The Sun in Splendour - Plaidy Jean - Страница 34

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It was cheering news.

Warwick raised no objection to the little Prince's being baptized in the Abbey. There was no ceremony attached to the proceedings and Elizabeth compared this with the baptism of her girls. How strange that this should be the lot of the long-awaited son!

But Edward's words were with her. It would not be long. Jacquetta assured her that the signs were that Edward would indeed be back.

Christmas came and went. The little Prince who had been bom on the 1st of November continued to thrive. They tried to celebrate the festival as well as they were able and because of the goodness of the butcher they were not without food. Mrs Cobbe and Lady Scrope managed to get some warmer clothing for them all and so they struggled on.

'God send the spring quickly this year/ said Jacquetta. Her eyes were shining with a strange prophetic light. 'With the spring will come escape from this sad state, I know.'

Elizabeth believed her. It helped her to bear the hardships.

Margaret of Burgundy welcomed her brothers to her Court at Bruges. She was delighted to be of service to them but distressed at the cause of their visit. Margaret had already made her mark at the Burgundian Court. She had inherited her strong character from her mother and she seemed more than ever to resemble Proud Cis; but there was a kindliness in her nature which her mother lacked and this trait had already made her loved and respected at her husband's Court.

Charles, the Duke, was pleased with his wife. Margaret was a

good stepmother to his son and daughter of his first marriage. She was devoted to her own family and she put herself absolutely at the disposal of her brother in his need. It was fortunate that Burgundy was Edward's ally and that relations between Louis of France and the Duke were very antagonistic. Louis of course was Warwick's friend and had helped him to return to England, so it was only natural therefore that Burgundy should help Edward; and since the Duchess of Burgundy was Edward's sister that made it all the easier.

Strangely enough what distressed the Duchess almost as much as Edward's loss of his throne—though they all insisted that that was temporary—was the defection of Clarence. That one member of the family should proclaim himself the enemy of another, was to her intolerable.

Secretly she made up her mind that she would try to persuade George to stop this nonsense. She had always been rather fond of George—more so than she had of Richard. She knew that Richard was perhaps more worthy, that he was good, studious and devoted to Edward. She knew too that George was too fond of eating, drinking—particularly drinking—and generally indulging himself. He was vain, because he had a certain charm; he was handsome though they all suffered by comparison with Edward; he was clever in a way, sharp, crafty rather than brilliant. But how could one explain one's likes and dislikes? George had always been a favourite of hers.

He must be made to realize the dishonour of turning to Warwick against his own brother.

Edward was astounded by the splendour of the Court at Bruges. He had always known that Burgundy was not only the most powerful man in France but the richest, but this far surpassed his own Courts at Westminster and Windsor and he had been considered somewhat extravagant in his love of tasteful decorations and furniture.

But this was no time for such comparisons. His great aim was to get help which would enable him to sail back to England, to rout out Warwick and when he had done so. . . . What? The idea of beheading Warwick could arouse no enthusiasm in him. There was so much he could remember of Warwick. How he had adored him in the old days! And to think it had come to this was so distressing. One of the worst aspects of being driven out of his kingdom was the fact that Warwick had done it.

Although Margaret was passionately devoted to her brother's cause, her husband was reluctant to support Edward outwardly.

'Louis is waiting for a chance to attack me,' he said, 'and if he and the Lancastrians joined up against me ... I should be in a difficult position. Louis is trearing Margaret and her son as very honoured guests . . . friends even. I have to go carefully.'

He was willing to help Edward in secret but he would not come out in the open and do so. This was frustraring, for the acknowledged support of the Duke would have gone a long way.

However, Edward was optimistic. Each week brought new help. The merchants had always been aware of Edward's superior qualities as a ruler and were ready to support him and money came to him from the Hanseatic towns. As the months passed he could see the day coming nearer when it would be possible for him to land with an army which could win him a victory over his enemies.

During those months he became very interested in an Englishman who had taken service in the Burgundian Court under the patronage of his sister. This was a certain William Caxton who had begun his career as a mercer to a rich merchant called Large who had been Lord Mayor of London. Caxton had gone to Bruges on the death of the Mayor.and became associated with the merchant adventurers. He became a successful businessman and did much to promote trade between England and the Low Countries. But as he grew older—he must have been about fifty years of age when Edward arrived at his sister's Court—he became interested in literature, and when Margaret suggested he join her Court and continue his writing, Caxton gladly accepted the invitation.

Edward talked to him of the merchant adventurers with whom he had had some dealing but he was more interested in his literary work, particularly a book which he was translating called Le Recueil des Histoires de Troye.

They discussed together the interest of such a work to many people and how unfortunate it was that so few could read it as there was only one copy and it took so long to make another.

Caxton had heard of a process which had been invented in Cologne and which was called a printing-press. He had seen this and had been most interested in it. Edward listened and agreed that it would be a very good thing to have and he wondered whether it would be possible to bring it to England. Caxton was

sure it would be and when he had finished his translation he intended to go again to Cologne and then possibly set up a press in Bruges.

'I will remember that,' Edward told him, 'and I hope that when we are in a happier state in England you will visit the Court there.'

Caxton said that it would be an honour to do so, for although he had lived long abroad and had been made most welcome in the Duchess's Court he did often long for his native land.

The weeks passed quickly and during them Edward worked indefatigably building up arms and men in preparation for crossing the Channel. By March he had accumulated a force of some twelve thousand men and with Richard of Gloucester and Earl Rivers he set sail from Flushing. The weather was against him and it was ten days before he reached Cromer. Some of his men landed to test the state of opinion in that area and discovered that it was solidly in Warwick's control; he sailed on northwards and finally landed at Ravenspur.

It was not as easy as he had thought for what the people dreaded more than anything was civil war. They had favoured Edward but Edward had been driven out of the country. True, they knew Henry was weak, but Warwick was behind him and Warwick had that aura of greatness which they respected.

But as Edward came to York he found there were plenty to rally to his banner and he began the march south. He was near Banbury when he heard that Clarence was not far off and shortly afterwards Clarence sent a messenger on in advance to tell Edward that he wanted to speak with him.

Edward was pleased for there was a conciliatory note in the message and he believed that his brother was fast regretting his action in turning against him.

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