1440); when Charles, after having sworn on the
Sacrament that he would never again bear arms against
England, and pledged himself body and soul to the unpatriotic
faction in his own country, set out from London with a light
heart and a damaged integrity.
(1) Dom Plancher, iv. 178-9.
(2) Works, i. 157-63.
In the magnificent copy of Charles's poems, given by our
Henry VII. to Elizabeth of York on the occasion of their
marriage, a large illumination figures at the head of one of
the pages, which, in chronological perspective, is almost a
history of his imprisonment. It gives a view of London with
all its spires, the river passing through the old bridge and
busy with boats. One side of the White Tower has been taken
out, and we can see, as under a sort of shrine, the paved
room where the duke sits writing. He occupies a high-backed
bench in front of a great chimney; red and black ink are
before him; and the upper end of the apartment is guarded by
many halberdiers, with the red cross of England on their
breast. On the next side of the tower he appears again,
leaning out of window and gazing on the river; doubtless
there blows just then "a pleasant wind from out the land of
France," and some ship comes up the river: "the ship of good
news." At the door we find him yet again; this time
embracing a messenger, while a groom stands by holding two
saddled horses.
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