The Constable of the Tower by W. Harrison Ainsworth

| Go to Table of Contents |

Chapter V

OF THE INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE EARL OF SURREY AND SIR THOMAS SEYMOUR IN THE BOWYER TOWER

A bitter rivalry had long existed between the newly ennobled house of Seymour and the ancient and illustrious house of Howard. Not less distinguished for exalted rank than renowned as a military commander, the high-born Duke of Norfolk looked down with scorn upon the new nobility, holding them unworthy to be ranked with him; and his sentiments were shared by his chivalrous and accomplished son, Earl Surrey, “of the deathless lay,” who, proud as his father, was of a yet more fiery temper. But the duke soon found that the elder Seymour was not an enemy to be despised. The Earl of Hertford’s influence with the king increased, while that of Norfolk declined. When Catherine Howard perished on the block, the duke, her uncle, who had brought about the ill-starred match, fell into disfavor with the vindictive monarch, and never regained the place he had hitherto held in Henry’s regard.

There was another ground of quarrel between the rival houses. The Howards continued firm in their adherence to the Church of Rome; and the Duke of Norfolk, who was looked upon as the head of the Catholics, and who hated the Reformers, made himself obnoxious by his rigor towards the sacramentarians. Hertford, on the other hand, as much as he dared, upheld the new doctrines and supported the Protestant party. On religious questions, the king gave predominance to neither side; but setting one against the other, was equally severe with both.

This state of things endured for a time without any decisive blow being struck by his enemy against the powerful duke. But when Henry’s increasing infirmities made it evident that his dissolution could not be far off, the immediate and total overthrow of the house of Howard was resolved upon by Hertford. As elder uncle of the young Prince Edward, then only in his tenth year, Hertford had secretly determined to become Lord Protector, and thereby enjoy the supreme power of the realm. He could rely upon the chief part of the council for support, but he well knew he should encounter formidable opposition from the Duke of Norfolk. Moreover, both the duke and his son had rashly menaced Hertford and his associates, declaring that the time for vengeance was at hand, and that they should shortly smart for their audacity.

Henry, whose affections had been artfully estranged from the Howards, lent a ready ear to the charges brought against Norfolk and Surrey by the agency of Hertford, and without weighing the duke’s long-tried zeal and fidelity, and the many important services he had rendered him, signed the articles of accusation brought against father and son, causing them both to be suddenly arrested, and lodged in separate prisons in the Tower.

Arraigned in Guildhall before Lord Chancellor Wriothesley, the Lord Mayor, and other commissioners, the Earl of Surrey vehemently and eloquently defended himself, denying the charges brought against him, and offering to fight his principal accuser, Sir Richard Southwell, in his shirt. But his defence availed him nothing. As had been foreseen, he was found guilty of high treason, condemned to death, and taken back to the Tower to await his execution.

But though the gallant Surrey was thus sentenced, more difficulty was experienced in bringing condemnatory matter against his father. Immured within a cell in the Beauchamp Tower, treated with great rigor, subjected to frequent private examinations, kept in entire ignorance of the names of his accusers, and even of the accusations brought against him, denied all access to his son, or communication with him, the duke at last succumbed, and a confession of guilt, under promise of pardon, was extorted from him. But this promise, solemnly given by Hertford, was not intended to be kept. On the contrary, the confession was to be made the means of Norfolk’s destruction. Moved, perhaps, by some feelings of compassion for his old favorite, and still more by the duke’s humble submission, Henry hesitated to sign his death-warrant. But with the rapacity which characterized him to the last, he had not neglected to seize upon the duke’s houses, and confiscate his treasures. Norfolk, however, contrived to balk his enemies of the spoil they anticipated. Well aware that Hertford and his associates counted upon dividing his large possessions among them, he petitioned the king that the estates might be settled upon Prince Edward; and the request appeared so reasonable to Henry, that it was immediately granted. But the duke’s life was still in jeopardy, dependent upon the will of a fickle tyrant, who might at any moment surrender him to the enemies who panted for his blood.