Confusion and alarm pervaded the court. The
Gunpowder Plot itself hardly shook up the gray heads of King James's
cabinet more than did the flight of this pair of parted doves. The wind
seemed to waft peril. The minutes seemed fraught with threats. Couriers
were despatched in all haste to the neighboring seaports, and hurry
everywhere prevailed.
A messenger was sent to the Tower, bidding the lieutenant to guard
Seymour with double vigilance. To the surprise of the worthy lieutenant,
he discovered that Seymour was not there to be guarded. The bird had
flown. Word of this threw King James into a ludicrous state of terror.
He wished to issue a vindictive proclamation, full of hot fulminations,
and could scarcely be persuaded by his minister to tone down his foolish
utterances. The revised edict was sent off with as much speed as if an
enemy's fleet were in the offing, the courier being urged to his utmost
despatch, the postmasters aroused to activity by the stirring
superscription, "Haste, haste, post-haste! Haste for your life, your
life!" One might have thought that a new Norman invasion was threatening
the coast, instead of a pair of new-married lovers flying to finish
their honey-moon in peace and freedom abroad.
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