And now the floods of the great waters came nigh the struggling Church.

The storm fell upon her, as it never fell in this island before or since. The enemy had gathered his forces for one grand effort to crush the life out of her.

But the life was immortal. The waves beat powerlessly against the frail barque; for it held One who, though He seemed verily "asleep on a pillow," was only waiting the moment to arise and say, "Peace, be still!"

The Lord sat above the water-floods; yea, the Lord sitteth a King for ever.

Yet the "rough wind was stayed in the day of the east wind." When forty years are to be spent in the wilderness, then the shoes wax not old, nor does the strength, fail. But when the furnace is heated seven times hotter than its wont, then the pain is not for long, and the furnace holds a more visible Fourth, like to the Son of G.o.d. Only dying men see angels. The sweet soft light of the Master's shining raiment, which we may pa.s.s by in the glaring sunshine, is not so easily left unperceived when it is the sole light of the martyr's dungeon.

And G.o.d was with His Church, during those five sharp, short years of agony wherein so many of her members went to G.o.d.

And all opened with a flourish of silver trumpets. There were flashings of jewels, set where jewels should flash no more; white bridal robes, soon to be drenched in blood; ghostly crowns, glimmering for an instant over heads that should be laid upon the block ere one poor year were over. "Man proposed, and G.o.d disposed." The incorruptible crown was the fairer and brighter.

The last brilliant day which England was to know before that tempest broke, dawned on the morning of the 21st of May, 1553. Early on that day all London was astir. Three n.o.ble marriages were to be celebrated at Durham House, in the King's presence; and to Durham House London was crowding, to see the sight. Among the crowd were John Avery, Dr Thorpe, and Robin. Isoult had declined to run the risk of having the clothes torn off her back, or herself squeezed into a mummy; and it was agreed on all sides that there would be danger in taking the children: but nothing could keep Dr Thorpe at home--not even a sharp attack of rheumatism, from which he had been suffering more or less all the spring. Mr Underhill of course would be there, in his place as Gentleman Pensioner; and after a good deal of pressing from more than one of his friends, a dubious consent to go, _if_ he could find time, had been wrung from Mr Rose.

The bridegrooms and brides were apportioned in the following order.

The Lady Jane Grey to Lord Guilford Dudley.

The Lady Katherine Grey to Lord Herbert of Pembroke.

The Lady Katherine Dudley to Lord Hastings. [Note 1.]

It was six o'clock before any of the birds flew home; and the first to come was John Avery, who said he had left Robin in charge of Dr Thorpe,--"or Dr Thorpe in charge of Robin, as it may please thee to take it. I know not when they will be back. In all my life did I never see a man so unweary and unwearyable as that our old friend."

"And what hast thou seen, Jack?" said Isoult.

"Three very fine ladies and three very fine gentlemen," answered he; "with a great many more ladies and gentlemen, not quite so fine."

"What ware they?" asked Kate.

"Was the King there?" Isoult inquired.

"What ware they, Moppet?" said John, taking up Kate; "why, many a yard of cloth of gold, and satin, and velvet, and I cannot tell thee what else. They were as fine as ever the tailor could make them.--Ay, dear heart, the King was there."

But his voice changed, so that Isoult could read in it a whole volume of bad news.

"Is he sick, then, as we heard?" she asked.

"Hardly," he answered in a low voice, "say rather dying."

"O Jack!" cried she.

"O Isoult, if thou hadst seen him!" said he, his voice quivering. "The fierce, unnatural radiance in those soft, meek grey eyes, as though there were a fire consuming him within; the sickly dead-white colour of his face, with burning red spots on the cheeks; the languor and disease of his manner, ever leaning his head upon his hand, as though he could scarce bear it up; and when he smiled--I might scantly endure to look on him. And above all this, the hollow cough that ever brake the silence, and seemed well-nigh to tear his delicate frame in twain--it was enough to make a strong man weep."

"But tell me all about it!" cried Kate, laying her little hand upon her father's face to make him turn round to her; "I want to know all about it. How old are these great ladies? and what are they like to? and what ware they? Was it blue, or red, or green?"

John turned to her with a smile, and his manner changed again.

"What a little queen art thou!" said he. "Well, I must needs strive to content thy majesty. How old are the ladies that were married? Well, the Lady Jane is the eldest, and she is, I take it, sixteen or seventeen years of age. She looketh something elder than her years, yet rather in her grave, quiet manner than in her face. Then her sister the Lady Katherine is nigh fourteen. And the years of my Lady Katherine Dudley I know not. _Item_, what are they like unto? That was the next question, methinks."

"Ay," replied Kate. "Which is the nicest?"

"Which thou shouldst think the nicest I cannot tell," said John. "But in so far as mine opinion lieth, the Lady Jane's face liked me the best.

Maybe my Lady Kate Dudley should have stricken thy fancy the rather, for she ware a mighty brave blue satin gown, and her face was all smiles and mirth."

"And what ware the other?"

"The Lady Jane and her sister were both donned in white velvet."

"And what colour were their hoods?"

"My Lady Katherine Dudley's amber-colour, set with sapphires; the other ruby velvet, and their jewels rubies."

"And who married them, Jack?" asked Isoult.

"Bishop Ridley."

"Body o' me! who ever looked at Bishop Ridley, I would like to know!"

cried Dr Thorpe, coming halting in as though he had hurt himself.

"Isoult, if thou canst ever get my left shoe off, I will give thee a gold angelet [half-angel; in other words, a gold crown]. Yonder dolt of a shoemaker hath pinched me like a pasty. But O the brave doings! 'Tis enough to make a man set off to church and be married himself!"

And the old man sat down in a great chair.

"I will strive to earn it, Doctor," said Isoult, laughing, as she sat down on the hearth before him, and took his lame foot in her lap. "Art thou weary, Robin?"

"Not much," said Robin, smiling. "The shoemaker did not pinch me."

"Beshrew him for an owl that he did not!" answered Dr Thorpe, testily.

"Thou hadst stood it the better. Eh, child, if thou hadst seen the-- mind thy ways, Isoult!--the brave gear, and the jewels, and the gold chains, and the estate [Note 2], and the plumes a-nodding right down-- Oh!"

His shoe hurt him in coming off, and he sat rubbing his foot.

"Was Mr Rose there?" said Isoult, when they had finished laughing.

"No," said Robin.

"And Mr Underhill?"

"Ay, that was he, in the bravest and marvellousest velvet gown ever thou sawest in all thy days, and a doublet and slop [very wide breeches introduced from Holland] of satin, and a gold chain thick enough to tie up a dog with. And there, sweet heart, was my most gracious Lord of Northumberland--in a claret velvet gown sewed with gold braid--and for as many inches as could be found of the plain velvet in that gown, I will give any man so many n.o.bles. There was not one! And the bonnet in 's hand!--with a great ruby for a b.u.t.ton!--and all set with seed-pearl!--and the jewels in the hilt of's sword!--and great rubies in face of his shoes! The dolt and patch that he is!"

"I do believe Dr Thorpe had beheaded my Lord of Northumberland," said John, laughing, "if that sword had been in his belt in lieu of the other."

"I never saw him afore," replied he, "and I never do desire to see him again. He looketh the rogue [then a stronger word than now] that he is."

"And now, as a physician, what think you of the King?" asked John, sadly.

"I will give him three months to die in," was Dr Thorpe's short and woeful answer.