instead of columus, enriched with the figure of a ship under sail, in Basso relievo; a cherub, cartouches, &c. with this inscription in gold on black. Erected in memory of Capt. Valentine Pyne, late Master Gunner of England, second son of George Pyne of Currimallet, in the county of Somerset, Gent. Who following the footsteps of his father in loyalty and obedience to his sovereign, trail'd a pike under the command of his said father, in the last expedition at Calais in the year 1625; and in the year 1627, at the expedition at the isle of Rhee. After that he betook himself to his Majesties fleet, where he served at sea till the late unhappy rebellion, and during that rebellion in his Majesties service by land; after whose death he voluntarily followed the command of Prince Rupert for the space of 15 years, both in his expedition at sea, and in his wars in Germany, till his now Majesties happy restauration; since which time he commanded some of his Majesties ships in the first war against the Dutch; and in recompence of his faithful services, his Majesty was pleas'd to elect him Master Gunner of England; in which capacity he departed this life, (which he led single) the last day of April 1677, in the 28th year of his Majesties reign, aged 74 years. The most antient monument, however, is erected to the memory of Sir Richard Cholmondely, lieutenant of the Tower, in the reign of Henry VIII.; and his lady. This chapel is remarkable for containing the ashes of the following eminent personages: JOHN FISHER, bishop of Rochester, beheaded on Towerhill for his conscientious opposition to the marriage of Henry VIII. to Anne Boleyn, June 22, 1535, "which" says Burnet, " left one of the greatest blots upon this kingdom's proceedings." He is represented by Erasmus as "a man of integrity, deep learning, sweetness of temper, and greatness of soul." This being uncontradicted, how must the reader's humanity be agitated when he reads the cruel hardships he experienced whilst under confinement in this place! In a letter written by him to secretary Cromwell, he thus expresses his sufferings: "Furthermore I beseech you to be a good master unto me in my necessity; for I have neither VOL. II. No. 38. Kk shirt shirt nor suit, nor yet other cloaths that are necessary for me to wear, but that be ragged and torn too shamefully. Notwithstanding, I might easily suffer that, if they would keep my body warm. But my diet also, God knows, how slender it is at many times. And now in mine age, my stomach may not away but with a few kind of meats, which if I want, I decay forthwith, and fall into coughs and diseases of my body, and cannot keep myself in health. And, as our Lord knoweth, I have nothing left unto me for to provide any better, but as my brother of his own purse layeth out for me to his great hindrance.-Wherefore, good master secretary, eftsoons, I beseech you to have some pity upon me, and let me have such things as are necessary for me in mine age; and especially for my health," &c.* Secretary Cromwell, however, relieved the anxieties of this great and good prelate, as much as he dared under the control of a blood thirsty and relentless tyrant. GEORGE BOLEYN, Viscount Rochford, beheaded May 17, 1536. This nobleman, the brother of queen Anne, was, with Henry Norris, Mark Smeton, William Brereton, and Francis Weston, all of the privy chamber, beheaded two days preceding his innocent sister; upon a supposed charge of incest, which none of the accused would confess, except Smeton, in hope of life and preferment; he, however, deservedly suffered with the rest. Cromwell, in his letter to the king says, "Many things have been objected, but nothing confessed; only some circumstances have been acknowledged by Mark Smeton." This was after the final examination. QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN. After having been the faithful wife of Henry, three years, three months and twenty-five days, her head was cut off with a sword, by the hands of an executioner from Calais, upon an accusation of the most improbable of all crimes. Her affecting letter to the king in her vindication, which is inserted at length in Lyttleton's History of England,† contains so much nature, and even elegance, at the same time an appeal to his conscience in • MSS. Cotton. + Vol. II. p. 198, note. vindication of her innocence, and a firm resolution not to confess "a fault, where not a thought thereof proceeded," that it deserves to be transmitted to posterity. The greatest proof of queen Anne's innocence was, that the day after her execution, Henry was married to Lady Jane Seymour. THOMAS CROMWELL, earl of Essex, beheaded July 24, 1540. This nobleman from a low origin, by means of integrity obtained the highest preferments in the state; but having thwarted the inclinations of the king, was executed by an act of attainder, which it is said he had devised for his enemies; but which is disputed by Speed and others. He was hated because he was an enemy to Popery; but he was beloved for his gratitude, his liberality and other virtues; among his friends were bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More, to both of whom he was beneficent whilst they were in confinement in this place. QUEEN CATHARINE HOWARD, beheaded February 13, 1541. This lady certainly fell an equal sacrifice to her own crimes and the ambitious views of her family. Her father, the duke of Norfolk, had sat as judge, and behaved with the greatest severity, in the case of his unfortunate niece, the innocent Anne Boleyn;-his own daughter passed the same ordeal, with a much more suspicious character. With her was executed the infamous lady Rochford, who was the cause of the murder of her husband and his sister, the queen. She was condemned as the supposed assistant of queen Catharine's irregularities. EDWARD SEYMOUR, duke of Somerset, lord protector in the reign of Edward VI. of whom we have already spoken under that reign, was beheaded January 24, 1552. JOHN DUDLEY, duke of Northumberland, father of the husband of the excellent lady JANE GRAY. Of abilities, courage, and enterprize; but fraudulent, unjust, and of unrelenting ambition. He had the address to prevail with Edward VI. to violate the order of succession, and settle the crown on his unambitious daughter: this occasioned the ruin of his house; lady Jane and her husband, lord Guildford Dudley Kk 2 were were the passive victims to Northumberland's criminal am bition, and he suffered for his treason and rebellion. JAMES SCOT, duke of Monmouth, son of Charles II. beheaded July 15, 1685. The circumstances of his unhappy fate are mentioned in the bloody reign of James II. his uncle, to whose revenge he was sacrificed, and need no repetition here. Besides these, within the rails of the altar, were deposited the remains of the infamous judge Jeffries. THE MENAGERIE, OR COLLECTION OF WILD BEASTS, &c. This repository of ferocious and uncultivated nature is deposited in the south-west corner of the first entrance towards the city. After having entered the outer gate, and passed what is called the Spur-guard, the keeper's house is distinguished by the figures of lions over the door. The dens are ranged in the form of a half moon. They are rooms about twelve or thirteen feet high, divided into three apartments, a large one above, and two below. In the upper apartment the beasts generally live in the day, and at night retire to the lower to rest. The animals are seen through large iron grates, with the utmost safety; and are thus exhibited: Miss Fanny, a Lioness, bred in the Tower, is the most ferocious of the lion-tribe now in the Tower. Miss Fanny Howe, whelped on the glorious first of June, 1794, and named after the gallant admiral who gained a great victory over the French fleet on that day. An Asiatic Lion from Bussorah, in the Gulf of Persia ; said to be less fierce than those of Africa. Two African Lionesses, and Tygers, a present from the Dey of Algiers to his Majesty; brought October, 1800, by the Algerine ambassador. Of fourteen slaves sent into the desarts in pursuit of these animals, only six of them escaped with their lives. A Barbary Panther, called Traveller. Four Four Hunting Tygers, sent from the Menagerie of Tippoo Sultaun, at Seringapatam, a present to his Majesty from the Marquis of Wellesley; with these animals the Sultaun was much delighted, and used them for hunting, having been trained for that purpose. Harry, a Royal Tyger, brought home in the Pitt EastIndiaman, presented to his Majesty by Sir Evan Nepean: this animal is so docile as to admit the keeper into his den: Duchess, a young Leopardess from the Malabar coast, a present to his Majesty from Lord Carlisle. Miss Peggy, a black Leopardess; her spots are very visible, though black; and Miss Nancy, a bright spotted Leopardess ; these animals were sent from Anjango, by Governor Hutchinson. Miss Maria and Master Bobby, a Leopard and Leopardess, from the Prince of Wales's islands. George, a Leopard, presented to the Prince of Wales by Mr. Devaynes. An Hyæna, from the Cape of Good Hope, presented to the king by David Scott, Esq. A young Wolf, from Mexico, sent in a flag of truce from Admiral Masserano, in Spain, to Admiral Lord St. Vincent, and by him presented to the king. A large Greenland Bear. A White Fox, from Owhyhee. A large Eagle of the Sun. The various Bulwarks are thus denominated: The Lions Tower, Middle Tower, Bell Tower, Beauchamp Tower, Dwelling Tower, Flint Tower, Bowyer Tower, Martin Tower, Castle Tower, Broad Arrow Tower, Salt Tower, Well Tower, Cradle Tower, Lantern Tower, St. Thomas's Tower, Hall Tower, and Bloody Tower. Of these the most remarkable are the Bloody Tower; London's lasting shame With many a foul and midnight murder fed! Wake |
