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WALLER. 209
In the British Museum there is still a magnificent copy of Charles's
poems, given by our King Henry
VII. to Elizabeth of York on their
marriage and on one of the pages there is a large illumination, which is
;
almost a history of the latter part of his imprisonment. Here is a view of
London with all its spires the river, passing through the old bridge, busy
with boats. One side of the white Tower has been taken out, and we can
see, as under a sort of shrine, the paved room in which the duke sits writing.
He occupies a high-backed bench in front of a great chimney. Red and
black ink are before him ;
and the upper end of the apartment is guarded
by many halberdiers with the red cross of England on their breasts. On
the next side of the Tower he appears again, leaning out of a window and
gazing on the river. Doubtless there blows just then " a pleasant wind
" from the land of France," and some ship
is coming up the stream. Is
it the " ship of good news " ? Another scene represents him at the door
embracing a messenger, while a groom stands by holding two saddle-horses.
And, yet further to the left, a cavalcade defiles out of the Tower. The
duke is on his way at last to " the sunshine of France."
The following quaint extract is from The Paston Letters. The letter
is written by Robert Repps, dated All JSaints' day, Tuesday, ist November,
1
440, i gth Henry VI. addressed " To
;
my Right Reverend and Right
" Honourable Master, John Paston, be this given.
" Salvete se. Tytyings [tidings]. The Duk of Orleyaunce hath made
" his oath upon the Sacrements, and usyd
it
(never for to bere armes agenst
" England) in the p'sence of the Kyng and all the lordes excepting my
" Lord Glouc' and in p'oying [proving] my sayde Lord of Glouc' agreyed
" nevr to hys delyvraunce, gwan [when] the masse began he toke hys
"barge. God gef grace the seide Lord of Orleyaunce [Orleans] be trewe,
" for this same weke shall he toward France."
" NOTE. Henry V., on his deathbed, had ordered that this duke should
" not be released till a peace with France was concluded ; and the Duke of
" Gloucester not only now protested against hi$ enlargement, but had his
" protest recorded."
Groombridge
remained the home of the Wallers for more than a
century. In 1516 died John Waller, leaving two sons, William, whose
daughter, Joanne, married George Fane of Badsell, already mentioned, and
John, who was ancestor of the Wallers of Beaconsfield, from which branch
was descended Edmund Waller the poet.
William was sheriff of the county in the reign of Henry VIII., and
died 1555. His grandson, Walter, was knighted, and died leaving two
sons. George, who married Mary, the daughter of Richard Hardres, and
had one son, Sir Hardres Waller, born 1604, major-general in the Parliamentary
army, and one of the regicides, for which he was, after the