Page:The Queens of England.djvu/434

 390 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. a prisoner in the Tower, Sir James Croft, who was confronted with her, when the princess, with grave dignity, said, "My lords, methinks yon do me wrong to examine every mean pris- oner against me ; if they have done evil let them answer for it ; I pray yon join me not with such offenders." Although no proof could be found against her, Elizabeth was still retained in prison until her health became much impaired, when permission was granted her to walk in the garden, and a strict prohibition given that while she remained in it no other prisoner was to be allowed to enter, or even to look into it. While in prison a boy of four years old, drawn towards her by that instinct which teaches children to distinguish those who are partial to them, was wont to bring Elizabeth flowers, and this innocent action furnished a suspicion that the artless child was the medium of a correspondence between her and the Lord Courtenay. The boy was menaced, and his father commanded not to suffer him to approach the princess again, but the child nevertheless stole once more to the door of her prison, which finding closed, he peeped through a chink, and cried unto her, "Mistress, I can bring you no more flowers." About this time it is stated that a warrant was issued for the execution of Elizabeth. Bridges, then lieutenant of the Tower, suspecting that the warrant was not sanctioned by the queen, courageously hastened to her to inquire the truth. Mary evinced no less surprise than displeasure on this occasion, and instantly countermanded the warrant. Had -Bridges possessed less courage, the life of Elizabeth would have been sacrificed. Gardiner was the person accused of this intended crime ; but if he were guilty of it, how came it that his royal mistress did not punish him? Elizabeth's fears for her life did not soon subside, for when Sir Henry Bedingfield, with a hundred soldiers, entered her prison a few days after, she demanded, "Whether the scaffold whereon Lady Jane Grey had suffered was still standing ; or whether Sir Henry made any conscience of murder, if hers was committed unto his charge?" Her terror had not ceased when, on the 19th day of the fol- lowing May, she was removed from the Tower on her route to Woodstock, under the charge of Sir Henry Bedingfield and the Lord of Tame. When she reached Richmond all her own servants were commanded to remove from her presence, and her guards were ordered to supply their places, which so alarmed her, that, believing it was only a preparatory step