"So soon as thou dost receive this go to the Queen, and tell her that her brother—Lord Rivers—Sir Richard Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, were all three arrested, by order of Duke Richard, as we were entering this place to-day. No offence had been committed by any of these gentlemen. They were at once sent under a strong guard to the Castle of Pomfret. Also tell her Majesty that last night the Duke of Gloucester entertained Lord Rivers, Sir Frederick and me, at supper, and throughout the evening he showed us all prodigious favours. Therefore his conduct is all the more difficult to understand, if he doth mean to be just.
"I send this by a servant which—though I have not known him long—has hitherto been faithful; though now it doth seem hard to trust anyone.
"Pray God that the clouds of trouble may soon pass over, and the sun of happiness again shine forth.
"I expect to soon be again upon the road to London; but our progress, methinks, will not be great.
"Destroy this letter when thou shalt have read it.
"I remain, dearest, thy servant unto death,—
"WALTER."
When I had finished this letter I went in search of one of the men which had gone with me to Ludlow. He was the gigantic and good natured Irishman, whose honest and determined face made me to select him in preference to either of his companions, who were better known to me.
"Michael," said I, when I at length found him, "I wish thee to take this packet, and set out for Westminster Palace at once. Spare not thy horse. When thou hast come into the Palace enquire for the Lady Hazel Woodville. Hand her this packet. That is a part of thy duty. The other part is for thee to make sure that thou speakest not of thy message or journey, to anyone."
"In faith, yer honour, ye may dipind on me fer speed and a close mouth. Oi'll be thare as soon as could the divil, with all his wings; and as fer sacrecy, uh! sure, the damned thumb screws thimsilves could no more draw a wourd through moy teeth than, as the priests sez, ye could pull a camel through the houle in a nadle."