[1] The Venetian envoy Scaramelli, writing to the Doge from London on the 15th May 1603, says, “Et fra tanto non entrera sua Maestà in Londra, ma solamente prenderá il possesso della Torre ad uso antico, come del Trono et fondomento regale, essendovi in essa il Tresoro, et le Armi, ciò è tutte le forze del regno,” which translated is, “Meantime his Majesty will not enter London, but will only take possession of the Tower, according to ancient custom, as the Throne and the foundation of the royal power, for in the Tower are the treasury and the armoury—that is, all the strength of the realm.” Two years later (on December 8th, 1605) Nicolo Molini, the Venetian Ambassador in England, writes to Venice about the Tower, “It is a most remarkable fact in this country, that if a nobleman is put in the Tower, he either loses his life or ends his days there.” I am indebted to my friend, Mr Horatio F. Brown, for these two interesting notices which he found in the Venetian State Paper Records.

[2] Among the contemporary dramatists of Shakespeare, reference to the Tower is made by Peele, Decker, Webster, and Heywood. Peele, in his play of “Edward I.,” where Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, mentions how his father broke his neck in attempting to escape from what he calls “Julius Cæsar’s Tower.” Decker and Webster refer to the fortress in their “Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt,” and to Guildford Dudley and Jane Grey; Heywood, in his tragedy of “Edward IV.,” recounts the murders of Clarence and the sons of Edward, and refers to Queen Elizabeth’s imprisonment in the Tower in his “History of Queen Elizabeth.” There are also allusions to the Tower and to Cromwell, Earl of Essex, and to Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, in the “Doubtful Plays.” The above information I have obtained from that rare scholar and critic, Dr Furnival. Probably scattered about the country are many other inscriptions recording the connection with the Tower of the dead, commemorated as was Sir Edward Walsingham on his tomb by his son Sir Thomas, in the church of St Nicholas at Chislehurst in Kent:

[3] In a series of fac-simile letters of illustrious personages published by John Thorne in 1793, is the following from Strafford to his wife. It is dated from the Tower the 4th February 1640—but this date is evidently a mistake, and 1641 must be the year:—

“Sweet Harte,” he writes, “it is long since I writt unto you, for I am here in such trouble as gives me little or noe respett. The Charges now cum in, and I am now able, prayse God, to tell you, that I conceave there is nothing Capitall, and for the rest I knowe at the worste his Ma.ty will pardon all without hurting my fortune, and then we shall be happy by God’s grace. Therefore, comfortt your self, for I trust these cloudes will pass away, and that we shall have faire weather afterwardes. Farewell.—Your loving husband,

Strafford.”

[4] Sir Isaac Pennington was a fishmonger, and elected Alderman of the Ward of Bridge Without, January 29th, 1638; and became Lord Mayor, 1641–42. He was one of the Commissioners who sat upon the trial of Charles I., for which he was condemned to death at the Restoration, but was not executed. He was sent to the Tower August 25th, 1660, where he died on the 17th of the following December.

[5] Sir John Robinson was a clothworker, and elected Alderman of Dowgate, December 18th, 1655, and chosen Sheriff, June 24th, 1657. He was removed to Cripplegate, December 7th, 1658, and made Lord Mayor in 1662, being appointed Lieutenant of the Tower on September 22nd, 1663. He was the eldest son of the Reverend William Robinson, Archdeacon of Nottingham, and was knighted at Canterbury on 26th May 1660, and created a baronet in the June of the same year.... He was a nephew of Archbishop Laud, and married Anne, daughter of Sir George Whitmore, a knight and an alderman. He was Lieutenant of the Tower from 1661 to 1678. King Charles II. and his Queen, the Queen-mother and the Duke and Duchess of York, dined with him at the Clothworkers’ Hall, where he kept his mayoralty on the 23rd of June 1663. The pageant performed by his Company at his inauguration was entitled “London’s Triumph.” The Gazette of April 23rd to 26th, 1666, contains an account of the trial of certain persons for high treason for conspiring to kill him and other officers of the Tower, and to fire the city. He was a benefactor to the Clothworkers’ Company, who still preserve his portrait in their hall.

[6] The pamphlet has been copied in extenso, and will be found in the Appendix. The illustrations, with the exception of one which I was allowed to reproduce by the kindness of Mr Birch, the Curator of the Soane Museum, were also lent me by Mr Gardiner.

[7] See Appendix.

[8] The office had been hereditary, but ceased to be so under Stephen.

[9] Appointed by Lady Jane Grey’s party. There is no record of Constables during the reign of Elizabeth, Sir John Gage being restored to office at Mary’s succession.