The Salt Tower...Day 5W

It is a common misconception that the Tower of London was all dungeons, prisons and torture chambers. I say that but I have arrived at the point in my narrative when I shall discuss the Salt Tower which certainly had it's share of notorious and frightening aspects. As a side note, I was watching some You-Tube videos of some Tower Tours led by Yeoman Warders (which were hilarious--well, hilarious in terms of British humor) and the tour guide said, "I have to talk about torture and executions. I don't want to but I have to." And I echo that quote now. "I don't want to but I have to."




In times of war or threats of war, the walls of this tower included arrow loops so archers can defend the castle complex from invaders.                                                                                  

In times of peace and times of less than usual "persecution" of traitors, the Salt Tower was used for storage. Of salt? I am unsure about that...but it would make sense...which means it most likely it was not used for storing salt...because that would make too much sense...

And in insecure times of political and religious unrest, the Salt Tower held its prisoners securely. One of the more notable ones included:  John Balliol, previously King of Scotland (after his king's arrest, William Wallace famously took up the cause of Scottish freedom and painted his face blue and spent his days wandering around the Scottish countryside, urging his followers to join him in feeling free in their kilts--what? that's not the way you heard it? oops-- Apparently I have been watching too much of that famous comedy Braveheart...at least, that's what the movie is called by Bill the Beefeater, the Yeoman warder tour guide, made famous by various tourists filming his tours and publishing them on YouTube. . And I might as well give you the links to those You Tube videos because they are hilarious in a dryly humorous British sort of way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YS0vGq0QsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5raGfZXCEU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OKt-U3_WNc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW6UVMog5mc

During the Tudor period, this tower was in almost constant use, starting with Queen Mary's persecution of Protestants and then back to being filled with one Catholic priest after another when Queen Elizabeth I took the throne. One famous prisoner in the Salt Tower was Sir Henry Walpole, an English Jesuit priest, who was imprisoned and tortured for more than a year, even though he had admitted during his first interrogation that he was in fact a Jesuit priest and his business in England was to convert people to the Catholic faith. But apparently  that wasn't enough. They attempted to force him to take the Oath of Supremacy which acknowledged the queen's complete and utter authority in all matters of religion. Of course, he refused and was rewarded with a verdict of high treason resulting in a sentence of hanging, drawing and quartering.

Why do I use my paper, ink and pen,

And call my wits to counsel what to say?

Such memories were made for mortal men;

I speak of Saints whose names cannot decay.

An Angel’s trump were fitter for to sound.

Their glorious death if such on earth were found.

That store of such were once on earth pursued,

The histories of ancient times record,

Whose constancy great tyrants’ rage subdued.

Through patient death, professing Christ the Lord:

As his Apostles perfect witness bare,

With many more that blessed Martyrs were.

Whose patience rare and most courageous mind,

With fame renowned perpetual shall endure,

By whose examples we may rightly find,

Of holy life and death a pattern pure.

That we therefore their virtues may embrace

Pray we to Christ to guide us with his grace.

poem attributed to Henry Walpole