Bloody tower - Valerie Wilding

The diary of Tilly Middleton, London, 1553-155912th February, 1554Through my roof hole I am watching the final touches being put tothe scaffold on Tower Green. It is draped in black, and straw hasalready been strewn around the block to catch the blood. Thereis no axe yet. The executioner will bring that. I wonder if Motherwill let us watch? We usually do, on Tower Hill, but this is thefirst execution within the Tower Walls since I was about one anda half years old. Mother says that was a double execution-a queenand her lady-and tomorrow is the twelfth anniversary of thosedeaths. I do not remember them, of course, but I will certainly rememberthis...there have been many, many deaths in other parts ofthe Tower-some we never hear about. This bloody Tower.