The Red Rose of Anjou Read online

  ‘It seems that one must go to the Queen before the King.’

  ‘Well, that is true. Margaret means to rule, and Henry is only too pleased to let someone else take over the role that he never really wanted.’

  ‘It is very good news indeed.’

  ‘There is more to come. There are some weighty titles coming our way. I already have the Earldom of Pembroke.’

  ‘From Gloucester’s estate?’ added Alice quietly.

  ‘Well, yes, and not only that but Chamberlain and Constable of Dover and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. I am to be Admiral of England as well. What do you think of that?’

  ‘I am overwhelmed and so must you be with so many honours.’

  ‘And in addition, my lady Marchioness, how would you like to become a Duchess?’

  ‘So...that as well.’

  ‘Behold the Duke of Suffolk.’

  ‘The King must be very pleased with you. He must love you well.’

  ‘The King,’ said the new Duke of Suffolk, ‘and the Queen as well.’

  NICHOLAS OF THE TOWER

  Henry was happier than he had ever been. He was delighted with his marriage. He believed he was surrounded by good ministers headed by the Duke of Suffolk, but he was grieved that his great-uncle the Cardinal had died. That had been a sadness and Margaret had felt it deeply. She had dearly loved the old man and she was very touched that he had left her all the fine scarlet damask and the bed which he had had made especially for her on her visits to Grafton.

  ‘I shall always treasure them,’ she said, but she wept bitterly and was sad every time she saw them.

  She was recovering from her grief though, and she was interested in Henry’s plans for building. They visited the work frequently. He had enjoyed showing Margaret the College of the Blessed Mary of Eton beside Windsor. He had explained to her how interesting it had been studying the plans for the building and what a boon it would be to scholars. They would go on from the college to the one he was building at Cambridge. He was going to call it College Royal or King’s College to Our Lady and St. Nicholas.

  Margaret was very interested. She said she would very much like to found a college herself.

  Indeed she should, said Henry, and he thought how much pleasanter this was than the perpetual negotiations and plans for war.

  Together they went to Cambridge and there Margaret met a certain Andrew Doket who was the rector of St. Botolph's there. He was very gratified by the interest of the King and Queen because he had already laid the foundation stones and he was seeking help in bringing about the building of a college. It was his greatest ambition but a lack of funds was a tremendous handicap to progress, but in view of royal interest his hopes were soaring and since Margaret wished to found a college why should she not work in conjunction with Doket?

  He had intended to call the college The College of St. Bernard as before he had become rector of St. Botolph’s he had been the principal of the St. Bernard Hostel. But he was ready enough to change the name in order to get the college built and it was decided that it should be called Queen’s College of St. Margaret and St. Bernard.

  Thus Margaret had a project to equal that of the King and they spent many happy hours glowing with enthusiasm, discussing plans and visiting sites. They had literature in common too. Margaret was very fond of Boccaccio’s work and she and Henry read this together. Then there was the hunt to occupy her. Henry did not follow her quite so enthusiastically in this but Margaret loved to ride for after a few hours over her books she found the chase invigorating. She loved to ride ahead of the rest of the party, to be the first in at the kill. That was something Henry liked to avoid, for bloodshed, even of animals, was abhorrent to him.

  When Margaret discovered that certain of the courtiers had been hunting in the royal forest she immediately gave orders that the game should be preserved absolutely for her use. Henry had never given such orders and the fact that Margaret did so without consulting him indicated her imperious nature. Why should she have consulted Henry? she would have asked. He would agree to give her what she wanted. And that was the truth. Henry was living in a state of blissful happiness. He had a beautiful Queen whom he loved and who loved him. The foolish war with France was petering out. He had made peace by his marriage and Margaret and he with their books and music and founding their colleges were happy.

  They had no child as yet and that was a source of regret; but it would come. Margaret was very young and he was not old.

  When their child was born, they would have reached perfection.

  He deeply regretted the death of the Cardinal but then as though to balance that, Gloucester was dead also. York was to go to Ireland—although he was taking a long time to set out. Everything could be safely left in the capable hands of the Duke of Suffolk and Henry need only concern himself with his happy life.

  And it was a happy time. He and Margaret made a tour of the country’s monasteries. They went to the Austin Friary at Lynn and as far north as Durham.

  In the midst of all these mutual pleasures Margaret received letters from France; among them was one from her father. There had been great delays, he complained, and he begged her for the good of England, he said, as well as for that of France, to urge the surrender of Maine to the King of France.

  Margaret thought of the matter a great deal. She knew that the English were clinging to Maine as one of the most important of their possessions in France. They should give it up. It belonged to France and if it were returned to that country her father would profit, for it would be restored to the House of Anjou.

  She wrote to her father. I will do your pleasure as much as lies in my power as I have done already.’

  She and Henry had had a happy day. They had been to the colleges and had indulged in a little friendly rivalry which delighted Henry.

  She was so amiable, so amusing and so very beautiful. He was singularly blessed in his marriage, he told himself.

  When they were in their apartment she sat at his feet with a book on her lap. She would read aloud to him; but after reading for a while she laid aside the book and said: ‘Oh, I wish we could have absolute peace. I think if I could have a child and peace between our countries I would know perfect happiness.’

  ‘The child will come,’ said Henry. ‘And peace...well, there is no active war at this time.’

  ‘We have a truce!’ she cried. ‘What is a truce? It means that war can break out at any moment.’

  ‘Yes,’ he agreed solemnly.

  ‘And it could be ended at once.’

  Henry shook his head.

  ‘Yes,’ she insisted. ‘Maine. That is all that stands between us and an end to this war.’

  ‘If I thought...’

  ‘Yes?’ she asked eagerly. ‘If you thought that giving up Maine would end the war you would give it up?’

  ‘Yes,’ he cried. ‘Yes, yes.’

  She rose and coming close to him put her arms round his neck.

  ‘Then it is done,’ she said.

  He shook his head. ‘The Parliament...’

  ‘The Parliament. You are the King. Oh Henry, I cannot bear it when you let others rule you. You are the King. It is for you to say.’

  ‘Yes, it is for me to say,’ he repeated.

  She brought pen and paper to him. ‘Henry, write this. Say that you will give up Maine...for peace.’

  Henry hesitated but only for a moment. She was so earnest and so beautiful. She was clever too. Far more so than he was. And he did want to please her.

  Moreover he desperately wanted peace.

  She was triumphant. It was done. The King had agreed to surrender Maine.

  ###

  So Maine was to be surrendered and Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and nephew of the Cardinal, was in France with Adam Moleyns, Bishop of Chichester, to arrange peace terms.

  The King of France was not eager to make peace unless he achieved what he wanted and he knew that i
t was impossible to get the English to agree to that. What he wanted was to clear the English out of France and to make them give up their claim to the French crown forever. They would not be ready to concede that—but the surrender of Maine was a very good piece of good fortune to be getting on with. All that had been agreed to was an extension of the peace for two years.

  The Parliament was very uneasy. They should not have surrendered Maine and yet on the other hand they were not in a position to continue the war. The French were becoming prosperous under the King who in his youth had seemed so hopeless. The English had a King who did not care for war and had no skill in conducting it. England was in no condition to continue the war but on the other hand they must get out of it with some advantages.

  The surrender of Maine was a great mistake and for it they blamed the Queen and Suffolk.

  Well, there was a truce and that might give them time to build up the army, to raise taxes—if the people did not revolt and refuse to pay them. It was a waiting time, but the uneasiness was growing.

  Then disaster struck. Francis Tarragonois, one of the English captains, seeing the build-up of French arms and knowing that attack would come sooner or later, forestalled them and marched into Brittany, took several fortresses and captured the town of Fougères.

  It was a foolish action for it gave the French the very chance they wanted. The English had broken the truce. Very well, that meant it was over. There was nothing to stop them now. They were ready. In a very short time they had captured Normandy.

  The loss of Normandy demoralized the English. So it had been long ago in the reign of King John. Normandy had been brought to England with the Conqueror and had been part of the English heritage since the Conquest.

  The people were aghast. What had happened to the glorious victories of Henry the Fifth? It was little more than thirty years ago when the bells were ringing and the country was rejoicing in Agincourt.

  And now...disaster. The surrender of Maine had meant the beginning of surrender to France. And they had let it happen. Not the King...he was too weak to do it. He had been forced into it. By his ministers, by the grand Duke of Suffolk and the Queen. The Duke of Somerset was a fool. He had been defeated in France and he and the Bishop Moleyns deserved to be hanged.

  There was uneasiness throughout the country.

  Henry’s idyll was rudely shattered.

  They were losing France. Very well, let them lose it. He was content with England. He wanted to see the people happy. He wanted to encourage the artists. He wanted his people to appreciate fine music and art, to have colleges in which to study. War was the last thing he wanted. Let them abandon France...the whole of France if necessary and let them give their minds to being happy in England.

  Suffolk came to Windsor to see him. A new Suffolk, a worried man this. His self-assurance was crumbling.

  ‘My lord, my lady.’ His eyes were on the Queen. She was the one who understood these matters better than the King. ‘Bad news.’

  ‘No more losses,’ cried Henry. ‘People should give more thought to prayer.’

  ‘Prayer will do little to save Moleyns now. He went down to Portsmouth to pay the sailors for their work in carrying the troops to France, and he lodged there at the hospital called God’s House.’

  Margaret put her hand to her wildly beating heart. He is afraid to tell us, she thought. That is why he is hesitating.

  ‘My lord,’ she began. ‘William, tell us the worst. We have to know it.’

  ‘Well, my lady, the sailors began to quarrel about their payment. They said it was not enough and accused Moleyns of taking it for himself. Moleyns replied with some disdain, I gather, that they were behaving foolishly. Therefore they began shouting "Normandy. You have lost Normandy for us." And then they fell upon him.’

  ‘Forsooth and forsooth,’ cried the King. ‘They did not...harm him . ..’

  ‘They killed him, my lord. They so mishandled him that a short while after he was dead.’

  Margaret looked at Henry. He had turned very pale. The thought of violence unnerved him.

  ‘It was the mob,’ she cried. ‘I hate them. They act without reason...’

  Suffolk said slowly: ‘It shows the way the wind has begun to blow.’

  He was right. His enemies were gathering. Maine had been surrendered, Rouen lost. Somerset might in some measure be to blame, Moleyns had paid the penalty, but the leader was Suffolk and now it was his turn.

  Very shortly after the murder of Moleyns Suffolk was committed to the Tower.

  ###

  Alice, Duchess of Suffolk came to the Tower and begged to be allowed to see her husband.

  When she was shown into the small chamber where he was seated she ran to him and was swept up in his arms.

  ‘William,’ she cried, ‘how could this happen? How could they

  ‘I am the scapegoat, Alice.’

  ‘Something must be done,’ she cried. ‘They will never allow this to go on. The King...the Queen...’

  ‘I doubt either will have the power to stop it, Alice.’ ‘What have you done but ever serve your country.’ Suffolk was silent. He had served his country, it was true, but he could not deny that he had served himself rather well at the same time.

  He sat down and covered his face with his hands.

  ‘It is like a prophecy coming true. Do you remember years ago a soothsayer telling me that if I could escape from the Tower I should live? If I did not I should die.’

  ‘A safe prophecy for any man,’ said Alice scornfully. ‘But put such foolish notions from your head. What will happen? You will have a hearing and how then could anyone bring charges against you.’

  ‘They will accuse me of giving Maine to the French.’

  ‘But that had to be. It was the price of peace.’

  ‘But it did not buy peace. They will accuse me of losing Normandy.’

  ‘You were not there. Somerset was in charge.’

  ‘That matters not. They want to bring these things against me and they will do so. They have accused me of many things.’

  A silence fell between them. Yes, the people had accused him...of Gloucester’s murder, of being Margaret’s lover.

  Any accusations which could be thought of would be brought against him. When a man was down anything could happen to him.

  ‘We shall not despair,’ said Alice. ‘I shall see the Queen.’

  ‘Take care. They hate the Queen. Do not let us involve her in this more than she is. It can do us no good and it can bring harm to her. Be patient, Alice. I have to face the Parliament and I can give a good account of myself, I promise you.’

  ‘But if they are determined to find you guilty...’

  ‘They have to prove it, my dear. I tell you I did not reach this position from which so many want to tear me down by being reckless or without guile.’

  ‘I know. I trust you, William. You will pull through this as you have through other things. It is just that to see you here...’

  ‘It is the Tower. It has that effect. So many cruel things have happened in this grim fortress. While one is here it seems impossible to escape from them. But I shall come through these troubles. Once let me get out of the Tower and all will be well.’

  ‘I believe you,’ said Alice.

  She had to. She could not bear to contemplate the alternative.

  ###

  He stood before his peers and listened to the charges against him.

  They declared he had conspired to secure the throne for his son John Pole by contracting for him a marriage with Margaret Beaufort the daughter of the first Duke of Somerset. The child had been two years old only when her father had died and she had been taken into Suffolk’s house, there to be brought up until that time when she could be married to his son. This was nonsense. He had had no such thought. There would be many to claim the throne before Margaret Beaufort. The real grievance was the loss of Maine and Anjou which had been surrendered
to the French. Suffolk was accused of working for the French and it was said that this was the reason why he had given over these important provinces. Moreover he had failed to supply adequate forces and arms to the army serving in France and was thus responsible for the present debacle. These were the main charges, but in addition evidence was brought out that there had been some maladministration in property and money and that Suffolk had come far too well out of too many transactions for the good of the nation.

  They were determined to condemn him and he knew it. But he also knew his own powers. He would not be easily defeated. He could give a very good account of himself.

  He was taken back to the Tower.

  Alice came to the Queen. She threw herself at Margaret’s feet and seizing her hand begged her to help her.

  ‘They are going to condemn William,’ she said. ‘They have made up their minds. They are all against him.’

  ‘Not all,’ said Margaret. ‘We will save him. I promise you, Alice. Come to the King at once. He will give an order that William shall be freed from these ridiculous charges.’

  Alice kissed the Queen’s hand. There were tears in her eyes. ‘Oh my lady, 1 knew you would be a good friend to me.’

  ‘Of course I am your friend. Do you think I shall ever forget how you looked after me when I was so young and apprehensive? You and William are my first friends in England. Of course, Alice, we shall not allow these wicked men to harm William. They shall withdraw their charges at once. Come, we will go to the King.’

  Henry was as grieved as Margaret. William was his good friend. He relied on William.

  ‘You must order them to free him from the Tower at once,’ said Margaret.

  He looked at her rather sadly. There was much that Margaret did not understand. He was the King, yes, but he was to a large extent governed by his Parliament and he could not order the release of a man whom they had condemned.

  ‘It will not be as simple as that,’ he explained. ‘The Londoners are against William and the Parliament is always afraid of the Londoners. You see the people don’t understand that we had to give up Maine for peace. They blame William for the loss of Maine.’