Emily Sarah Holt

“ And Thekla said,—“I think the crown of the Queen Doña Juana must have been a very bright one. It is so hard to watch and wait.”
“My poor Thekla!” murmured Isoult, “thou hast had much thereof.”
“I!” she answered, with a smile. “I have done nothing. I have not been forsaken and ill dealt withal, as she was, of my best beloved, throughout many years. Compare me not with her! If I may sit down some whither in Heaven where I can but see her on the heights, that would be too good for me.”
“But art thou willing to see Christ only on the heights, Thekla?” said John. ”

“ My Lord of Somerset pleaded his own cause like a gentleman and a Christian, as he is: verily, I never heard man speak better.”
“Well!” said Isoult, “then wherefore, thinkest, fared he ill?”
“Ah, dear heart!” replied he, “afore a jury of wolves, a lamb should be convicted of the death of a lion.”
“Who tried him?” asked Dr Thorpe.
“My Lord of Northumberland himself hath been on the Bench,” said John, “and it is of the act of compassing and procuring his death that my Lord of Somerset is held guilty.”
“Knave! scoundrel! murderer!” cried Dr Thorpe, in no softened tone. ”

“ What meanest?”
“I am ready enough to sing the Te Deum, Ned,” pursued John, “but not for so terrible a thing as the casting of that poor sinner, with the blood of God’s saints red upon his soul, into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.”
“How can you stay to think of it?” cried Mr Underhill in his ringing voice. “Is that blood even now not crying unto God? Are Rogers and Bradford, are Ridley and Latimer, yet avenged? Shall not the saints wash their feet in the blood of the ungodly? Yea, let them fall, and never rise up again! Shall we be thus slack to praise God for freedom?” ”

“ Isoult glanced at Lady Lisle for permission to reply.
“Speak thy will, child!” she said in a steeled voice. “We can scarce be more sorrowful than we are, I count. Yet I do marvel what we have sinned more than others, that God punisheth us so much the sorer.”
A grieved look came into Isoult’s eyes, but she only answered the question of the little child.
“Ay, dear Honor,” she replied; “methinks the Lord Jesus shall send His angels for thee afore long.”
“Send His angels?” she repeated feebly.
“Ay, dear heart. Wouldst thou not love to see them?” ”

“ Nay, ‘when we pass through the waters He will be with us.’”
“They are dark waters for some of us,” whispered Thekla under her voice.
“But not fathomless, dear Thekla,” replied Robin. “There are footsteps before us, though we may not see them; and at the dreariest, there is God above us.”
“I hope so,” responded Dr Thorpe. “I am afeard, Robin, thou shalt say I am an unbeliever and a fool; but it doth look mainly as if He had fallen asleep, and the Devil had stole the reins of the world out of His hands.”
“Not an unbeliever,” said Robin, in his gentle manner; “only a believer in the dark. ”

“ Ay, Lord, we thank Thee for Thy saints, and for Thy care and guidance of them. For the longer I do live, the surer am I that Thy way Home is not only the right way, but for each of Thine, the only way. I take it, we shall not think of the thorns that tare us, nor shall we be ready for tears over the sharp stones that wounded us, in that day when I and my dear-loved Lord may sing to Thee together—‘Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord God of truth!’”
Mrs Underhill walked into the Lamb, one warm afternoon in the beginning of August, and remained to four-hours. ”

“ Before they had gone many yards, they overtook a crowd of people, all running riverwards; and Isoult, looking towards the water, fancied that she could see the standard of the royal barge.
“Whither away?” asked John of some of the crowd.
But no answer was vouchsafed, except a cry of “The Tower!” till suddenly Mr Underhill hove in sight, and was questioned at once.
“What, know you not what all London knoweth?” said he; “that the Lady Elizabeth’s Grace is this morrow a prisoner of the Tower? ’Tis very true, I warrant you: would it were less! This moment is the Queen’s barge at hand with her. ”

“ There be nigh every week burnings some whither.”
“O Isoult, Isoult!” cried she, vehemently. “There may be any thing of horrible and evil; but that all were not so much as worthy to be cast into the scale against the Inquisition!”
“Well,” said she, “I have not dwelt there as thou hast; but I have dwelt here these last three years, the which thou hast not. But who, prithee, is thy servant (suitor) ? He is not in the King’s house, trow?”
“No, nor like to be,” said Annis. “It is Don Juan de Alameda, brother’s son to Doña Isabel, of whom I writ to thee.” ”

“ We must never allow His banner to fall unto the dust, nor tremble to give our worthless lives for Him that bought us with His own. If we can keep our eyes steady on the glory that shall follow, the black river will be easier to cross, the chariot of fire less hard to mount. And remember, He can carry us over in His arms, that the cold waters touch not so much as our feet.”
When Mr Rose was gone, John said, his voice a little broken,—“Will he be a martyr?”
“God avert it!” cried Isoult.
“Child!” said Dr Thorpe, solemnly, “’tis of such stuff as his that martyrs be made.” ”

“ And what saidst thou, Esther?”
“I said little, only essayed to draw her away and to comfort her. It is hard work to bear such things, I know. But I think we be too apt to seek to be our King’s kings—to bring down the Holy One that inhabiteth eternity to the measure of our poor knowledge. ’Tis not alway when we think Israel at the lowest that Othniel is raised up to judge us. He will come at the right time, and in time to save us; but very often that is not the time we would choose.”
Poor Mrs Rose! Isoult could scarcely wonder at her words of indignation. ”

“ Such a cry broke from Isoult, that some turned to look at her, and Mrs Holland came up and asked if she was ill, or what was the matter.
“Are you assured thereof?” asked John.
“With little question,” answered he, “seeing Augustine Bernher came unto me with the news, and is lodged with me: who was himself present at the sentencing and all the whole disputation.”
“If Austin brought it, it is true,” said John, sorrowfully.
“But they will never burn Mr Latimer,” cried Isoult in anguish. “An aged man such as he is, that must die in a few years at the furthest!” ”

“ Barbara came in with the supper-board, and stared when Robin said, “Good even, Barbara.”
“Sir!” queried she, looking at him in amazement. “Nay, sure! ’tis never Master Robin come back? Well, I be cruel glad!”
“And now, Robin,” said John, “we want thine history, writ fair in a great book.”
“Then, Father,” he answered, and smiled, “you must tarry the writing. But I count I take you. Mine history is not very long, for there was but little change in it.”
“But, Robin,” said Isoult, “where hast thou been, dear lad? ”

“ It was a minute before Isoult Avery could speak; and when she did so, her voice trembled a little. She lifted up her heart to God for wisdom, and then said—
“Dear my Lady, we be all traitors unto God, and are all under the condemnation of His holy law. Shall the traitor arraign the Judge? And unto the repenting traitor, God’s hand falleth not in punishment, but only in loving discipline and fatherly training. You slack not, I count, to give Honor her physic, though she cry that it is bitter and loathsome; nor will God set aside His physic for your Ladyship’s crying. ”

“ But before he set out there came a rapping on the door, and when Ursula opened it, there stood Mr Rose.
“Welcome!” said John to him. “Come in and give us your news.”
“There shall be better welcome for me than them,” he said, in his sad grave manner. “Know you that even this day doth my Lord of Somerset suffer?”
“Is there no help for it?” said Dr Thorpe, sternly.
Mr Rose answered sadly,—“There is alway help from God; but His help is not alway to be seen of men. From men, in this matter, there is none help whatever, remembering that he who should give it is my Lord of Northumberland. ”

“ If I be a Catholic, yet am I a woman, not a stone. I told him you dwelt on the thither side of Lambeth. You have nought to fear from me. If all the Gospellers in the world were wrapped up in thy single person, Isoult, none should ever lay hand on an hair of thine head by means of Philippa Basset. Yea, though mine own life were the forfeit,—’tis not worth much to any now.”
“I thank thee dearly for thy love, sweet Philippa,” said Isoult, “but I hardly know how to thank thee for lying.
“’Twere a venial sin, I am assured,” said she, lightly. “Why, dear heart! ”

“ But in the evening she told John, and asked his advice. Much to her astonishment, he, usually gentle, pulled to the casement with a bang.
“Is that thine answer, Jack?” said Isoult, laughing.
“Somewhat like it,” answered he drily. “’Tis no marvel that ill men should lose the good way, when the true ones love so much to walk in byepaths.”
“Thou riddlest, Jack,” said Isoult.
“Tell me, dear heart,” he answered, “doth God or Satan rule the world?”
“God ruleth the world, without doubt,” said she, “but if Satan spake sooth unto our Lord, he hath the power of the glory of it.” ”

“ And that night Isoult Avery wrote in her diary—“Verily, I do know that the mercies of God are infinite; and I bless Him heartily therefor. But had I been to say any that I knew which was little like to come unto them, I had named this man. God be lauded if He hath shown him what is sin, and what is Christ, in his last hours, and hath so received him up to that His infinite mercy. I marvel what sort shall be the meeting betwixt my Lord, and George Bucker, and the Duke of Somerset, and him.” ”

“ In the still darkness came an earthquake—that most terrible of phenomena held in God’s hand, whereby He saith to poor, puny, arrogant man, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Isoult awoke to hear sounds on all sides of her—the bed creaking, and below the dishes and pans dancing with a noisy clatter. In the next chamber she heard Walter crying, and Kate asking if the end of all the world were come; but John would not permit her to rise and go to them. And she also heard Esther talking with them and comforting them in a low voice, so she was comparatively satisfied. ”

“ What should have come unto us then, Mother?”
“Why, then,” replied Isoult, “we should have seen the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the clouds, with all the angels.”
“Well,” answered Kate, thoughtfully, “I would not have been afeard of Him, for He took up the little babes in His arms, and would not have them sent away. If it had been some of them that desired for to have them away, I might have been afeard.”
“Ay,” said Dr Thorpe, looking up from his book, “the servants are worse to deal withal than the Master. We be a sight harder upon one the other than He is with any of us.” ”

“ At last Isoult rose, lighted a candle, and went gently up-stairs. She paused a moment at Mrs Rose’s door. Should she go in, or not? All she could hear was Thekla reading or repeating a verse of Scripture.
“‘In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.’”
Thekla opened the door while Isoult still stood there.
“Shall I come in, Thekla?”
“I think not, Mrs Avery, but I thank you,” she answered. “She hath not awoke to the full sorrow yet; it is rather a shock, a stun, than an agony. And who is dead to pain is alike dead to comfort. ”

“ He is a man of most keen feeling and delicate judgment.”
“My Lord of Sussex?”
“Gramercy, no! Nature never cut him out for a general.”
“Mr Latimer, quondam of Worcester?”
“As fiery as Ned Underhill,” answered Mr Rose, smiling; “indeed, somewhat too lacking in caution; but an old man, with too little strength or endurance of body—enough of soul.”
“Nay, then, I see but one more,” continued Avery, “and if you say nay to him also, I have done. What think you of my Lord’s Grace of Suffolk?”
“‘Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel,’” he answered. “A man weak as any child, and as easily led astray. ”

“ O Robin, Robin! an other year!”
The Gospellers never entered on any year with heavier hearts than on the year 1558. The year of all the century! the year that was to close so gloriously—to go out with trumpets, and bells, and bonfires, and Te Deums, and all England in a wild ferment of delight and thanksgiving! And how often do we enter on a year of mourning with our hearts singing anthems?
It is well that it should be so. We have abundant cause to thank God that He has hidden the future from us. ”

“ Isoult did not forget her before God that night. It was easy for the mass of the Gospellers to think of Mr Holland as he now was, at Home, in the safe rest of the Father’s house, and to praise God for him. But his Bessy was not likely to do so as yet. When the night is very dark, we cannot always lift our heads to see how fair the light shines on the further side of the Jordan; and to us who are in the thickness of the darkness, it is at times no lighter for that knowledge. ”

“ The world is darker now thou art thence; but thou shalt never see evil any more. The storms shall not rave above thine head, nor the winds beat around thee and chill thee. God hath removed thee, His beautiful lily, from this rude and barren moor, to that great garden of His Paradise, where thou shall bloom for ever. ‘There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth—but they that are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.’”
So Isoult Avery wrote: but she did not hear until afterwards that Lady Frances had not passed through the Marian persecution without suffering. ”