The Golden Grasshopper | Page 8

were highly educated: many of them could converse in several different
languages; while during most days of the week there was a constant
succession of gay assemblies, banquets, dances and nuptial parties,
while music, singing, and cheerful sounds might be heard by the
passer-by in every street. What a fearful change was in a few short
years to be wrought in this state of things! Shrieks of agony, cries of
despair, hideous, brutal slaughter, blood flowing down the doorsteps of
every house, flames bursting forth from amid those once festive halls!
Ernst was sorry when Sir John De Leigh took his departure. The boy
had gained a powerful friend, though he was not aware of it. Little
more need be said for the present of Ernst Verner's life at that time. He
was treated with the greatest kindness and consideration by Master
Gresham and his lady. Indeed, there was no difference in the care they
bestowed on him and on their little Richard. More than one journey
was made by Master Gresham to England and back, while his family
remained at the house of Caspar Schetz. The Baron Grobbendonck, for
that was his title, who was at that time one of the greatest merchants of
Antwerp, and the chief supporter of the Bourse, was one of the four
brothers who formed an influential mercantile establishment.
Once more Master Gresham returned to Antwerp. At length news came
from England. It was observed that he looked more serious than was
his wont.
The young Protestant King Edward the Sixth was very sick. There
would probably be disturbances in England, for he had set aside the
devise of Henry the Eighth to his daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and
had given the Crown to the heirs of the Lady Frances, the Duchess of

Suffolk, she herself being passed over. The Lady Jane Grey was the
eldest of her three daughters; she had no male heir. Fifteen Lords of the
Council, nine judges, and other officers had signed a paper, agreeing to
maintain the succession contained in the King's notes delivered to the
judges. Master Gresham observed that he feared greatly that this
arrangement would cause disturbances in England. Shortly after this,
another dispatch arrived. It contained the news that King Edward had
died on the 6th of July, twenty-two days after he had thus solemnly
excluded his sisters from the throne.
He acted undoubtedly from right motives, believing this arrangement to
be the best, in order to secure a Protestant ruler and a Protestant faith to
England.
Already had the Reformed faith made great progress. The last prayer of
the young King showed his earnest and abiding love of that faith: "O
Lord God! save Thy chosen people of England. O my Lord God!
defend this realm from papistry, and maintain Thy true religion!" were
almost his dying words.
Master Gresham's anticipations of evil were too soon fulfilled. While
the Duke of Northumberland and his party supported Lady Jane and her
husband (the Earl of Dudley), the larger portion of the nation rallied
round Queen Mary, not because she was a Romanist, but because she
was considered to be the legitimate heiress to the Crown, while the
unfortunate Lady Jane was shut up in the Tower. Mary arrived in
London, and was triumphantly proclaimed as Queen on the 3rd of
August, A.D. 1553.
In a short time the estimation in which Master Gresham was held by
the new Romish sovereign of England was made manifest, as he was
deprived of his office and ordered to return home. The journey was
performed on horseback, the Lady Anne riding a horse alone, but each
of her maidens being placed behind a groom. Ernst and the little
Richard were carried in the same manner. They took the road to Bruges,
from thence intending to proceed on to Dunkirk and Calais, that Lady
Anne might not be exposed to a long sea-voyage. The journey was of
necessity performed at a very slow rate, many sumpter mules being

required to carry the baggage and bedding, and some of the inns at
which they had to stop being without any but the roughest
accommodation. At Bruges they rested a day, that the Lady Anne might
see some of the churches and public buildings of that fine city. The
eyes of all the party were, however, grieved with a spectacle which
they would willingly have avoided, since they could not prevent it.
Ernst Verner was the first to apprehend what was about to take place,
and his cry of horror drew the attention of the rest of the party to the
scene. Just such a procession as he had beheld two years before was
passing through the streets. There were Spanish soldiers, and priests in
various coloured vestments, with boys waving censers and