The latter announcement was received with considerable applause, especially from those of the lower council, and the subject of it was warmly congratulated by his companions. Seymour, however, looked discontented, and evidently thought he had been inadequately rewarded. One person only in the upper council took umbrage at the appointment. This was the existing Lord High Admiral, Lord Lisle.
“How is this?” he cried, angrily. “Am I to be deprived of my office?”
“Only to have something better,” replied the Lord Protector. “Resign your patent in my brother’s favor, and I will indemnify you with the post of Grand Chamberlain, which I now hold.”
“I am quite content with the exchange, my lord,” replied Lisle, his angry looks giving way to smiles.
“What of Sir John Gage?” demanded the Lord Protector. “Is not he to be exalted?”
“No mention is made of him,” replied Paget, shaking his head.
“I rejoice to hear it,” resounded the deep voice of the Constable of the Tower, from the lower part of the chamber.
“Is there no title bestowed on yourself, good master secretary?” inquired the Lord Protector.
“Your lordship will see when you look over the book,” replied Paget.
“Being in waiting when these memoranda were made,” observed Sir Anthony Denny, “I told his Majesty that master secretary remembered all but himself, whereupon the king desired me to write him down for a yearly revenue, as appeareth in the book.”
“Revenues were granted to all whom the king designed to honor,” said Paget, “and were destined to spring from the forfeit estates of the Duke of Norfolk; but this plan has been defeated by the duke, who, as ye know, prevailed upon his Majesty to settle the estates on his son, our present sovereign. Consequently, the revenues must be derived from other sources.”
“All shall be ordered in due time,” rejoined the Lord Protector. “After the coronation of his present Majesty, all the creations appointed by the late king shall be made. Until then, those who are most interested must be content to wait. And now, my lords and gentlemen, let us to the king, who by this time must have entered the presence chamber. I pray your grace to come with me.”
This he addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who, however, held back to let him pass forth first. The rest of the council, of both degrees, followed them out of the chamber.
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Chapter IV
HOW THE YOUTHFUL KING WAS KNIGHTED BY THE LORD PROTECTOR; AND HOW THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON WAS KNIGHTED BY THE KING
Young Edward’s first reception was held in the council-chamber of the White Tower—a vast apartment still existing, and which, if its height were only proportionate to its length and width, would almost be without equal. As it is, the chamber is very noble, with a massive timber roof, flat, and of immense weight, supported by double ranges of stout oak pillars. Around this chamber run narrow stone galleries, arched and vaulted, constructed within the thickness of the walls, and having large semicircular openings for the admission of light.
Fitted up as it was for the grand ceremonial about to take place within it, the presence chamber, for so it was then styled, looked really magnificent; neither was it at all too large for the accommodation of the numerous ecclesiastics of the highest order, nobles, knights, City authorities—the lord mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs to wit—pensioners, esquires, henchmen, pages, yeomen of the guard, marshals of arms, pursuivants, trumpeters, and others, by whom it was thronged. So over-crowded was it, in fact, that the stone galleries previously mentioned were filled.
The walls were hung with costly tapestry, and the pillars garnished with cloth of gold, the sides of the chamber and the roof being thickly set with banners of arms and descents, together with bannerols of the king’s dominions, while the floor was deeply strewn with rushes.
At the upper end there was a cloth of estate, beneath which, upon a dais with three steps, sat the youthful monarch; a wide open space, covered with a carpet, being kept in front of the throne by silken cords drawn from side to side, at the entrance to which space stood the vice-chamberlain and other court officials, while the exit was guarded by gentlemen ushers.