I found the king sitting alone at public dinner, and, of course, was
denied speech with him. I was in no humor to be balked, so I thrust
aside the guards, and, much to everybody's fright, for I was wild with
grief, rage and despair, and showed it in every feature, rushed to the
king and fell upon my knees at his feet.
"Justice, O king!" I cried, and all the courtiers heard. "Justice, O
king! for the worst used man and the bravest, truest soul that ever
lived and suffered." Here the tears began to stream down my face and
my voice choked in my throat. "Charles Brandon, your majesty's
one-time friend, lies in a loathsome, rayless dungeon, condemned to
death, as your majesty may know, for the killing of two men in
Billingsgate Ward. I will tell you all: I should be thrust out from
the society of decent men for not having told you before I left for
France, but I trusted it to another who has proved false. I will tell
you all. Your sister, the Lady Mary, and Lady Jane Bolingbroke were
returning alone, after dark, from a visit to the soothsayer Grouche,
of whom your majesty has heard.
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