Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/70

50 coming. A thousand fell to the ground for fear, for that they on the one side thought no other but that the one was killing the other; a hundred fell into the Tower ditch, and some ran away for fear.'

In the midst of the confusion, Sir Anthony Browne was seen forcing his horse through the throng towards the scaffold, and above the clamour rose a shout of 'Pardon, pardon; a pardon from the King.'

Had Somerset been deceived, it would have been a cruel aggravation of his suffering; but he knew Northumberland too well.

He had stood in the front of the scaffold with his cap in his hand, waiting till the noise should cease. At the cry of a pardon he exclaimed: 'There is no such thing, good people; there is no such thing.' His voice quieted them, and he went on with his address:—

'It is the ordinance of God thus to die, wherewith we must be content; [I beseech you do not grieve for my fortunes; keep yourselves quiet and still, and make no disturbance, or attempt to save me, for I do not desire a longer life;] and let us now pray together for the King's Majesty, to whose Grace I have always been a faithful, true, and most loving subject, desirous always of his most prosperous success in all his affairs, and ever glad of the furtherance and helping forward of the commonwealth of his realm.'

At the concluding words voices answered, 'Yes, yes, yes.' Some one cried above the rest, 'This is found now too true.'

The Duke then drew off his rings, and gave them to