CHAPTER I.
ANALYSIS OF MAJESTIC MATTERS.
Irresistible Fate ever carrying him forward, which had now for so manyhours showered its surprises on Gwynplaine, and which had transportedhim to Windsor, transferred him again to London. Visionary realitiessucceeded each other without a moment's intermission. He could notescape from their influence. Freed from one he met another. He hadscarcely time to breathe. Any one who has seen a juggler throwing andcatching balls can judge the nature of fate. Those rising and fallingprojectiles are like men tossed in the hands of Destiny--projectiles andplaythings.
On the evening of the same day, Gwynplaine was an actor in anextraordinary scene. He was seated on a bench covered withfleurs-de-lis; over his silken clothes he wore a robe of scarlet velvet,lined with white silk, with a cape of ermine, and on his shoulders twobands of ermine embroidered with gold. Around him were men of all ages,young and old, seated like him on benches covered with fleurs-de-lis,and dressed like him in ermine and purple. In front of him other menwere kneeling, clothed in black silk gowns. Some of them were writing;opposite, and a short distance from him, he observed steps, a raisedplatform, a dais, a large escutcheon glittering between a lion and aunicorn, and at the top of the steps, on the platform under the dais,resting against the escutcheon, was a gilded chair with a crown overit. This was a throne--the throne of Great Britain.
Gwynplaine, himself a peer of England, was in the House of Lords. HowGwynplaine's introduction to the House of Lords came about, we will nowexplain. Throughout the day, from morning to night, from Windsor toLondon, from Corleone Lodge to Westminster Hall, he had step by stepmounted higher in the social grade. At each step he grew giddier. He hadbeen conveyed from Windsor in a royal carriage with a peer's escort.There is not much difference between a guard of honour and a prisoner's.On that day, travellers on the London and Windsor road saw a gallopingcavalcade of gentlemen pensioners of her Majesty's household escortingtwo carriages drawn at a rapid pace. In the first carriage sat the Usherof the Black Rod, his wand in his hand. In the second was to be seen alarge hat with white plumes, throwing into shadow and hiding the faceunderneath it. Who was it who was thus being hurried on--a prince, aprisoner? It was Gwynplaine.
It looked as if they were conducting some one to the Tower, unless,indeed, they were escorting him to the House of Lords. The queen haddone things well. As it was for her future brother-in-law, she hadprovided an escort from her own household. The officer of the Usher ofthe Black Rod rode on horseback at the head of the cavalcade. The Usherof the Black Rod carried, on a cushion placed on a seat of the carriage,a black portfolio stamped with the royal crown. At Brentford, the lastrelay before London, the carriages and escort halted. A four-horsecarriage of tortoise-shell, with two postilions, a coachman in a wig,and four footmen, was in waiting. The wheels, steps, springs, pole, andall the fittings of this carriage were gilt. The horses' harness was ofsilver. This state coach was of an ancient and extraordinary shape, andwould have been distinguished by its grandeur among the fifty-onecelebrated carriages of which Roubo has left us drawings.
The Usher of the Black Rod and his officer alighted. The latter, havinglifted the cushion, on which rested the royal portfolio, from the seatin the postchaise, carried it on outstretched hands, and stood behindthe Usher. He first opened the door of the empty carriage, then the doorof that occupied by Gwynplaine, and, with downcast eyes, respectfullyinvited him to descend. Gwynplaine left the chaise, and took his seat inthe carriage. The Usher carrying the rod, and the officer supporting thecushion, followed, and took their places on the low front seat providedfor pages in old state coaches. The inside of the carriage was linedwith white satin trimmed with Binche silk, with tufts and tassels ofsilver. The roof was painted with armorial bearings. The postilions ofthe chaises they were leaving were dressed in the royal livery. Theattendants of the carriage they now entered wore a different but verymagnificent livery.
Gwynplaine, in spite of his bewildered state, in which he felt quiteovercome, remarked the gorgeously-attired footmen, and asked the Usherof the Black Rod,--
"Whose livery is that?"
He answered,--
"Yours, my lord."
The House of Lords was to sit that evening. _Curia erat serena_, run theold records. In England parliamentary work is by preference undertakenat night. It once happened that Sheridan began a speech at midnight andfinished it at sunrise.
The two postchaises returned to Windsor. Gwynplaine's carriage set outfor London. This ornamented four-horse carriage proceeded at a walk fromBrentford to London, as befitted the dignity of the coachman.Gwynplaine's servitude to ceremony was beginning in the shape of hissolemn-looking coachman. The delay was, moreover, apparentlyprearranged; and we shall see presently its probable motive.
Night was falling, though it was not quite dark, when the carriagestopped at the King's Gate, a large sunken door between two turretsconnecting Whitehall with Westminster. The escort of gentlemenpensioners formed a circle around the carriage. A footman jumped downfrom behind it and opened the door. The Usher of the Black Rod, followedby the officer carrying the cushion, got out of the carriage, andaddressed Gwynplaine.
"My lord, be pleased to alight. I beg your lordship to keep your haton."
Gwynplaine wore under his travelling cloak the suit of black silk, whichhe had not changed since the previous evening. He had no sword. He lefthis cloak in the carriage. Under the arched way of the King's Gate therewas a small side door raised some few steps above the road. Inceremonial processions the greatest personage never walks first.
The Usher of the Black Rod, followed by his officer, walked first;Gwynplaine followed. They ascended the steps, and entered by the sidedoor. Presently they were in a wide, circular room, with a pillar in thecentre, the lower part of a turret. The room, being on the ground floor,was lighted by narrow windows in the pointed arches, which served but tomake darkness visible. Twilight often lends solemnity to a scene.Obscurity is in itself majestic.
In this room, thirteen men, disposed in ranks, were standing--three inthe front row, six in the second row, and four behind. In the front rowone wore a crimson velvet gown; the other two, gowns of the same colour,but of satin. All three had the arms of England embroidered on theirshoulders. The second rank wore tunics of white silk, each one having adifferent coat of arms emblazoned in front. The last row were clad inblack silk, and were thus distinguished. The first wore a blue cape. Thesecond had a scarlet St. George embroidered in front. The third, twoembroidered crimson crosses, in front and behind. The fourth had acollar of black sable fur. All were uncovered, wore wigs, and carriedswords. Their faces were scarcely visible in the dim light, neithercould they see Gwynplaine's face.
The Usher of the Black Rod, raising his wand, said,--
"My Lord Fermain Clancharlie, Baron Clancharlie and Hunkerville, I, theUsher of the Black Rod, first officer of the presence chamber, hand yourlordship over to Garter King-at-Arms."
The person clothed in velvet, quitting his place in the ranks, bowed tothe ground before Gwynplaine, and said,--
"My Lord Fermain Clancharlie, I am Garter, Principal King-at-Arms ofEngland. I am the officer appointed and installed by his grace the Dukeof Norfolk, hereditary Earl Marshal. I have sworn obedience to the king,peers, and knights of the garter. The day of my installation, when theEarl Marshal of England anointed me by pouring a goblet of wine on myhead, I solemnly promised to be attentive to the nobility; to avoid badcompany; to excuse, rather than accuse, gentlefolks; and to assistwidows and virgins. It is I who have the charge of arranging the funeralceremonies of peers, and the supervision of their armorial bearings. Iplace myself at the orders of your lordship."
The first of those wearing satin tunics, having bowed deeply, said,--
"My lord, I am Clarenceaux, Second King-at-Arms of England. I am theofficer who arranges the obsequies of nobles below the rank of peers. Iam at your lordship's disposal."
The other wearer of the satin tunic bowed and
spoke thus,--
"My lord, I am Norroy, Third King-at-Arms of England. Command me."
The second row, erect and without bowing, advanced a pace. Theright-hand man said,--
"My lord, we are the six Dukes-at-Arms of England. I am York."
Then each of the heralds, or Dukes-at-Arms, speaking in turn, proclaimedhis title.
"I am Lancaster."
"I am Richmond."
"I am Chester."
"I am Somerset."
"I am Windsor."
The coats of arms embroidered on their breasts were those of thecounties and towns from which they took their names.
The third rank, dressed in black, remained silent. Garter King-at-Arms,pointing them out to Gwynplaine, said,--
"My lord, these are the four Pursuivants-at-Arms. Blue Mantle."
The man with the blue cape bowed.
"Rouge Dragon."
He with the St. George inclined his head.
"Rouge Croix."
He with the scarlet crosses saluted.
"Portcullis."
He with the sable fur collar made his obeisance.
On a sign from the King-at-Arms, the first of the pursuivants, BlueMantle, stepped forward and received from the officer of the Usher thecushion of silver cloth and crown-emblazoned portfolio. And theKing-at-Arms said to the Usher of the Black Rod,--
"Proceed; I leave in your hands the introduction of his lordship!"
The observance of these customs, and also of others which will now bedescribed, were the old ceremonies in use prior to the time of HenryVIII., and which Anne for some time attempted to revive. There isnothing like it in existence now. Nevertheless, the House of Lordsthinks that it is unchangeable; and, if Conservatism exists anywhere, itis there.
It changes, nevertheless. _E pur si muove_. For instance, what hasbecome of the may-pole, which the citizens of London erected on the 1stof May, when the peers went down to the House? The last one was erectedin 1713. Since then the may-pole has disappeared. Disuse.
Outwardly, unchangeable; inwardly, mutable. Take, for example, the titleof Albemarle. It sounds eternal. Yet it has been through six differentfamilies--Odo, Mandeville, Bethune, Plantagenet, Beauchamp, Monck. Underthe title of Leicester five different names have been merged--Beaumont,Breose, Dudley, Sydney, Coke. Under Lincoln, six; under Pembroke, seven.The families change, under unchanging titles. A superficial historianbelieves in immutability. In reality it does not exist. Man can never bemore than a wave; humanity is the ocean.
Aristocracy is proud of what women consider a reproach--age! Yet bothcherish the same illusion, that they do not change. It is probable theHouse of Lords will not recognize itself in the foregoing description,nor yet in that which follows, thus resembling the once pretty woman,who objects to having any wrinkles. The mirror is ever a scapegoat, yetits truths cannot be contested. To portray exactly, constitutes the dutyof a historian. The King-at-Arms, turning to Gwynplaine, said,--
"Be pleased to follow me, my lord." And added, "You will be saluted.Your lordship, in returning the salute, will be pleased merely to raisethe brim of your hat."
They moved off, in procession, towards a door at the far side of theroom. The Usher of the Black Rod walked in front; then Blue Mantle,carrying the cushion; then the King-at-Arms; and after him cameGwynplaine, wearing his hat. The rest, kings-at-arms, heralds, andpursuivants, remained in the circular room. Gwynplaine, preceded by theUsher of the Black Rod, and escorted by the King-at-Arms, passed fromroom to room, in a direction which it would now be impossible to trace,the old Houses of Parliament having been pulled down. Amongst others, hecrossed that Gothic state chamber in which took place the last meetingof James II. and Monmouth, and whose walls witnessed the uselessdebasement of the cowardly nephew at the feet of his vindictive uncle.On the walls of this chamber hung, in chronological order, ninefell-length portraits of former peers, with their dates--LordNansladron, 1305; Lord Baliol, 1306; Lord Benestede, 1314; LordCantilupe, 1356; Lord Montbegon, 1357; Lord Tibotot, 1373; Lord Zouch ofCodnor, 1615; Lord Bella-Aqua, with no date; Lord Harren and Surrey,Count of Blois, also without date.
It being now dark, lamps were burning at intervals in the galleries.Brass chandeliers, with wax candles, illuminated the rooms, lightingthem like the side aisles of a church. None but officials were present.In one room, which the procession crossed, stood, with headsrespectfully lowered, the four clerks of the signet, and the Clerk ofthe Council. In another room stood the distinguished Knight Banneret,Philip Sydenham of Brympton in Somersetshire. The Knight Banneret is atitle conferred in time of war, under the unfurled royal standard. Inanother room was the senior baronet of England, Sir Edmund Bacon ofSuffolk, heir of Sir Nicholas Bacon, styled, _Primus baronetorumAnglicae_. Behind Sir Edmund was an armour-bearer with an arquebus, andan esquire carrying the arms of Ulster, the baronets being thehereditary defenders of the province of Ulster in Ireland. In anotherroom was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with his four accountants, andthe two deputies of the Lord Chamberlain, _appointed to cleave thetallies_.[21]
At the entrance of a corridor covered with matting, which was thecommunication between the Lower and the Upper House, Gwynplaine wassaluted by Sir Thomas Mansell of Margam, Comptroller of the Queen'sHousehold and Member for Glamorgan; and at the exit from the corridor bya deputation of one for every two of the Barons of the Cinque Ports,four on the right and four on the left, the Cinque Ports being eight innumber. William Hastings did obeisance for Hastings; Matthew Aylmor, forDover; Josias Burchett, for Sandwich; Sir Philip Boteler, for Hythe;John Brewer, for New Rumney; Edward Southwell, for the town of Rye;James Hayes, for Winchelsea; George Nailor, for Seaford. As Gwynplainewas about to return the salute, the King-at-Arms reminded him in a lowvoice of the etiquette, "Only the brim of your hat, my lord." Gwynplainedid as directed. He now entered the so-called Painted Chamber, in whichthere was no painting, except a few of saints, and amongst them St.Edward, in the high arches of the long and deep-pointed windows, whichwere divided by what formed the ceiling of Westminster Hall and thefloor of the Painted Chamber. On the far side of the wooden barrierwhich divided the room from end to end, stood the three Secretaries ofState, men of mark. The functions of the first of these officialscomprised the supervision of all affairs relating to the south ofEngland, Ireland, the Colonies, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain,Portugal, and Turkey. The second had charge of the north of England, andwatched affairs in the Low Countries, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland,and Russia. The third, a Scot, had charge of Scotland. The twofirst-mentioned were English, one of them being the Honourable RobertHarley, Member for the borough of New Radnor. A Scotch member, MungoGraham, Esquire, a relation of the Duke of Montrose, was present. Allbowed, without speaking, to Gwynplaine, who returned the salute bytouching his hat. The barrier-keeper lifted the wooden arm which,pivoting on a hinge, formed the entrance to the far side of the PaintedChamber, where stood the long table, covered with green cloth, reservedfor peers. A branch of lighted candles stood on the table. Gwynplaine,preceded by the Usher of the Black Rod, Garter King-at-Arms, and BlueMantle, penetrated into this privileged compartment. The barrier-keeperclosed the opening immediately Gwynplaine had passed. The King-at-Arms,having entered the precincts of the privileged compartment, halted. ThePainted Chamber was a spacious apartment. At the farther end, upright,beneath the royal escutcheon which was placed between the two windows,stood two old men, in red velvet robes, with two rows of ermine trimmedwith gold lace on their shoulders, and wearing wigs, and hats withwhite plumes. Through the openings of their robes might be detected silkgarments and sword hilts. Motionless behind them stood a man dressed inblack silk, holding on high a great mace of gold surmounted by a crownedlion. It was the Mace-bearer of the Peers of England. The lion is theircrest. _Et les Lions ce sont les Barons et li Per_, runs the manuscriptchronicle of Bertrand Duguesclin.
The King-at-Arms pointed out the two persons in velvet, and whispered toGwynplaine,--
"My lord, these are your
equals. Be pleased to return their saluteexactly as they make it. These two peers are barons, and have been namedby the Lord Chancellor as your sponsors. They are very old, and almostblind. They will, themselves, introduce you to the House of Lords. Thefirst is Charles Mildmay, Lord Fitzwalter, sixth on the roll of barons;the second is Augustus Arundel, Lord Arundel of Trerice, thirty-eighthon the roll of barons." The King-at-Arms having advanced a step towardsthe two old men, proclaimed "Fermain Clancharlie, Baron Clancharlie,Baron Hunkerville, Marquis of Corleone in Sicily, greets yourlordships!" The two peers raised their hats to the full extent of thearm, and then replaced them. Gwynplaine did the same. The Usher of theBlack Rod stepped forward, followed by Blue Mantle and Garter Kingat-Arms. The Mace-bearer took up his post in front of Gwynplaine, thetwo peers at his side, Lord Fitzwalter on the right, and Lord Arundel ofTrerice on the left. Lord Arundel, the elder of the two, was veryfeeble. He died the following year, bequeathing to his grandson John, aminor, the title which became extinct in 1768. The procession, leavingthe Painted Chamber, entered a gallery in which were rows of pilasters,and between the spaces were sentinels, alternately pike-men of Englandand halberdiers of Scotland. The Scotch halberdiers were magnificentkilted soldiers, worthy to encounter later on at Fontenoy the Frenchcavalry, and the royal cuirassiers, whom their colonel thus addressed:"_Messieurs les maitres, assurez vos chapeaux. Nous allons avoirl'honneur de charger._" The captain of these soldiers salutedGwynplaine, and the peers, his sponsors, with their swords. The mensaluted with their pikes and halberds.
At the end of the gallery shone a large door, so magnificent that itstwo folds seemed to be masses of gold. On each side of the door therestood, upright and motionless, men who were called doorkeepers. Justbefore you came to this door, the gallery widened out into a circularspace. In this space was an armchair with an immense back, and on it,judging by his wig and from the amplitude of his robes, was adistinguished person. It was William Cowper, Lord Chancellor of England.To be able to cap a royal infirmity with a similar one has itsadvantages. William Cowper was short-sighted. Anne had also defectivesight, but in a lesser degree. The near-sightedness of William Cowperfound favour in the eyes of the short-sighted queen, and induced her toappoint him Lord Chancellor, and Keeper of the Royal Conscience. WilliamCowper's upper lip was thin, and his lower one thick--a sign ofsemi-good-nature.
This circular space was lighted by a lamp hung from the ceiling. TheLord Chancellor was sitting gravely in his large armchair; at his rightwas the Clerk of the Crown, and at his left the Clerk of theParliaments.
Each of the clerks had before him an open register and an inkhorn.
Behind the Lord Chancellor was his mace-bearer, holding the mace withthe crown on the top, besides the train-bearer and purse-bearer, inlarge wigs.
All these officers are still in existence. On a little stand, near thewoolsack, was a sword, with a gold hilt and sheath, and belt of crimsonvelvet.
Behind the Clerk of the Crown was an officer holding in his hands thecoronation robe.
Behind the Clerk of the Parliaments another officer held a second robe,which was that of a peer.
The robes, both of scarlet velvet, lined with white silk, and havingbands of ermine trimmed with gold lace over the shoulders, were similar,except that the ermine band was wider on the coronation robe.
The third officer, who was the librarian, carried on a square ofFlanders leather the red book, a little volume, bound in red morocco,containing a list of the peers and commons, besides a few blank leavesand a pencil, which it was the custom to present to each new member onhis entering the House.
Gwynplaine, between the two peers, his sponsors, brought up theprocession, which stopped before the woolsack.
The two peers, who introduced him, uncovered their heads, and Gwynplainedid likewise.
The King-at-Arms received from the hands of Blue Mantle the cushion ofsilver cloth, knelt down, and presented the black portfolio on thecushion to the Lord Chancellor.
The Lord Chancellor took the black portfolio, and handed it to the Clerkof the Parliament.
The Clerk received it ceremoniously, and then sat down.
The Clerk of the Parliament opened the portfolio, and arose.
The portfolio contained the two usual messages--the royal patentaddressed to the House of Lords, and the writ of summons.
The Clerk read aloud these two messages, with respectful deliberation,standing.
The writ of summons, addressed to Fermain Lord Clancharlie, concludedwith the accustomed formalities,--
"We strictly enjoin you, on the faith and allegiance that you owe, tocome and take your place in person among the prelates and peers sittingin our Parliament at Westminster, for the purpose of giving your advice,in all honour and conscience, on the business of the kingdom and of thechurch."
The reading of the messages being concluded, the Lord Chancellor raisedhis voice,--
"The message of the Crown has been read. Lord Clancharlie, does yourlordship renounce transubstantiation, adoration of saints, and themass?"
Gwynplaine bowed.
"The test has been administered," said the Lord Chancellor.
And the Clerk of the Parliament resumed,--
"His lordship has taken the test."
The Lord Chancellor added,--
"My Lord Clancharlie, you can take your seat."
"So be it," said the two sponsors.
The King-at-Arms rose, took the sword from the stand, and buckled itround Gwynplaine's waist.
"Ce faict," says the old Norman charter, "le pair prend son espee, etmonte aux hauts sieges, et assiste a l'audience."
Gwynplaine heard a voice behind him which said,--
"I array your lordship in a peer's robe."
At the same time, the officer who spoke to him, who was holding therobe, placed it on him, and tied the black strings of the ermine caperound his neck.
Gwynplaine, the scarlet robe on his shoulders, and the golden sword byhis side, was attired like the peers on his right and left.
The librarian presented to him the red book, and put it in the pocket ofhis waistcoat.
The King-at-Arms murmured in his ear,--
"My lord, on entering, will bow to the royal chair."
The royal chair is the throne.
Meanwhile the two clerks were writing, each at his table--one on theregister of the Crown, the other on the register of the House.
Then both--the Clerk of the Crown preceding the other--brought theirbooks to the Lord Chancellor, who signed them. Having signed the tworegisters, the Lord Chancellor rose.
"Fermain Lord Clancharlie, Baron Clancharlie, Baron Hunkerville, Marquisof Corleone in Sicily, be you welcome among your peers, the lordsspiritual and temporal of Great Britain."
Gwynplaine's sponsors touched his shoulder.
He turned round.
The folds of the great gilded door at the end of the gallery opened.
It was the door of the House of Lords.
Thirty-six hours only had elapsed since Gwynplaine, surrounded by adifferent procession, had entered the iron door of Southwark Jail.
What shadowy chimeras had passed, with terrible rapidity through hisbrain--chimeras which were hard facts; rapidity, which was a capture byassault!