Before the ceremony was ended, a great noise was heard in the City: shouting, singing, and roaring all together. The baptism over, Lady Throgmorton returned into the Tower; and the rest of the party went on to the Lamb, where they were all going to pass the afternoon. Mistress Helen Ive (a fictitious person), the High Constable’s daughter, carried the baby, and accompanied Isoult; but Mr Ive said he would go up to Aldgate, and see what all the tumult had been; so away he went, while the others rested and talked, and ate ale-brew (ale and bread, sometimes called aleberry) and spiced cake; and Kate was wonderfully pleased with the baby. All at once, as they sat thus, Mr Ive returned, his face showing that he brought strange tidings.
“They have proclaimed Queen Mary!” he cried breathlessly.
“Who have?” asked Mr Underhill, turning round.
“The Lords of the Council,” answered he.
“Robin Hood’s tales!” cried Mr Underhill.
“’Tis truth,” responded Mr Ive.
“The Council of Queen Jane to proclaim Queen Mary!” said Mr Underhill, scornfully. “Ive, you are mad as a March hare.”
“‘Bate me an ace, quoth Bolton,’” said Dr Thorpe, shrugging his shoulders.
“Bate your aces, and catch your March hares,” answered Mr Ive, who took all this banter very pleasantly; “but this is truth that I do tell you. An hour gone, we being in the church, when we heard that mighty bruit from the City, was Queen Mary proclaimed in Cheapside by the Council. Their audience to the French King’s Ambassador was but a feint, to get well and all together out of the Tower. And when they came to the Chepe, they called an halt; and my Lord of Arundel, stepping forwards, did there, in the hearing of all the people, proclaim—‘Mary, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland, Queen’—and so forth. And no sooner said than every man in the street flung up his cap, and the people cheered as they had gone mad for joy. The Earl of Pembroke threw down in the street his cap full of angelets.”
“My word on’t, but I would Walter had been there, to run about and gather them up!” said Dr Thorpe. “We might have gleaned that comfort thence, at least.”