ur own sweet babe, give us back our sons.'
And therewith they all fell on their knees, weeping and wringing their
hands, and crying out, `Mercy, mercy! For our Blessed Lady's sake, have
pity on our children!' till the good Queen, with the tears running down
her cheeks for very ruth, told them that the power was not in her hands,
but the will was for them and their poor sons, and that she would strive
so to plead for them with the King as to win their freedom. Meantime,
there were the aldermen watching for the King in his chamber of
presence, till forth he came, when all fell on their knees, and the
Recorder spake for them, casting all the blame on the vain and light
persons who had made that enormity. Thereupon what does our Hal but
make himself as stern as though he meant to string them all up in a
line. `Ye ought to wail and be sorry,' said he, `whereas ye say that
substantial persons were not concerned, it appeareth to the contrary.
You did wink at the matter,' quoth he, `and at this time we will grant
you neither favour nor goodwill.' However, none who knew Hal's eye but
could tell that 'twas all very excellent fooling, when he bade them get
to the Cardinal. Therewith, in came the three queens, hand in hand,
with tears in their eyes, so as they might have been the three queens
that bore away King Arthur, and down they went on their knees, and cried
aloud `Dear sir, we who are mothers ourselves, beseech you to set the
hearts at ease of all the poor mothers who are mourning for their sons.'
Whereupon, the door being opened, came in so piteous a sound of wailing
and lamentation as our Harry's name must have been Herod to withstand!
`Stand up, Kate,' said he, `stand up, sisters, and hark in your ear.
Not a hair of the silly lads shall be touched, but they must bide lock
and key long enough to teach them and their masters to keep better
ward.' And then when the queens came back with the good tidings, such a
storm of blessings was never heard, laughings and cryings, and the like,
for verily some of the women seemed as distraught for joy as ever they
had been for grief and fear. Moreover, Mistress Todd, being instructed
of her husband, led up Mistress Hope to Queen Mary, and told her the
tale of how her husband's little brother, a mere babe, lay sick in
prison--a mere babe, a suckling as it were--and was like to die there,
unless the sooner delivered, and how our Steve was fool enough to tarry
with the poor child, pa