ROYAL PROCESSION.

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"silent highway," and landed a miserable prisoner at the Traitors' Gate of the Tower!

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth the Thames again became the gay scene of many a royal procession. It was on the occasion of Elizabeth's stately progresses on the Thames, that Sir Walter Raleigh, from his prison-window in the Tower, caught a glimpse of his royal mistress as she was landing at Blackfriars. To Sir Robert Cecil, Arthur George writes in 1592-" Upon a report of her Majesty's being at Sir George Carew's, Sir Walter Raleigh, having gazed and sighed a long time at his study-window, from whence he might discern the barges and boats about the Blackfriars' Stairs, suddenly broke out into a great distemper, and swore that his enemies had on purpose brought her Majesty thither to break his gall in sunder with Tantalus' torment, that when she went away he might see death before his eyes, and many such-like conceits. And, as a man transported with passion, he swore to Sir George Carew that he would disguise himself, and get into a pair of oars, to ease his mind but with a sight of the Queen."

In the following reign-on the occasion of the marriage of the interesting Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James the First, with the Elector Palatine-the Thames at Whitehall was the scene of extraordinary splendour and rejoicings. Among those who took a share in the pageant were the members of the Inner Temple and of Gray's Inn, who had been invited to perform a masque before the Court. "These maskers," we are told, "with their whole train in all triumphant manner and good order, took barge at Winchester Stairs about seven of the clock that night, and rowed to Whitehall against the tide. The chief maskers went in the King's barge royally adorned, and plenteously furnished with a great number of great wax-lights, that they alone

72

RECEPTION OF HENRIETTA MARIA.

made a glorious show: other gentlemen went in the Prince's barge, and certain other went in other fair barges, and were led by two admirals. Besides all these, they had four lusty warlike galleys to convoy and attend them; each barge and galley being replenished with store of torch-lights, made so rare and brave a show upon the water as the like was never seen upon the Thames."

On the occasion of the marriage of Charles the First and Henrietta Maria, the Thames at London presented a still more stirring and splendid scene. On the 16th of June, 1625, Charles, who had met his young bride at Dover, embarked with her on board the royal barge at Gravesend, whence, attended by several of the magnificent vessels of the nobility, they proceeded up the river in regal state. From London Bridge to Whitehall the procession resembled a triumph. Thousands of vessels crowded the Thames. Every lighter and barge was filled with spectators. The banks appeared a moving mass of people, who, as the guns roared from the Tower, vied with each other in the clamour of their gratulations. The King and Queen were severally dressed in green. The windows of the barge, notwithstanding the rain fell in torrents, were kept open; Henrietta frequently acknowledging the shouts of the populace by gracefully waving her hand. It was observed that her head already reached the King's shoulder, and that she was young enough to grow taller.*

In the "Strafford Letters" will be found more than one interesting notice of the celebrated Archbishop Laud passing between his episcopal palace at Lambeth and the palace of Whitehall. For instance, in one of his letters to the Earl of Strafford, speaking of the state of his health, he regrets that, in consequence of his elevation to the See of *Ellis's Original Letters.

FLIGHT OF JAMES THE SECOND.

73

Canterbury, he has now simply to glide across the river in his barge when on his way either to the Court or the Starchamber; whereas, when Bishop of London, there were five miles of rough road between the palace of Fulham and Whitehall, the jolting over which in his coach he describes as having been extremely beneficial to his health.

The bed of the Thames was once for a short time the depository of the Great Seal of England. James the Second having obtained possession of it on the night of his flight from Whitehall, he purposely let it fall into the water as he passed down the river. Not long afterwards it was recovered by a fisherman and restored to the government.

THE TOWER.

DESCRIPTION OF THE

FORTRESS.

ITS PRINCIPAL BULWARKS. — TOWER CHAPEL. TRAITORS' GATE. KINGS WHO BUILT, ENLARGED, AND LIVED

IN IT.-DISTINGUISHED PRISONERS WHOSE MISFORTUNES OR CRIMES HAVE THROWN A DEEP INTEREST OVER ITS DUNGEONS.

A

SSOCIATED with almost every great and every tragic

event in the history of our country, there is no building in Europe which to an Englishman is replete with feelings and recollections of such deep and varied interest as the Tower of London. Who is there, indeed, whose philosophy is so rigid, or whose heart is so dead to every sentiment of poetry and romance, as to be able to pass without deep emotion through its dreary courts, every stone of which, could they speak, would chronicle some fearful crime, or some melancholy tale of suffering and distress! Whether, indeed, we recall the time when the Roman sentinel looked down from its ramparts on the quiet waters below;-whether we identify ourselves with the period when it was the proud palace of our Norman sovereigns, diversified with terraced walks and verdant labyrinths; whether we conjure up the shadows of the headless and illustrious dead who have expiated here their patriotism or their crimes; or whether we recall the foul murders which have been perpetrated in its fearful dungeons, this memorable pile cannot fail to awaken a train of thought and reflection to which no pen could do justice. But, before we proceed

CESAR'S TOWER.

75

to touch on the many heart-stirring events with which the Tower is associated, it is necessary to give a brief description of the ancient fortress itself.

The fact of a Roman fortress having existed on the site of the present Tower of London has occasionally been called in question, but we believe without reason; nor would we willingly deprive it of one of its most interesting associations. That the White Tower, or, as it was formerly styled, Cæsar's Tower,* was originally founded by Julius Cæsar, is unquestionably a fiction, the Roman emperor never having advanced so far as London in either of his expeditions. On the other hand, that the Romans had a fortification here, and indeed a Mint, at a later period, there can be little doubt.

That the Keep or White Tower is the most ancient part of the present fortress there can also be no question. It was erected about the year 1078, by William the Conqueror; the architect being the celebrated Gundulph, Bishop of Rochester, who also built Rochester Castle. In the following reign William Rufus surrounded the Tower with a stone wall; his successor, Henry the First, made several other important additions. According to Fitzstephen, who wrote about the year 1180,-" London hath on the east part a Tower Palatine, very large and very strong, whose court and walls rise up from a deep foundation: the mortar is * Shakspeare more than once designates it as Cæsar's Tower. In "Richard the Second," act v., sc. 1, we find,—

"This is the way

To Julius Cæsar's ill-erected Tower."

And, again, in "Richard the Third," act iii., sc. 1,—

"Prince.

Gloster.

Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified. Is it upon record, or else reported Successively from age to age, he built it? Buckingham. Upon record, my gracious lord."

Prince.