE TOWER OF LONDON

’ ffi r time . That o ce s duty was to see that all prisoners within The ! To wer were locked in the quarters of the various warders upon whom t hey were bill eted at the appointed

s r hour at evening . Al o he bore the p oces sion al axe before a prisoner on his passage

s s an d by water to We tmin ter Hall , on the retum j ourney turned its sharp edge towards his l charge had a conviction resu ted , that Londoners gathered along the riversid e might

’ read by this sign the condemned man s fate . The axe still is preserved in the Maj or of

’ The Tower s study . The anonymous author of the Chronicle of Queen Jane and Queen Mary has left a pleasant account of the simple life of the ’ - - 2 th 1 nine days Queen . On August 9 , 553 , he

’ dyned at Partrige s house with my Lad y Jane being

her resen she s n the ord es end e Part ri e t p t , itti g at b , g , his i e o m l ad es entillwoman and hir w f , Jac b , y y g ,

S he co andin Partri e and e t o ut on man . m g g m p our ca es er she had on e or i e droncke pp , aft c tw c to me an d had me hart ellie e ome s he she w llc , ait

1 2 8 THE TOWER OF LONDON

s s a d e a ight to hir no le s th n athe . A few hours later she was herself t o die ; the

f o for her r w as sca f ld , a little way apa t , already prepared .

THE E! EC UTION GRO UN D

Originally the plot co mprised had been a

or o f r u r p tion the bu ial gro nd of St . Pete ad

l s w as Vincu a , till in Tudor day it given over fo r the execution of prisoners of State . — But a few died there the larger sacrifice

r r was outside the fo t ess , on Tower Hill , in

r that oval spot which now is a ga den , wherein

r r the child en play . You hear their laughte in summer days o ver the ground s aturated with the blo o d of so many of the noblest and best

s r . of our race , and ome who we e contemptible The public display o f an execution before the thousands who gathered upon Tower Hill w as not fitting when women were the victims ,

r s s r and even King Hen y VIII , no di pen e of

o f s mercy , whatever the sex tho e who fell

his r r s under fu y , sought for the pu po e a ’ TH E KING S HOUSE 1 2 9

ac m priv y more beco ing , here shut in by The ' l Tower s high wal s .

Queen Victoria caused the plot to be railed ,

s the tones laid , and the tablet fixed which recalls the grim ass ociations of this place of death . Till then it was un marked . Near by

in the church , the shade of the trees , whose leaves fleck the pavement with shadow and

- s sunlight , it is to day the mo t restful place in n The Tower . Seats are there , whereo many

s a tired visitor, the circuit of in pection com

l eted l an d p , wil rest muse over the eventful history of the fortress . You may read the

o names up n the tablet . Queen Anne Boleyn it was whose head

’ s l s s fir t fe l here , by the Calais head man — sword ; then others by the axe Q ueen

r Katharine Howa d , and Viscountess Roch ! or s a s ur f d , and the aged Marchione s of S li b y ,

’ r s Margaret Pole . Ma y reign sent Lady

Jane Grey , and that of Elizabeth her

r ss be quondam favourite , the Ea l of E ex ,

’ headed here becaus e the Queen s councillors 1 3 0 THE TOWER OF LONDON feared a popular tumult should he suffer in

s public . Derrick , the executioner , on pa sing out of The Tower was violently ass ailed by the mob , and would have lost his life had not the Sheriffs with an armed posse interven ed . — That is the whole company five women

are six and one man . What heads in the bloo dy records of The Tower !

1 3 2 THE TOWER OF LONDON

London ; softer influences begin to awaken in the magnificent Norman fragment of

. r S mithfield St Bartholomew the G eat , , a l a re ittle later in d te , and a highly developed in the Round of the Temple Church , erected — a century after to take the early churches

a f e sily accessible or comparison .

’ It would almost seem that the builders

’ oh s el er of St . J n fi hap w e contemptuous of

er i . a a ornament Th e little decoration , very s a imple , about the c pitals of the columns ,

m - moulded bands at thebas es that is all . Yet the whole result is most impressive . As you b clim the narrow , dark , winding stone stair

s t ickn ess ~of t ca e , made in the h the ex erior . ’ C wall , to emerge into St John s hapel , its

s s e and austerity eem entir ly fitting , more than an ythin g els e within The Tower it brings back the atmosphere and the ideals of the ! e is e eleventh century . Ther but one oth r in

’ ll Cha el a England , the Lady p at Durham to it Cathedral , compare with in its severe restraint and beauty .

1 34 THE TOWER OF LONDON

. s the country Window glass , macking of

s s Papi try , was smashed , whitewa h covered over the mural paintings , and the Chapel was despoiled of all of its artis tic treasures and ecclesiastical vestments . By Common

e oi wealth times , p rhaps before , all use the

an d Chapel for worship had ceased , as early as Charles II it had become a repository for the State records .

SAVED F ROM IGNOMINY

F or a couple of centuries thereafter this was — its service a storehouse for the parchments and papers of early Parliamentary proceed

ings , Royal writs , and litigation , piled up here in the Norman Chapel . Not until the

1 year 857 was the floor cleared , and the

s r document transferred , with othe s , to the

Public Record Office in Chancery Lane . Then the proposal was actually made by those in authority to convert this venerable and

’ sacred building into a military tailors ware house ! That was to be the measure of ’ ST . JOHN S CHAPEL 1 3 5

s . u re pect paid Fort nately, the Prince

s an d Consort prote ted ; Queen Victoria , to whose enlightened care for the Tower of

s London , the mo t perfect of our historical

s - fortresse , the public to day is largely in debt , ordered that the Chapel should be reverently

treated , and returned to religious use .

as is It is crowded with memories , , indeed , every chamber and turret and prison room within The Tower . All our Norman and Plantagenet kings worshipped within these

ls stone wal , when Mass was said before the d altar , illuminated then , as to ay , by the sun beams that fall aslant it through the east

r s window . Before that alta lay in tate the

s r mortal remain of Elizabeth of Yo k , King

’ V I I s r Henry conso t , who died in The Tower

- r s in child birth , the pale co p e lighted by the blaze of 800 tapers set in candlesticks about the bier .

r To that same altar came a prisone , Lady

’ s -in - Jane Grey dour father law , John Dudley ,

the Duke of Northumberland , to renounce 136 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

e a e e the Reform d f ith , to h ar Mass and receiv

s S acrament . His brief word on that occasion are preserved but with them one reads his abj ect appeal to Mary through Arundel that he might live yea , the life of a dog , if I might but live and kiss her feet —and the

! question enters how far that revocation was

his sincere . Whatever his purpose , he went way to the blo ck . Long before the chapel had witnessed a

’ tumul tuous scene . Wat Tyler s Kentish rebels overran London . Bursting into The

Tower , they found Simon Sudbury , Arch

s r bi hop of Cante bury , kneeling before this

s altar , and , roughly eizing him , dragged him

ll his out to Tower Hi , where head was struck

O n ff amid the delirious shouti g of the mob .

In the quiet of this same chapel , if tradition

r be t ue , Sir Robert Brackenbury, Constable

o of The T wer , was disturbed at his devotions by the messengers who had ridden hot haste

c from Ri hard Duke of Gloucester , bearing the command to him to murder the little

1 38 THE TOWER OF LONDON

The chapel is larger than it seems , its massive construction and barrel-Shaped stone

s n ceiling tending to belittle its ize . Its le gth is i 6 n . i . s . 55 ft , and the width 3 5 ft The

r s r circular pilla s , built up of epa ate stones to a diameter of two and a half feet , stand but 6 6 . a . s ft in high bove their base , and each is surmounted by a capital cut out of a solid

is r s block of stone . The ceiling ai ed above

t o the next floor the top of the Keep , and there is on that floor a passage from the

State apartments to the triforium , that upper stage of the chapel having probably been used by members Of the Royal family when

ss resident in the fortre . There is some

Old interesting glass in the windows , though it but poorly represents what these lights once contained . Some years back valuable fragments were found in the crypt , mostly - di sixteenth century heral c glass , and these have been pieced together where possible f and utilized or small plaques .

a St . Peter ad Vincula has been de lt with ’ ST. JOHN S CHAPEL 1 39

separately . Beyond this and the Royal

Chapel of St . John , The Tower had two s s o maller chapel or ratories , one being in

’

. s s St Thomas Tower , which guard the

’ r T aitors Gate . The other is in the venerable Wakefield Tower—now used as the Jewel

— on House the opposite side of the bailey , but is hardly recognisable as such ; it is a mere recess . There , it is said , King Henry VI was at prayer when he was murdered , on the

’ very night of Edward IV s arrival in London

s in triumph , after Barnet and Tewke bury had been fought , between xi and xii of the clock , the Duke of Gloucester being then at The

r Tower , and many othe s . The towers stand together that have witnessed the murders of two English

w r Sovereigns , for Ed a d V , though he has — no part in history , was that the Wakefield

s and the Bloody Tower . ENTRANCE TOWERS

ONG since the Lion Tower disa p

e pe red . Thereby the imposing group of three masonry towers — the guardians of the gate by which the visitor in ancient times had to pass before he entered the Outer Ward of the Tower of

London , was reduced to two ; but in these diminished numbers the group is imposing

r is still . Each of the su vivors pierced wit h - an arch and passage way, low and narrow , having strong circular turrets on either side . In The Tower ’ s crowded area there are few views which are so entirely satisfactory as

l n that here il ustrated , in ra ge , in variety , and in displaying the formidable nature of this

rs e s o rive ide fortr s , which st od to guard the capital City .

ENTRANCE TOWERS 14 1

The Middle Tower retains its old name , though now it is meaningless . It looks some what surprisingly new , but that is because the external walls of thecircular turrets have b recased een withmPortland stone , and the upper part much odernized . In all proba bility the structure is as old as Kin g Richard

I I , and perhaps was built much earlier , as a part of those large external fortifications for which King Henry III was responsible . ~ Central over its arch note the finely carved r Royal a ms . This , however , is Hanoverian , though the amount of City grime that has collected about it , unswept by the wind in its l she tered position , gives the appearance of

' ’ m c u h greater age . w - This to er , which to day is the first protection of the landward approach to the - fortress , had its passage way obstructed by a po rtcullis . Vaulted chambers of the twin

e n turr ts , loopholed and very stro g , by their bare stone and entire absence of ornament convey the suggestion that this is essentially 1 42 THE TOWER OF LONDON

r a place for defence . That on the ight as you enter does s ervice for the military garrison - to day as quarters for the spur guard . Originally a drawbridge stood before the

l u Midd e Tower , which co ld be raised or lowered by the troops within . All trace of it has gone . From this outwork runs a

s i permanent bridge and cau eway , wh ch spans the moat . It was in front of the Middle

Tower that Elizabeth , raised to the throne

' and returnin g as Queen to the place wheie

e o s five years b f re he had been a prisoner ,

rs alighted from her ho e , and kneeling on the

s ground , gave thank to God for her deliver

’ s r ance , in Bi hop Burnet s words , f om a

s o as danger imminent , and for an escape ” miraculous as that of David .

its The Middle Tower , no doubt owing to

s s exposed position , was not cu tomarily u ed as as a prison . Its onl y occupant of note w

h r . the eccentric Laurence S irley , Ea l Ferrers He w as hanged at Tybum in 1 76 0 for the

r r of his s s mu de bailiff John on , whom he hot

1 44 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

’ e V II I s n Gat , and in Henry time was k own

n as the Wardi g Gate , but the name of the

Byward Tower has been associated with ' it for so me cen turies past . It has undergon e

chafi e less g than the Middle Tower , and its

a - d rk , weather worn masonry tells its age , for certainly it is as old as King Richard II . The situation necessitated a strong work , as the gate Opens immediatel y into the Tower of

’ s r is e London Outer Ward . The e no n ed in these peaceful times to lower the portcullis the winch and drums are still above— which han gs ominously overhead as one passes through ; but each night the heavy oaken gates are locked with accustomed formality i ’ when the Chief Warder , with the K ng s keys , m w his u akes the round ith g ard , and with the closing of the wickets t hereafter till sunrise none may enter or leave the fortres s .

THE KING ’ S KEYS

It is a picturesque ceremony that each

- As night se es repeated within The Tower . ENTRANCE TOWERS 1 45

C the hour for losing approaches , the Chief

r a Wa der , we ring the scarlet night cloak of

s ur r his picture que uniform , with fo b oad s r the t ipes on arm in gold , and carrying in his

e s hand his bunch of k ys , proceed to the Main

s r Guard , and there ask for The esco t for the

r r keys . A se geant and fou privates are

n detailed , one carryi g a lantern to light the way about the passages darkened by the

l r high wal s . Their steady t amp awakens

c s e hoes , for The Tower at night is a ilent , eerie place , with mystery in every turret and shadow . As the barrier gate , then the

s r Middle Tower , and la t the Bywa d Tower, are closed and locked in turn the escort presents arms at each .

The party returns to the Main Guard , and immediately they pass into the black arch of the Bloody Tower leading to the Inner Ward ,

’ the sentry s Challenge rings out Halt Who comes there The footfalls are suddenly silenced as the party draws up with a military snap , K 146 THE TOWER OF LONDON and the answer is given by the Chief Warder

The keys .

s s r Who e keys the ent y demands .

’ r King Geo ge s keys .

’ ’ r s Advance , King Geo ge s keys all well — and the escort proceeds to the Main Guard ,

r in front of which they form up , the gua d

r fi r unde command of an of ce , having turned

. fi s r out The of cer give the orde , Guard and

r escort , p esent arms , and this honour is paid to the keys . Thereafter the Chief Warder steps two

r paces in front of the esco t , and , removing

r his Tudo hat , calls God pres erve King George !

s s I see his figure now , carlet again t the indistin ct line of khaki in dim moonlight .

s r All present , guard and escort , an we a loud Amen The keys are then carried to the

’ s King s House , for delivery to the Re ident

Governor , with whom they remain for the night .

1 48 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

u l Tower was locked as sua , and on the Chief

’ Warder s return with the escort answer was

’ given to the sentry s challenge The King ’ s keys Probably never before had the reply not

’ n borne a Sovereig s name , for even at Lady

’ Jane Grey s brief usurpation the supporters of her cause had first taken care to secure

- rs control of The Tower . For sixty three yea that title The King —had not been heard within the walls Thereafter the answer given nightly was King Edward ’ s ” keys . Each turret of the Byward Tower has a

fine vaulted chamber some 1 5 ft . across . That on the right of the entrance is used as

’ W r the arde s Lodge , and often a glimpse of the interior is to be obtained through the

s Open door . The window are loopholed , there is an ancient stone fireplace still in position , - and altogether this is one of the best preserved

r s r s is apa tment of the fort es . It believed to have been used as an oratory in the Middle ENT RANCE TOWERS 149

. Ages It has one interesting relic , the shaft of the staff of authority that in ancient times was carried by The Tower ’ s Warder when he

s went aboard ship coming up to the Pool ,

’ and levied the toll which was the Lieutenant s

r due upon the produce or wines b ought .

s s u One half of the haft is q are , and the

r r remainde carved in a spiral . It bo e a gold

s - ss s or ilver gilt top , which in more carele time

s — or r s than these was lo t pe haps tolen .

s s ss Under exi ting condition , acce cannot be given to the public either to the Middle or Byward Towers . Just pas t the entrance gate and the

is vaulted chamber , on the river side , a low tower which was built to protect the postern opening upon the light bridge that here

s . crosse the moat The massive door , barred

ll its and clamped , and sti creaking upon

hinges , made the place secure . A light draw bridge originally spanned the moat . By this

is way persons of d tinction , having landed

’ from their boats at the Queen s Stairs on the 1 56 THE TOWER OF LONDON

mi wharf , ght enter The Tower without passing through that place of forbidding

’ associations , the Traitors Gate .

LIONS AT THE TOWER The Lion Tower stood where now is the - refreshment room and the path before it leading on to the Tower Wharf . It was in ancient times water-surrounded by a diver

o f sion the moat , and there were caged those Royal animals that were made gifts to our

s king by foreign potentates . Lions and other beasts were confined there so late as 1 83 4 (they were then moved to form the nucleus of the collection at the Zoological Gardens in

’ r ro Regent s Pa k) , and few will p bably recall

i s that the common phrase , seeing the l on

i s of the City , orig nated from this ight at the

Tower of London . King Henry III had leopards in this men a erie g at the Tower , and later an elephant

and two wild cats added to its wonders . The Sheriffs of London in the year 1 2 5 2 were

ENTRANCE TOWERS 1 53

On coming out of The Tower we were led to a sm house c ose here are e r f all l by , w k pt a va iety o — re ures viz hree ion esses one hon of re c at , t l , g at s ze ed Ed rd V I rom his h in een orn i , call wa , f av g b b in h re n er n o e ess e old t at ig a tyg , a ly x, a w lf xc iv ly , h s is er s r e n m in En n d so h he r t i a v y ca c a i al gla , t at t i shee an d e s r ou in re num ers free p cattl t ay ab t g at b , from an d n ers hou h W hou n od t o ee y a g , t g it t a yb y k p hem h r i t ; t e e s besid es a porcupine and an eagle .

A hese re ures are e in remo e e fi ed ll t c at k pt a t plac , tt up for the purpose with wood en lattices at the

’ ueen s e en ! xp se.

A kindly correspondent has increased my knowledge of natural history at The Tower by sending me the card here reproduced . It admitted the bearer to witness The annual ceremony of Washing the Lions . Amid the

s w as sad smut of London , Leo in case with a

o w as bath once a year . The j ke played off upon guileless countrymen up to see the

s r wonders of the metropoli , who we e given — the card as a coveted privilege o r more likely were asked to pay for it by hangers

su about the gates . Seal and signature pport

K 2 1 54 TH E TOWER OF LONDON

the imposture , but the date of the ceremony ,

I st s the of April , hould have excited suspicion . - or s a o Now five six year g , the privileges given to the public were considerably en l arged by liberty to visit the dungeons of the

s Keep , the Bloody Tower , and ( ubj ect to a warder being free for the duty) the Chapel of

s St . Peter ad Vincula . It can be no ecret

s s that , even before the war , larger conce sion

r mi i than these we e contemplated . A l tary

and u fortress The Tower was when built , s ch it remains in the twentieth century . It is not practicable at present to convert it into

, l a great national museum , as it might wel — become a museum of which the greates t riches must always be its own matchless buildings and historical associations .

r If ever that comes about , the Wa ders of

ll s o The Tower wi alway , I h pe , be retained as

u di s i g ar an of the place , a part of th s rich his But s tory. omething might be done to

’ enlarge the public s Opp ortunity for inspection could satisfactory quarters be foun d el se

1 56 THE TOWER OF LONDON

o y nd can well be spared . They form together a disgraceful approach to what should be the

’ r s most treasu ed of the nation s possession .

is s r There nothing el e in Great B itain , nothing in the world , with the age and the continuous history of the Tower of London nothing that can be compared with it save , i r s . s pe hap , St Angelo in Rome . It in the

has keeping of London , because London for

s more than a thou and years been the actual ,

he if not always the titular , capital of t

o kingd m . I should like to feel sure that all

Londoners know it .

s so The Tower of London , alway strong , has never been called upon to withstand a s r e ious Siege .

o his England , since the Conquer r built frowning Keep , has never known a foreign invader Partisans in times o f national tumult have been s urrounded in the fortress . - Stone cannon balls were recovered from the accumulated mud when the Duke of Well ing ENTRANCE TOWERS 157

his ton , who in old age w as Constable of The

o Tower , caused the moat t be drained and

r ! filled to its p esent height . They are believed to have been fired by the Yorkis ts against the

s 1 6 wall in the year 4 0 . In Sir Thomas

’ s r Wyatt s rising again t Queen Ma y , The Tower was cannonaded very ineffectually from across the river . It has never In its centuries of history been exposed to such peril as during the late

u E ropean War , and then from an element which Gun dulf and his successors in military

r architecture could safely igno e . It w as a

es eci prominent mark for German aviators , p

1 ally in the daylight raids . A bomb 4} ft . in length fell in the moat , penetrated deep , but most fortunately did not explode . A second

os dropped uncomfortably cl e in the Mint ,

s r - cau ing some deaths , and in all fo ty four

i s cas ualties . Another hit the rail ng north of

l ss The Tower , and a fourth dived harm e ly

s s into the river , throwing up a great pla h of water . 1 58 THE TOWER OF LONDON

- s The Yeomen Warders to day , picture que

ll u s figures , sti wearing the T dor dre s , the

s s — olde t uniform of the Briti h Army with ,

s alas , the terrible anachroni m of trousers have thes e tales to add to the crowded records of The Tower . ll So sti the long story grows .

IND E!

a Be e om s 1— os or h e d 1 ck t , Th a , 5 3 B w t Fi l , 97 , 3 7 e om s 1 1 r S ir R 1 6 en ur . Ab l , Th a , 4 B ack b y, , 97 , 3 n o ur 0 r d es S ir o n 1 Agi c t, 4 B y g , J h , 7 Air R d s The o er 1 u n m u es o f ai at T w , 5 7 B cki gha , D k , 93 m u 8— 8 ur o n e S ir . F o x A p lla, 9 9 B g y , J , 7 r o n er n e of 8 1 1 ur e S ir mon d e 8 A ag , Cath i , 3 , 4 B l y, Si , 3 Arc o n o f 0—1 rd o er 2 0 2 1 , J a , 4 Bywa T w , , . rm o ur es — 6 I — 1 1 8— A i , 3 7 9 . 7 7 3 . 43 4 . 45 . 4 9 : run d e i E r o f os ern 2 6 1 A l , P-h lip a l , p t by, , 49 7 8 1 1 Ax e e d n 1 ro n n on an d mor ars , h a i g , 4 p Ca t , 45 cession al 1 2 6 s e Hed in m 1 , 5 4 , Ca tl gha , 3 o ree o n s r 1 Cat St t C pi acy, 43 r es 1 1 1—1 2 e s in The o er 1 Bailly, Cha l , Chap l T w , 3 9 ’

m r r r s . a e n o o d 8 2 see so . ete B l i , L , ( al St P , St ’ n ue n H 1 6 ohn s Ba q ti g all, 3 , 3 J ) n s of the 1 n o f The o er 8 Bath , K ight , 3 7 Chaplai T w , 4 Be rs a n d e r n 1 1 h r es 1 8 a b a baiti g, 5 C a l I , 9 , 9 Be u m o er 2 1 I I 2 100 a cha p T w , , 5 4 , . 4 . 97 . 99. 6 1 0 —1 1 0 2 9 , 4 5 e o er 2 1 6 0— 1 2 1 o mo n d e e S ir R 8 6 B ll T w , , 73 , Ch l l y, Berks tead eu en an r e om s 1 1 , Li t t, 95 Cla k , Th a , 3 ’ r n e s R u 8 o n sta es o f The o er Black P i c by, 9 C bl T w , 1 2 0 rac en ur ; B k b y, 9 7 , o an d e d n a x e 1-2 1 6 n s o n 6 6 ; Wel Bl ck h a i g , 4 3 Ki g t , o o d o er 1 8 1 2 1 2 6 n t ou 1 Bl y T w , , 9 , , , li g , 5 7 8 8 o ron on ro es so d 1 0 1 C ati b l ,

o un S ir i e 1 1 0 o un i m er in ee , Bl t , M cha l , C c l Cha b K p o e n n ne 6 -6 6 1 2— 6 8 ; in B l y , A , 3 , 5 5 , 7 , 3 . 3 4 : 3 » 3 ’ — I 2 - I Z n s Ho use 1 1 2 1 79 0 3 4 ! ! Ki g , 7 160 INDE!

r nmer r hbisho Ch e of 100 ro n C a , A c p . 5 7 . 93 alic , c w , resse o r fire-o t 1 0 2 C t, p , 3 9 rom e i er 2 E o S ir ohn 8 1 1 C w ll , Ol v , 7 li t, J , , 9 ’ o m s 8 1 F s er s E za e ueen 8 Th a , i h li b th , ! , 4 , 5 5 , e ter t o 6 8 6 -2 1 1 0—1 1 1 2 1 l t , 9 7 , 94 , , 9 , 3 7 , ro ss a s o f ee 0 1 2 e r s o f 1 02 C w ll K p , 3 4 p a l , ro w n e e s see Re a E z e o f o r 2 1 C J w l ( gali ) li ab th Y k , 3 , 3 5 ’ ro n s : n fred s E es S ir e rv se C w Ki g Al , lw , G a , 95 ’ 1 00 ueen Edi h s 1 00 Es a es fro m The o er ; ! t , ; c p T w , ’ ’ Ed ard V I S 0 0 n s -2 w , 1 Ki g a e 8 1 0 1—2 ro n E r o f 8— St t , 9 , ; C w , a l , 5 7 , 7 9 , of En n d 1 0 2 n d n 1 2 —0 gla , ; I ia , 9 3 1 0 2 o f r o f od en Ex e u o n ro un d on o er Ma y M a, c ti G T w 1 0 reen 2 1 2 8—0 3 G , 3 , 3 r - C ypt an d s ub crypt o f St . ’ o n s e 0 1- J h Chap l , 3 , 4 4 ull in an amon d 1 0 1 es Gu —1 8 C Di , Fawk , y , ul e er Of B rfo rd e to n ss ss n C p p a , 43 F l , a a i , 93 urfe 6 1—2 errers E r 1 2 — C w, F a l , 4 3 ffo u kes r es l , Cha l , ve Ri rd 0 is er s o 6 6 — 80 Da y, cha , 7 F h , Bi h p , 5 , 7 9 . er en t t er E ar of 1 2 2 F m rd Bis o 0 D w wa , l , la ba , h p , 4 ud e m rose 1 0 reem n h s tor n 2 D l y, A b , 9 F a , i ia , 9 ui ord 8 1 1 0 -1 0 ro ss r G lf , 7 9, , 9 , F i a t, 3 4 1 2 Henr 1 0 o n 7 ; y, 9 ; J h s ee Northumberland War a rd en Ho use 1 ( , G , 9 Ro er 1 08- rd en o er see B ood wick) b t , 9 Ga T w ( l y r r d es 2 0 1 2 1 o er D awb i g , , 4 , 49 T w ) un eons 1 6 0 -8 1 1 8 en em n i er 1 2 — D g , , 3 , 43 , , G tl a Ja l , 5 7 1 eo r e 8 5 4 G g II , 3 1 0 2 1 6 V, , 4 Ed rd 2 1 8 hos s in The o er 6 1 1 8 wa I , , 5 G t T w , 5 , o er o rd Ron d 8 8 G w , L al , ’ r s I nn urfe at 6 1 G ay , c w , re H l o f Ro al ce G at al y Pala .

1 —8 reen h ce 8 VII , 4 7 G wic Pala , 3 Ed rd the o nfesso r 2 re L d n e 2 wa C , 5 ; G y, a y Ja , 7 . 7 7 : 79:

1 62 INDE!

L e r n ces murd ered u en Lord —6 ittl P i , N g t, , 3 5 ~ 1 6 g s 7 r 3 Lo mon F r ser Lord vat , Si a , r ean s h r es r n e of O l , C a l P i c , 1 8 2 4 , 2 0—1 3 , 4 u er ai e 2 6 fortifica O t B l y, ; u o rd 8 — Maca lay, L , 7 4 , 3 on s 1 8 2 1 ti , 3 ; wall , 9 es Old a n d n ew 8 — — , Mac 3 er ur S ir T. 8 Ov b y, , 7 9 , 94 5 n u rd 1 —6 Mai G a , 45 Ma!or (Go vern o r) o f The r r d e than e 1 2 Pa t i g , Na i l , 5 o er 6 8 1 1 1 2 6 T w , 4 , 4 , 7 , , en n m 2 P , Willia , 9 1 46 e ere n s r on 10 6 P v l i c ipti , r ueen 2 6 Ma y, ! , 4 , 9 , 93 , ers Of Ex o n S ir — Pi t , , 3 5 7 Pi o n o r-e n er H p , Ma! G al r ueen o f o s 1 0 6 Ma y ! Sc t , , 1 1 7 1 1 1 n o f the o er 2 2 l , e ris 0—1 P a T w Matth w Pa , 5 P oictiers 1 , 4 en er e The o er M ag i at T w , o e r re see s — P l , Ma ga t ( Sali 1 5 0 3 bur ) Mia h om s 1 1 2 y g , Th a , o rt u is 1 8 8 8 1 P c ll , , , 44 d d e o er 2 1 1 1— Mi l T w , , 4 3 . P o n d on o n 1 y , , 4 I J h 4S ’ s k r n ess El z be h W l , in 2 1 P i c i a t a M t, 4 , 5 7 6 1 2 9 . 4 o 1 2 1 1 0 M at, 9 , , 5 onmo u uk e o f , D , 5 7 . M th ’ u en s S rs 2 1 — e , 9 7 7 9 ! tai , 5 , 5 5 4 o re S ir ho m s 8-6 0 M , T a , 5 . 6 — 8 0 6 R e S ir er 2 4 7 , , 9 al igh , Walt , 4 , urd ers in The o er — 0 -1 1 1 6 1 2 o M T w , 94 7 , 9 , , ’ I R a e s a 6 39 l igh W lk , 9 R m e i m 1 1 —1 a , Will a , 4 5 e e rm d u e 1 0 6 Re a 1 8 —1 0 N vill , Ma a k , g lia, 7 , 5 3 , 4 , 97 3 sd al e o rd esc e o f ed n o f 8— s e zure Nith , L , ap , pl gi g , 9 9 i 1 2 1—2 o mm o n ea t an d by C w l h , o rfo u es o f 6 8— sal e Of —1 0 1 N lk , D k , 5 , 7 9 , 99 No rthumberl an d o n D ud R c rd 6 2 , J h i ha I , l e u e o f 1 —6 R a rd 2 0 8 1 0 1 1 y D k , 7 7 , 7 9 , 3 5 ich II , , 3 , 4 , 4 , o rt um er an d Henr 1 d e o s on an d N h b l , y 44 ; p iti Per E r o f d e h — cy a l , 94 at , 3 4 5 INDE! 1 63

’ R ha rd 1 6 h es e re s Kin R ichard ic III , 3 3 , 97 , 3 , S ak p a g I 9 I I I Kin H en r I V 3 , 3 3 ; g y , R d e s o i l y, Bi h p , 93 34 Roc es er 1 6 1 d n e ern on 8 h t , , 7 Si y, Alg , 9 Roc hford d 1 2 S keflin t on S ir L 2 , La y, 79 , 9 g , . , 4 Rom n l o f on d on 1 So merse u e o f a Wal L , 4 , t , D k , 7 7 , 79 1 oo n o ron ion 8 5 Sp , C at , 9 Ross s o o f 1 air s in ee 0 , Bi h p , 7 St way K p , 3 , 3 3 Ro e in The o er t e r m en s in ee yal Palac T w , S at Apa t t K p, 1 2 2 6 — 0 6 0— 6 -1 7 , 4 , 7 , 3 , 3 3 3 4 . 3 4 R ud so n R e en n 1 , . , 4 3 St ph , Ki g , 7 r fford 8 —0 St a , 5 7 , 9 9

. o o d e 8 1 ro n Roo m in e o er St B t lph Al gat , St g B ll T w ’ — . ohn s e 0 1 6 6 St J Chap l , 3 , 3 , 3 5 , 3 . 7 73 1— I 1— ua rt a d r e 2 4 4 » 3 3 9 St , L y A ab lla, 7

. r d erm n ur 8 2 S ud ber r s o 1 6 St Ma y Al a b y, y , A chbi h p , 3

. e er ad n ul 6 8 uffo uke o f 8 1 St P t Vi c a, 5 , 5 , S lk, D , 79 , 2 —8 2 1 1 0 1 2 —8 7 , 7 4 7 , 9 , , 7 , 1 hames R er 2 6 1 2 6 5 4 T , iv , 5 , 4 , , ’ m 2 I S . o s s o er 0 t Th a T w , , S 7 0— I e o n 5 3 . 3 9 Th lwall , J h , 73 m o f r r um s re s 2 . o s n e u St Th a Ca t b y Th b c w , 4 s ee a e e ort ure 1 1 2 1 1 8 in stru ( B ck t) T , , ; s ur o un ess of 8— men s o f 2 Sali b y , C t , 7 9 , t , 4 1 2 o er reen 2 1 1 6 1 2 9 T w G , 3 , , 4 , m 1 2 8—0 on T. 1 1 Sal , , 3 3 n 1 0 o er H sca fl old u o n Salvi , 5 3 , 5 T w ill , p , ’ ca en er s u er 2 8 0 8 8 1 2 2 1 2 8 S v g Da ght , 4 , 3 , 9 , 95 , , , ce res 1 00 1 0 1 6 S pt , , 3 3 o s Re e lion o f 1 1 o er e 8 Sc tti h b l 7 5 , T w Mac , 4 - 1 2 2 o f 1 1 8 2 o er rf 1 2 6 0 2 ; 7 45 , 4 , T w Wha , 9 , , 5 , — 5 8 9 ’ — —6 0 e en is o s 8 r to r s e 1 , 2 , 9 , S v B h p , 5 7 T ai Gat , 9 5 4 S e usenhofer o nr d 8 , C a , 3 e mo ur d a her ne re s ure Ho use o er, S y , La y C t i , T a at T w es mins er 8 7 2 4 3 ; at W t t , 4 , Se mo ur of S ud e e Lo rd y l y, , 99 rre am 1 1 7 7 Ty ll , Willi , 4 164 INDE!

or ueen 8 1 0 2 e n t o n u e o f 1 Vict ia, ! , 3 , , W lli g , D k , 5 7 estm n s er H 6 W i t all , 3 , 5 4 , n er S l l ' Ro er Vy , b t, 99 Wharf (s ee Tower Wha rf) Waa d S i W r . 1 2 0 e s on ee 2 , , Whit wa h K p, 3 efie d o er 1 1 8 1 i m t he o n uero r 1 Wak l T w , 7 , , 9, Will a C q , 3 , 2 1 2 6 —1 0 I 2 6 1 1 » 7 , 5 3 , 9 3 » 3 9 9 , , 3 3 rd ers o f The o er 8 am R uf us 1 6 Wa T w , 4 , Willi , 1 ef rd er 8 son o n 1 5 4 ; Chi Wa , 4 , Wil , J h , 4 3 ’ ’ 1 —8 rd er s ff ren S ir r s o er 2 44 ; Wa Sta , W , Ch i t ph , 9 ’ I s Re e on 2 — 49 Wyatt b lli , 4 3 , rd ro e o er 1 —8 1 Wa b T w , 4 5 7 . 5 7 r o n E r o f Wa wick, J h a l ’ 1 0 8— eom n er s ho use 9 Y a Jail , r homas E r of I 2 - Wa wick , T a l , S 7 1 0 eom n or er 6 4 Y a P t , 5 s in the on s 1 2 — eo men o f the uard 8 Wa h g Li , 5 3 Y G , 4 ’ er s R s n 1 6 Y o un hus ban d a or Wat Tyl i i g , 3 g , M ! e in the ee 1 6 en er S ir eor e 2 W ll K p , G al G g , 9, 99