The Red Rose of Anjou (34 page)

He was convinced that it was time to march against the Queen, and decided to make his way immediately to Ludlow where he would join York.

His father, the Earl of Salisbury, was in the meantime on the road to Ludlow and with him were his two sons. Sir John and Thomas Neville. As they were approaching Blore Heath to their great consternation they saw in the distance an armed force advancing towards them. It was too late to turn back. They had been seen, and within a very short time it became clear that they were about to encounter Lancastrians on the march.

Salisbury was greatly outnumbered.

‘We’ll beat them, never fear,’ said John Neville. ‘One of us is as good as three of them.’

It was the old cry of those who were going into battle against great odds. Salisbury did not like it. But there was no help for it. They must stand and fight.

The battle was swift and bloody. Men were dying all around. The Yorkists fought so fiercely that they were able to hold their ground against superior numbers until nightfall and then there was such confusion that Salisbury and those of his men who had come through the encounter were able to get away, which they thought the wisest course of action. It was with great sorrow that Salisbury learned that his two sons had been captured. They had been over bold, it seemed, in pursuing the enemy.

The fortunes of war, thought Salisbury ruefully; but at least he had escaped to ride on to Ludlow.

He would carry the news that the country was rising and taking sides.

Warwick arrived at Ludlow soon after his father. He too had encountered a hostile force. This was led by the Duke of Somerset but Warwick, seeing that they could be grossly outnumbered if they paused to fight and being sure that he could be of more use to the cause alive, gave the order to fly as they could and thus they avoided an encounter.

It was disconcerting to hear that his father had had a similar adventure and that his two brothers, John and Thomas, were in the hands of the enemy.

York greeted them with the utmost warmth and Cecily made them very welcome. She knew that Warwick was the brightest star of the Yorkist party for his reputation since he had gone to Calais had increased tremendously. He was reckoned to be the most outstanding man in the country. Cecily took note of such things.

York’s eldest son, Edward Earl of March, was fascinated by Warwick, and clearly proud of the family connection. It seemed to young Edward that Warwick embodied all the virtues of manhood. Edward was seventeen now, even more handsome than he had been as a boy; he had already topped six feet and was still growing. He was strong, full of vigour and determined on success, and Warwick liked the look of him as much as Edward liked Warwick. His brother Edmund, Earl of Rutland, younger by a year, lacked Edward’s outstanding good looks and spirits, but he was a fine boy all the same. York should be proud of them—and clearly was.

Young Edward came to their conferences. He was all for going into the attack. Wild, of course, thought Warwick, but he

was a bit that way himself. He was beginning to think that this young Edward might have qualities of leadership which were lacking in his father. Warwick mused that the Duke of York could have been King after the battle of St. Albans, but he could never quite overcome his scruples. It showed a good and just nature perhaps, but there were moments when kings could not afford such luxuries.

Warwick rejoiced that York had a son, for if York were to fall in battle there would be someone very worthy indeed to step straight into his shoes.

It was disconcerting to discover that the Queen had gathered together a sizeable army. Even Warwick was dismayed to see by how many they would be outnumbered.

Young Edward was boastful, and said he was glad that there were so few of them against the enemy. He was trying to be another Henry the Fifth. Well, it was a good sign.

Moreover Margaret sent messengers into the Yorkist camp to tell the men that if any of them put down their arms they would be freely pardoned. This made York very uneasy for he knew that his followers while they deplored the state of the country and knew it came through bad government, could not rid themselves of the belief that they were fighting against the King. It was amazing how Henry had managed to win their loyalty. They knew that he was a near saint; they knew of his love of prayer and learning. If only he had had the strength to govern, if only he had not been the tool of a ferocious Frenchwoman who had no judgment and was not above an act or two of treachery, they would never have thought of coming against him. They were not against him, they insisted. They were against the Queen and her advisers. If she would make York Protector again and Warwick was left to guard Calais for them they would be content.

But the Queen was stubborn; she would rather fight than work with York.

‘Once again,’ said York, I will send a message to the King as I did before the battle of St. Albans. I will tell him that we are his loyal subjects, but there are certain matters which must be set right.’

The Lancastrian army was before Ludlow; they had camped to the south of the town in the fields which were watered by the River Teme. Margaret was in good spirits. She knew that the people wanted to be loyal to their King. She had men and arms but her greatest asset was Henry himself.

Though he hated battle so much she had insisted on his accompanying the army. He had been so reluctant that she had worked indefatigably, pointing out that he would be called a coward, that he would be failing in his duty if he did not ride with the army and confront those traitors York, Warwick and Salisbury.

She rode round the camp accompanied by the King. The news must spread to Ludlow Castle that the King was with them. Every Yorkist soldier must know that he was fighting against his King.

Once again she sent messages addressed to all the captains in the enemy’s camp. ‘The King is here before Ludlow. If you fight against his army you fight against him. Pause to think what this means. You will be traitors to your King. Come over to us now and there will be free pardons for all.’

It was clever.

Margaret was almost wild with joy when Captain Trollope, leading a company of Warwick’s best troops from Calais, joined the Lancastrian army.

Trollope declared: I will never take up arms against my King.’

Margaret welcomed him warmly. He should have a command in her armies. She was certain now of victory.

There was gloom in Ludlow Castle. Defeat was staring them in the face. Even Warwick admitted it.

T would have staked my life on Trollope,’ he said. ‘And it is not only him. He has taken some of my best men with him. They are not fighting for Margaret, not for the Lancastrians. It is simply that they will not fight against the King. They are good men all of them. If the King had not been there...’

‘But he is there,’ said Salisbury, ‘and what are we to do? We have a handful of men against a trained army. We will be overcome in an hour.’

Warwick nodded. ‘Trollope knows our plans and our strength. It will be folly for us to stay here and be annihilated or worse still taken captive. There is one course open to us, as far as I can see. And that is flight, if we want to five to fight another day. We have been the victims of desertion. We were undermanned before. The Queen has reacted too quickly for us. I think the answer can only be flight. As soon as night falls we should leave without delay.’

York was thoughtful. He was thinking of his family. Salisbury understood.

‘There is no other way, I fear,’ he said. ‘You will have to leave Cecily here with the younger children.’

‘To leave them...!’

‘If you want to live, yes,’ said Warwick. He was thinking York had not the makings of a great leader. He was thinking of his wife and young children when he should have been thinking of survival to Live and fight another day.

‘March and Rutland can come with us,’ said Salisbury.

‘There is no time to be lost,’ added Warwick. ‘As soon as night falls we must slip away.’

York saw at once that Warwick was right and it was easy to explain to Cecily because she too grasped the position.

‘Warwick is wise,’ she said. ‘You must go...you, Edward and Edmund. The little ones will be safe with me. I am sure Henry won’t let us be harmed.’

‘I wouldn’t trust Margaret.’

‘Oh, she won’t have time to think of me. God go with you.’

‘I shall keep you informed and we shall be back.’

‘Indeed you’ll be back, and when you do you’ll be victorious, I’m sure of that.’

Cecily was a strong woman; she would be able to care for herself and the children he was leaving behind.

Darkness was falling. There was not a moment to lose. He summoned his captains and told them that they could not possibly stand out against the mighty Lancastrian army which was gathered to confront them. The soldiers must get away and disperse. They would be in no danger. It was the leaders they were after.

York, Warwick and Salisbury with the young Earls of March and Rutland quietly made their way out of Ludlow. Through the night they rode heading towards Wales. There they decided to break up the party and as York still had connections in Ireland he would go there and stay until he could make plans for his return. He would take Rutland with him.

The others would go back to Calais. Edward was very eager to stay with Warwick. So he with Salisbury and Warwick made his way to the Devon coast where they hoped to find a ship to carry them across the Channel. It would have been too dangerous to attempt to sail from Sandwich or any of the ports in the south-east, for their enemies would surely be lying in wait for them guessing that Warwick would try to make his way back to Calais.

Edward enjoyed the adventure. His attachment to Warwick grew with every hour. Warwick was a hero. He was so resourceful, so strong, all that Edward himself would like to be.

There were some alarming moments during the journey. Warwick was certain that Margaret would have sent out warnings to all her friends in the country that they might keep a watchful eye for the fugitives. And if ever she had York, Warwick or Salisbury in her hands she would lose no time in getting rid of them. It would be certain death.

Warwick was watchful. On one or two occasions he was sure they came near to capture but in due course they came to Dynham Manor which was owned by John Dynham, a trusted Yorkist.

It was a great relief to sleep in a bed; to sit at a table and eat good food and to feel comparatively safe, but they could not Unger, of course. They were close to the sea and the sooner they left England the better for them. It was a long journey across the water but they would be safer there than they were staying here where they might be discovered at any time. Guernsey belonged to Warwick, as a fief of the Crown, so he could make for Guernsey first and from there could find out what was happening in Calais and whether it would be safe to return there.

John Dynham was an ardent Yorkist. He would do everything he could to speed them on their way. At great risk he procured a boat with a party of fishermen to sail it to Guernsey. Meanwhile his wife kept them hidden.

In due course they sailed for Guernsey but they had not gone far when a storm arose. The fishermen were terrified.

Warwick shouted at them to stop their trembling and look to their tasks. ‘Take the ship to Guernsey,’ he cried. ‘That is your duty.’

‘Master,’ said their spokesman, ‘we be but poor fishermen. We know little of boats such as this. We’ve never been near Guernsey in our lives.’

Warwick looked at the consternation of those about him and cried out: ‘By God, I have not come so far to be lost at sea.’

Whereupon he seized the tiller and set the course westward.

He took the boat through the storm and they reached Guernsey in safety.

Edward watching thought: Warwick is a hero. I am going to be exactly like him.

In Guernsey they learned that Calais had remained loyal to Warwick and they immediately set sail. When they arrived

Warwick was welcomed with acclaim. The people were with him to a man; but he sensed their uneasiness.

He explained this to Edward. He had taken to Edward. He was certain that here could be a future King. If York was not quite fit for the throne, this son of his would be. Warwick meant to create him in his own image. He was going to make a king of him—which Warwick intended to be himself—in all but name. There was that in his character which made him prefer the role of manipulator. Providing the puppets went his way, that was the role to have. Moreover he could hardly lay claim to the throne himself, and it was essential for a man to have that claim.

York had it. So had young Edward.

Warwick was supreme. Edward saw that clearly. Here he was after fleeing from his enemies, nothing left to him but this governorship of Calais which undoubtedly would be taken from him in a matter of weeks, yet he was jaunty and still sure of himself. There was something indestructible about him.

Edward wanted to be just like that.

Warwick admitted that they had suffered a defeat. War was like that. Up one day, down the next. It was the final battle that counted. And that was to come. They would now begin planning their return and Edward should see how it was done. He would learn what tactics to follow. How to play on men’s emotions.

Warwick certainly knew how to do that. He only had to appear to be cheered and idolized. Edward listened to him talking to his men.

‘Yes, we have lost this battle. Temporarily we are on the run. But look you, my friends, we have this port of Calais. It is the most important port in Europe. They will try to take it away from me, but are we going to allow that? Indeed we are not.’

The burghers of Calais pledged themselves to Warwick. They lent him the money he needed for his army. They put their faith in him, rather than a weak government from England headed by the Queen.

As he had expected the Queen immediately appointed the Duke of Somerset as Captain of Calais.

‘He may come here,’ said Warwick, ‘but he will not land in Calais, I promise you that.’

Edward watched with growing excitement. He could scarcely tear himself from Warwick’s side.