Margaret the Queen (43 page)

"But they are not saying it! They are tied in their tongues. Because she
is
Queen. And is so good. So kind. And buys their sufferance with her generosity and gifts. This restoring of the harried Abbey of Iona. And the like. Lands for Loch Leven. Indeed, I think that they do not perceive the danger. To their Church and traditions. Aye, and to the realm itself."

"And you do! Whose concern it is not. If your precious Church is in so much danger from the doings and kindnesses of one woman, then I hardly think that it is worth all the trouble!"

"When the one woman is the Queen, strong of mind and determined, with the King caring nothing either way but doting on her — and no body of churchmen united to combat her — then the danger is
real. This is, as I see it now,
one of the weaknesses of our Church. It is not as your Romish one, with a strong authority at the head. It is not concerned with any hierarchy. It is the Church of the people. So there is no body at the centre to fight its cause. It has never had to fight such assault before. This is not its purpose. Those who should be taking the lead do not, it seems. My father, the Primate, is no fighter, a gentle man lost in his books. Abbot Dunchad of Iona is strong, but he is so tied up with the rebuilding of his ruined abbey

— and so grateful to the Queen — that his hands are bound. And the King's Bishop, Fothad, is also bound. His St. Andrews she is putting in her great debt. And he rises in influence. I tell you, she is clever, far-sighted, as Cospatrick says
..."

"Cospatrick! There it is, I think. It is that Cospatrick who has put you up to this, Maldred. He is a snake, that man! Oh yes, diverting and excellent company. But cunning as he is devious. And a despoiler at heart. He has too much ascendancy over you, Maldred. I have felt this for long."

"That is foolishness, girl!" he exclaimed. "You do not know what you say. Of course I see much of him. And heed him in many things. It could not be otherwise, since I am administering his earldoms for him. And he is as clever as she is, and sees things very clearly. But — I remain my own man. What I said came from
myself,
not Cospatrick. And, I tell you,
had
to be
said. By someone." His chin out
thrust, subconsciously he was urging his horse to greater speed, so that he drew ahead a little.

She did not attempt to keep up with him.

After a little, he threw back over his shoulder, "I shall go speak with my father. Before we return to Dunbar. Warn him. Urge him to act."

She shrugged. "And to think that I once feared that you were too fond of Margaret Atheling!"

He looked back, frowning. "I am fond of her," he said. "I esteem her greatly. She is, she is good as she is beautiful. That, God's mercy, is a large part of the trouble!"

They rode on in silence.

17

Maldred arrived back
at Dunbar Castle on an evening in the following early summer to find that they had a most unexpected visitor, none other than the Queen herself. She had arrived unheralded, alone save for a small escort, having crossed the Scottish Sea by the Earl of Fife's ferry to North Berwick on the Lothian shore. Malcolm, it seemed, was off on a visit to Dalar, to old Gilliadamnan, Lord of Argyll, where, at Dunstaffnage, he was holding a conference of West Highland chiefs, in an attempt to present a more unified front against the incursions of miscellaneous raiders who terrorised the entire Hebridean seaboard, Norse, Orkneymen, Manx and Irish, and simple pirates. It had not been considered a suitable occasion for his wife to be introduced to those barbarian parts of his realm; so she had felt free to make this more modest journey on her own. She wished to visit her friend and former confessor, Turgot of Durham — and of course to give herself the pleasure of seeing Magda, Maldred and her infant god-daughter Marsala, once more.

Margaret seemed in excellent spirits, pregnant again but only by three months and not yet showing it. At Dunbar she could put off almost entirely the trappings and attitudes of royalty, and clearly rejoiced so to do. Girlish laughter, even giggles and baby-talk, enlivened that rather grim stronghold, with Maldred acting the fond, indulgent and slightly superior male.

The Queen had a problem, however. While she wanted to see Turgot, she did not wish to see Cospatrick. She had always been very doubtful about that man and his methods; and this present elaborate deceit as to his supposed death went much against her principles. To countenance the fraud by personally meeting the Earl and then prejudicing her conscience by pretending that she did not know that he still lived, she would find distressing. Maldred was able to assure her that Cospatrick had gone to Caer-luel. But it was a long way to Wear-mouth . . .

Margaret was determined, however, and indeed seemed to look upon the whole episode as something of a holiday. Magda announced that she was going to come too. It would be only some one hundred and forty miles, less than three days' journey and over level coastal country. So next morning the three of them, with a small escort, rode southwards to Berwick-on-Tweed and then on through the Northumbrian coast
lands, past Lindisfarne and Bam
burgh, to Alnwick, a long day's ride but pleasant enough, in fine weather. The following day they did even better, fording the shallows of Coquet and Lyne and Wansbeck and Blyth, and a host of lesser streams, on their way to the Tyne. They were at the Wear by the next noon-day, tired but well-pleased with their progress.

To say that Turgot, and his superior Aldwin, were glad to see the Queen, however surprised, would be a major understatement. Aldwin was the more effusive, but Turgot's satisfaction was sufficiently manifest. This royal condescension and effort was flattering; but there was more to it than that, a personal and mutual admiration and a meeting of minds — Rome-oriented minds, to be sure. Maldred found himself out-on-a-limb, Magda too, to some extent, for she was a deal less religiously-inclined than was her mistress and friend.

Nevertheless they both remained at the Queen's side, after they had been shown round the establishment, situated at the farther side of the river-mouth from where they had all first met those years before. It was a somewhat decayed monastery now, but the two monks had plans for its improvement, and the visitors had all explained to them. Maldred was more interested to know just what had brought Margaret all this way — surely more than just a desire to see her former confessor?

In the refectory, regaled with simple fare suitable to the Cluniac ascetic reforms which these two Benedictines supported, the Queen unburdened herself.

"You travel the land at times, I believe, my friends? To your parent-house, at Durham. Even to York? And still further afield?" It was really Turgot whom she addressed. "When you do so hereafter, or go elsewhere in the English North, I would be much in your debt if you would do me a service — a service to God's cause also, surely. I require much church furniture and plenishing which I cannot find in Scotland. Much ornament, decoration, holy vessels, missals, books, pictures. Of such necessary aids to true worship there is a great dearth here. I desire you, of your goodness, to find these for me. For the furtherance of Christ's good purpose. Will you do this, my friends?"

"To be sure, Highness. How noble, how godly a quest!" Prior Aldwin enthused. "It shall be our joy."

"I hope that it may prove so. But you may find it something of a weariness, too. For I need much. I have set my hand to great labours. Although I shall not call them that, since they are
my
joy also. At Dunfermline and St. Andrews both the work proceeds. Of beautifying God's houses, of bringing the people into more fulfilling worship, in setting up shrines for pilgrimage, in strengthening the hands of the clergy who will work for the fuller witness for Christ in His One Church, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic."

"Most excellent, Highness! God reward you — most admirable. It shall be done."

"Admirable — but costl
y," Turgot mentioned. "Where shall we find the moneys for all this, Highness?"

"I have brought some gold pieces with me, for you. A token only. For a start. But all the articles you gain for me will be paid for, never fear. I do not ask you to beg, for me. The Lord Maldred here, of his goodness, did that for me
once, to my undying gratitude. I
do not mind begging, in Christ's cause — but I do not ask you to do that. Only to purchase. Money, mere money, is now little problem. My merchanting ventures are almost everywhere proving successful. Trade increases and taxes with it. The ship-men bring back much wealth from foreign lands. The Fife havens grow rich. I have set officers in each, customars they are called, to collect a tithe on all the wealth brought in. Our Hungarian shipmaster, Maurice, I have put in charge of all this revenue-making. Maldred, you will remember him. He mastered our ship which brought us from Wearmouth to
Scotland
, those years ago. He is now rich himself, with wide lands in Lennox — but unlike your Scots lords, not too proud to soil his hands with trade. As nor am I! So the money is there. Spend it for me.

"The King? He does not look on this with disfavour?" Turgot wondered, carefully.

"The King leaves such matters to me, of his goodness. I regret that he commanded you to leave Dunfermline, my good friend. He misjudged. But he will not hinder in this. He, indeed, is not much concerned with moneys and wealth, as with goods or even trade."

"These items we may purchase for you, Highness — how are they to be sent to you?" Turgot asked.

"Send them to Dunbar. Maldred here can have them shipped from there to my new haven of Inverkeithing, only four miles from Dunfermline. You will do that, Maldred?"

He could not do other than nod.

"I would ask also that you find for me, if you can, a man, more than one, skilled in woodwork, in wood-carving. Carving for church furniture. The good Archbishop Lanfranc sent one, Arnold, with the two master-masons who are building Holy Trinity minster at Dunfermline. But he has had to return to Canterbury."

"Are there not sufficient skilled wood-carvers in Scotland?" Maldred put to her. "Our ancient Celtic tradition is rich in fine and intricate carving, both in wood and stone."

"To be sure. But it is not in church carving that these are skilled. Their work is decorative, but scarcely religious. Strange animals and dragons, serpents and the like. I would set up a school of carving, to train such people in truly Christian design. If you had seen the great minsters of England, Maldred . . ."

"I have seen Durham. And Ely. From where I brought you . . . tokens!"

"Yes. Forgive me. I become carried away. But a school of craftsmen is much needed. For there is so much to do. Also, I plan that there should be a manufactory. At St Andrews, to start with. To make crucifixes and the like, in great numbers. For the pilgrims, first. Then for all the land. I have my Black Rood. I would have all households, even the poorest, to have each their crucifix."

"This we shall see to, also," Aldwin promised.

"Bishop Walchere will help, perhaps? Maldred — you found him kindly disposed to us, did you not?"

"To
us,
the Scots? That I know not, Highness. We found him against the Norman invaders, rather. Welcomed our armed aid against them. As to more than that, who knows?"

"He is a good man, one of God's chosen vessels," the Prior declared. "He will help in this, I feel sure."

"He gave his blessing to the establishment of the monastery of Melross, in Scotland," Turgot reminded. "Your h'm, friend, my Lord Maldred, Brother Eadwulf, esteems him. And he Eadwulf. They are close."

This was part of what worried Maldred. Cospatrick would use Walchere, as he would use anyone and everyone else, in his efforts to win back Northumbria for himself. And so long as he won it, care little the price others might pay. If the See of Durham sought spiritual hegemony over Scotland, or part of it — as all this might well lead to — Cospatrick, who cared little more for such things than did Malcolm, would not stand in the way. He, Maldred, therefore did not wish to see Walchere, or any English bishop, encouraged to play any part on the Scottish scene. But he could scarcely say so in present company.

"His superior, the Archbishop Thomas of York, is a Norman," he contented himself with pointing out. "Odo's man. Walchere may have to walk warily."

That was not disputed, and they left it there.

Presently Margaret retired with Turgot to the monastery chapel for a short session of prayer and confession — he was still, evidently, her choice as confessor — whilst Aldwin took the other two down to see the great new fish-ponds, fresh-water and salt, near the shore, of which the monks were very proud; for from these they could have a selection of salmon, sea-trout, burn-trout, carp, perch, lampreys and eels, from the fresh pools, and many sea-fish from the salt, caught and put alive in these to keep and take out as necessary, providing a great variety of dishes during Lent. The piscator-monk rejoiced to show them his ponds, tanks and hatcheries. Even Maldred conceded that here was something the Romans might teach the Scots.