Her Highness, the Traitor - By Susan Higginbotham Page 0,67
nor deed, and have been always as faithful and true unto this realm, as any man hath been.”
“Hear, hear!”
“But I am condemned by a law whereunto I am subject, as are we all, and therefore to show obedience I am content to die, wherewith I am well content, being a thing most heartily welcome unto me, for which I do thank God, taking it for a singular benefit, and as great a benefit as ever might come to me any otherwise. For as I am a man, I have deserved at God’s hand many deaths, and it has pleased his goodness, whereas he might have taken me suddenly that I should neither have known him nor myself, thus now to visit me and call me with this present death, when I have had time to remember and acknowledge him, and to know also myself, for which thing I do thank him most heartily.”
Somerset had begun to urge the people to stay steadfast to the king’s religious reforms and was warming to his theme, when there was a sudden noise, like a clap of thunder or an explosion of gunpowder. People who had been listening to the duke in utter silence screamed in terror. Some fled to nearby houses; others flung themselves into ditches. It was all my man could do to keep my own horse from bolting. Then Anthony Browne—the man who had helped me to my favored place near the scaffold—galloped up to keep order among the crowd.
“A pardon!” a bystander shouted. “The king has issued a pardon!”
“God save the king! He has issued a pardon!” The crowd, on the verge of riot a moment before, screamed with joy as men threw their caps in the air.
“There is no such thing,” said a quiet voice from the scaffold. Somerset raised his hand, and the crowd froze. “There is no pardon,” he repeated. “I pray you all to be quiet and to be contented with my death, which I am most willing to suffer. Let us now join in prayer unto the Lord, for the preservation of the King’s Majesty, unto whom hitherto I have always shown myself a most faithful and true subject. I have always been diligent about His Majesty in his affairs both at home and abroad, and no less diligent in seeking the common commodity of the whole realm.”
“It is true,” muttered the crowd.
“I wish His Majesty continual health, with all felicity and all prosperous success.”
“Amen,” murmured the people.
“I do wish unto all his counselors the grace and favor of God, whereby they may rule in all things uprightly with justice. Unto whom I exhort you all in the Lord, to show yourselves obedient, as is your duty under the pain of condemnation, and also most profitable for the preservation and safeguard of the King’s Majesty,” Somerset continued. He gave a faint smile. “Forasmuch as I have had oftentimes affrayed with divers men, and have found it hard to please every man, therefore if there have been any offended or injured by me, I most humbly require and ask him forgiveness. Especially almighty God, whom through all my life I have most grievously offended. And whoever has offended me, I do with my whole heart forgive them.”
“He speaks of Northumberland,” a man called. “The wicked Duke of Northumberland, who has put him wrongfully to death!”
Somerset raised his hand again. “I once again require you, dearly beloved in the Lord, that you will keep yourselves quiet and still, lest through your tumult, you might trouble me. For albeit the spirit be willing and ready, the flesh is frail and wavering, and through your quietness I shall be much quieter.”
The crowd obeyed instantly, and Somerset said, “I desire you to help me with my prayers,” then knelt and prayed. Rising afterward to shake hands with everyone on the scaffold, including the sheriff and the Lieutenant of the Tower, he presented the executioner with a bag of coins and stripped to his doublet and shirt.
With the rest, I watched in awe as Somerset slowly untied his shirt strings and allowed the executioner to turn down his collar, then covered his face with his handkerchief. He laid himself flat on the ground, only to have to rise again and remove his doublet, which was obstructing his neck, at the command of the executioner. “Lord Jesus save me,” he said, lying down once again. “Lord Jesus save me. Lord Je—”
Even before the executioner raised Somerset’s head, the crowd surged toward the