The Red Rose of Anjou (23 page)

He was at this time taking a great interest in his half-brothers, the Tudor children. He himself would supervise their education and make sure that they were provided for. ‘It is what my mother would have wished, God rest her soul,’ he declared. She had lived with Owen and he remembered Owen with affection. Owen was still somewhere in Wales. His mother and Owen might not have been married but, as he said to Margaret, that was no fault of the children.

Margaret shrugged her shoulders. The Tudors were of no interest to her. She had to concern herself with governing the realm, for it was becoming increasingly obvious to her that Henry was incapable of doing that.

Yet the people loved him. Everything that went wrong in the nation’s affairs was blamed on others—and particularly on the Queen.

They hated her and with every month that hatred grew.

The English were losing their French possessions to the French—and she was French. They looked for scapegoats. They had had Suffolk but they were not satisfied. They wanted others and their thoughts had come to rest on Margaret.

Who had given Maine to the French? they demanded. Who had betrayed the armies? Margaret. Of course she had. She was not working for England. She was working for her father, René of Anjou, and her uncle Charles, the King of France. What had happened to the Duke of Gloucester? He had died mysteriously when he had been arrested on the way to Bury. She had had a hand in that.

So there she was. The French spy in their midst, the murderess, the arrogant little Queen who ruled the poor saintly King who was too virtuous himself to see sin in others.

The rumour had started that she was a bastard and not the daughter of René of Anjou. What had her relationship with Suffolk been? It was useless for anyone to point out that Suffolk had been an old man and that Margaret had been on terms of great friendship with his wife. They wanted her to be not only illegitimate but immoral and they were going to do their best to make others accept this view. She was certainly the most unpopular woman in England.

She received Somerset with a show of affection. She never sought to hide the love she bore her friends any more than she did her hatred towards her enemies. Margaret prided herself on her honesty and nothing should curb it, no matter how the display of it might wound others.

‘My lady,’ said Somerset kneeling, ‘you sent for me.’

‘Rise, Edmund,’ she said. ‘It is good to see you. At least I have a friend in you.’

‘Until the end of my days.’

‘Edmund, there are disturbing rumours. Is it true York has left Ireland?’

‘I believe it to be so.’

‘For what purpose? Has this anything to do with Jack Cade?’

‘I fear it may have.’

‘Cade called himself Mortimer but it has been proved he had no connection with the Mortimers.’

‘I would not be so sure of that.’

‘Then if it was so York is a traitor to the King.’

‘York is an ambitious man.’

‘We did well to send him to Ireland. He has no right to return without our permission.’

‘What does the King say to this?’

‘The King!’ Margaret’s lips curled. ‘He says that York has been in Ireland, has proved himself a good administrator.’

‘All the more reason why he should be kept there.’

‘That’s what I tell Henry. But you say York is already on his way over.’

‘That is my information.’

‘Do you think he will make trouble?’

‘I think he is coming to prove that he had no part in the Cade rebellion. That would suggest he comes to assure you and the King of his loyalty.’

‘He had better,’ replied Margaret grimly. ‘I will take you to the King. He is very kindly disposed towards you, Edmund.’

‘For which I believe I have to thank your good grace.’

‘Henry is always ready to love my friends,’ she answered complacently.

It was true. He doted on her. Nothing would ever mean so much to Margaret as her royalty, and although sometimes she forgot that Henry had bestowed it on her, she was fond of him. Secretly she rejoiced in his weakness which enabled her to develop her strength. She never had to light Henry and never found it difficult to impose her views on him; she might have had to persuade him at times, but that had always been easy. He was delighted that he had acquired such a beautiful wife who could take her place in public affairs in fact take his place, so that he could often elude that which was distasteful to him. She was always gentle with him for the reason that he never gave her cause to be otherwise. He was not demanding in any way. He was very grateful for Margaret and he thought her interest in those about her was wonderful. She had arranged several marriages for the women of her household. If she liked them she liked them a good deal and brought those tremendous energies of hers to work for what she considered their good. She would naturally be offended if they did not agree with her and sometimes rebelled against the plans she made for them. She could become angry then, and a friend could become an enemy. She would do a great deal for her friends but she never allowed an enemy to be unaware of her resentment.

It was amazing how much force, energy and passion were contained in that small body.

Henry received Somerset with affection. Margaret was fond of him and had made Henry see what a good servant he was in spite of the unkind things which were said about him in almost every quarter.

‘We must support our friends,’ said Margaret; and he agreed with her.

‘My lord Somerset is a little disturbed about the news of York,’ said Margaret. ‘He has no right to leave Ireland without permission from you.’

‘He has done very well there,’ said Henry, ‘and I do not think he was very eager to go.’

‘Of course he was not,’ cried Margaret. ‘He wanted to be here. He liked to keep his eyes on the crown.’

‘He has been a good servant to it,’ ventured Henry.

‘He will be a good servant for just as long as it suits him.’

‘It suits all of us to serve the crown,’ replied Henry placidly.

‘It depends in what manner,’ replied Margaret shortly. ‘My lord Somerset comes here to warn us of York’s coming.’

‘Oh, we will see him when he arrives. He will bring us news of Ireland.’

Margaret raised her eyes to the ceiling in some exasperation. The gesture implied that it was useless to attempt to talk to the King.

It would be up to her...and Somerset...to act whenever York presented himself.

###

Richard knew that he was coming into trouble. He had two very good excuses for returning to England. One was that if he were to keep order in Ireland money must be sent to him. This had not been done. The other was that accusations which had been made against him as the man behind Jack Cade’s rebellion must be refuted.

He was in need of money. Although he was the greatest landowner in England his income was not enough for the upkeep of his vast estates, and since he had not been paid for his work in Ireland, he must come home to sort out his affairs. But chiefly of course it was to quell these suspicions of his being behind the uprisings. At least both these were good enough reasons. Another was too dangerous to discuss with anyone but Cecily.

‘The King manages to retain a certain popularity but will he continue to do so when the affairs of the country go from bad to worse?’ he asked her. ‘The whole of our French possessions —or almost all—are lost. During the last reign we were the rulers of that country; now we have nothing...not even that which is our rightful inheritance. The people will turn against Henry. They are already against his wife. Somerset is unpopular. And then...’

‘And then,’ went on Cecily, ‘it will be your turn. They cannot get a son.’ Fruitful Cecily was scornful. ‘I should not be surprised if Henry is impotent. No son...a virago of a French wife and a King who finds it hard to say boo to a goose. It won’t last, Richard. Oh no, it can’t last.’

‘So think I. The people want a strong man...who is yet through his birth fit to be their King.’

‘Closer to royal Plantagenet than Henry himself,’ added Cecily.

Yes, Cecily knew that he was returning not only to see to his estates, not only to vindicate himself but with a very brilliant prospect in his mind which could leap to glory.

They set sail from Ireland and landed in Wales where friends awaited to tell him that the Queen was denouncing him as a traitor. It seemed they were not unaware of the reasoning behind his actions.

Very well, he would go to London and with feigned humility assure them that he had no knowledge of the Jack Cade rebellion, which was true. If he had meant to set an insurrection in progress he would not have used a rogue like Jack Cade for the purpose. He wondered what the mood of the country was and his instincts told him that the time was not yet ripe.

Henry still retained a certain popularity; there was the hope that Margaret would produce an heir; as for the unpopularity of the Queen, queens had often been unpopular and it would be unwise to put too much stress on the people’s suspicions of this one.

As he began to march towards London men joined him.. They wanted a strong King and they were alarmed at the loss of the French possessions and the influence of the Queen.

Richard’s spirits were rising particularly when he heard that William Tresham who had been Speaker of the House of Commons was on his way to meet him. Tresham’s differences with Suffolk had deprived him of his post. He had turned against the Court party led by Margaret and now clearly saw that there was a chance of the Duke of York’s becoming a power in the land.

It was obvious that when he had heard of York’s landing he had decided to join him. What could be a better indication of the support Richard would get from those who were dissatisfied with the present régime?

Alas, a great disappointment was to follow for Tresham never reached him. He was intercepted by Edmund Grey, Lord Grey de Ruthin, in Northamptonshire and in the encounter was slain.

So, thought Richard, although there would be some to support him, there would be powerful men against him. He would have to go warily.

He had one strong ally in the Duke of Norfolk. Even before the news of York’s return Norfolk had expressed his dissatisfaction with the King’s—or rather the Queen’s—rule and had summoned certain knights and squires down to his castle of Framlingham to discuss this matter.

As soon as he heard that York was in England he set out to meet him and they met at Bury where they immediately went into a conference together.

Nothing was said about York’s claim to the throne. That was too dangerous a matter and Richard had to feel his way very carefully. He had encountered certain opposition and it was clear that the nobility had not exactly rallied to his banner. He would therefore intimate that all he wanted was reforms. He and Norfolk were joined by the Earl of Oxford and Lord Scales. There would be a meeting of Parliament shortly and they decided together who should be the knights of the shire for Norfolk.

So far so good. Men were rallying round York and he sent messages ahead asking all those who wished him well to join him. By the time they reached London he had with him four thousand armed men.

He was easily able to overcome the attempt to keep him from the King’s presence and forcing his way in he confronted Henry, when he knelt with a humility which Henry was greatly relieved to see. York was his kinsman. He meant no harm, he was sure. He bade him rise and state why he had come in this manner.

‘My lord King,’ said York. ‘I come to ask for justice...nothing more. I have not been paid for my work in Ireland and I find it impossible to continue there. I have heard that there have been lies uttered against me in regard to the rogue Jack Cade and I come to assure you that this man was a stranger to me. I never knew his name until after his death and I deplore his treachery towards yourself as every right-thinking man in England must do.’

‘I believe you,’ said Henry. ‘Why, dear cousin, you are my friend, I know. We were much disturbed by this matter and have never believed you had a part in it.’

York took the King’s hand and kissed it.

‘Then my lord, these matters will be dealt with in Parliament.’

‘They must be indeed, and dear cousin, remember that when you come with an army there will be those to oppose you. That is natural, eh? But to me you come in peace and as you so rightly say these matters must be settled by Parliament.’

‘My lord, perhaps you will appoint a council.’

‘I will indeed.’

‘And in view of my position I should be a member of that council.’

‘So it shall be,’ said the King.

York bowed, well pleased. It was easy to deal with Henry. All he wanted was peace.

###

Inside the Temple in London where a meeting had been held between certain members of the Parliament to discuss the losses in France it had grown unbearably hot and the meeting had broken up with acrimony on both sides, chiefly between the Duke of Somerset and the Earl of Warwick.

Somerset was blamed by Warwick for the disastrous losses in France and Warwick was of the opinion that a man who had brought such ill fortune to his country should be impeached.

Both men were of overbearing natures. Both considered themselves of rare importance. Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, had the support of the Queen and through her that of the King. Moreover he was royal. His grandfather was John of Gaunt and if his father had had to be legitimized he was still royal. In his youth he had won brilliant victories in France; he had been known as one of the greatest commanders. Was it his fault if the whole battle front had changed, if some blight had settled on the English armies? He was beginning to believe that those were right who thought Joan of Arc had really been sent from Heaven, and Somerset was not going to be blamed for what was inevitable. Of course he had failed in France. No one could have succeeded in such circumstances. Secretly he believed that if Henry died—and Henry was sickly and without heirs—there was no sign of one after all these years—he, Somerset, would have good claim to the throne.

The Earl of Warwick was watching him intently as though reading his thoughts.