eps. Behold her as she stands there, an object of curiosity
and derision. Hear the coarse jests of the vulgar rabble, who, in
their delight at the sight of fallen power, hurl at her defenseless
ears all the filthy epithets in the vocabulary of the indecent.
Compare her authority of yesterday with her degradation of to-day. Not
one of those who were helped to power and greatness, by this woman, now
speak one word of sympathy or regret. Such a scene should find in Hell
more fitting surroundings for its tragic action. So could I imagine
the condemned souls revel and domineer when a Prince of Darkness hath
been reduced to a lower level. Another triumph for the Protector.
This is Jane Shore, the mistress of the late lamented Edward.
Gloucester, the better to deceive the people, and make them to believe
in his purity and religious ardour, compelled this poor woman, whose
sole crime against the state was that her Creator had given her such
beauty as to cause the amorous Edward to cast a longing eye upon
her--which, with that fiery Sovereign, was ever the prologue to a
history of a woman's loss of character--to thus do penance, draped in a
sheet, before the insulting eyes of the scum of the city's population.

"Look at the shameless hussy standing, with bowed head, as though she
cared a hair for all this gentle penance. See how she stands,
blushing, as a properer dame might do," said a heartless wretch,
dressed in the garb of a gentleman.

Harleston stooped and, taking up a stone, he handed it to this fellow,
with these words:--'There, my fine fellow, hurl thou this pebble at the
woman there. 'Tis much to be regretted, sir, that thou didst not live
in the days of Christ. He asked for such an one as thou to hurl the
stone at Mary Magdalene."[1]

"And who art thou, sir, to criticise my words?"

"A gentleman," replied Harleston with a slight bow. Then, as the
fellow stared stupidly into his face, my friend again said:--"I
suppose, sir, that thou dost not e'en comprehend the meaning of that
name. I should have used another word. This, then, is the definition
of that article with which you have no doubt often met, and still you
understand not. First, he is a man; second, his speech is courteous,
to those whose manner doth deserve such speech; third, he protects the
weak and defenceless, and doth not insult a helpless woman, as thou
this day hast done; fourth, he is possessed of a quality known by the
name of honour,