The Sun in Splendour - Plaidy Jean - Страница 84

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There was only one true King of England. They knew him well. He had done good service in the North and held back the Scots. He had served his country and brother with absolute loyalty and devotion. And he was the true King of England.

There was one other matter. Edward himself had been a bastard. The Duchess of York had taken occasional lovers during her husband's frequent absences. Both Edward the late King and George Duke of Clarence were bastards. The Duchess herself had threatened to reveal this at the time the late Edward the Fourth went through a form of marriage with Elizabeth Woodville, so shocked had she been that one of what she called such low birth should marry her son. She did not, however, for that would have meant exposing her own dishonour; but now that the King—and make no mistake he had been a great and good K^ig—was dead, they need not despair. What was past was done with. They had a new King, one who had proved his ability to serve them well.

They had King Richard the Third.

There was silence in the crowds about Paul's Cross. This was the most astounding revelation and if anyone but their Lord Mayor had made it they would have thought he was a madman.

The King married already! The little King a bastard! And those slanderous things they were saying about the Duchess of York!

They wanted to get away to talk together. It was astounding. They did not believe it.

Sir Edmund Shaa watched them walking away, whispering together.

In Baynard's Castle Buckingham and Richard discussed the people's reactions.

'What did their silence mean?' asked Richard.

'That they were shocked of course. Although we have heard the rumours they had not. They will take a little time to get used to the idea.'

'I like it not,' said Richard. 'The announcement should never have been made. I liked not the slander against my mother. I'll swear it is a lie.'

'The important thing is the King's pre-contract. You believe that, I'm sure.'

Tdo.'

'Stillington must be brought forward to show proof.'

'There is no proof. Only Stillington's word.'

'What reason should he have to lie?'

'He might think it would bring him advancement in a new reign.'

'He would never dare to lie in such a matter. We must strike again quickly. I will take some of my men with lords and knights to the Guildhall on Tuesday. There I will make a declaration. The people will have crowded into the hall and will have assembled outside. There I shall state the facts again.'

T forbid you to mention my mother.'

There is no need to. All that matters is that the boy is known as a bastard, and that you are the rightful King of the realm.'

Buckingham went to the Guildhall as he had said he would. There he spoke with the utmost eloquence on the situation which had arisen through the disclosure of Bishop Stillington, and when he had assessed Richard's claim to the throne, he cried out: 'Will you accept Richard of Gloucester as Richard the Third of England?'

There was heavy pause in the crowd which as Buckingham had predicted, filled the Guildhall and spilled into the streets outside.

Then some of Buckingham's men shouted from the back of the hall: 'Long Live King Richard.'

Buckingham appeared to be satisfied.

The next day the Parliament met. The facts were presented; the marriage discussed, as was the illegitimacy of Edward the Fifth and of Edward the Fourth and the Duke of Clarence. Buckingham reminded the peers that Edward had been bom in Rouen and Clarence in Dublin. Richard was a true Englishman for he had seen the light of day at Fotheringay castle in Northamptonshire. Would they agree that a deputation should be sent to Baynard's Castle and ask Richard to take the crown? They agreed and the following day, Buckingham led the deputation to the Castle where Richard, with a show of reluctance, agreed to accept the crown. The reign of Edward the Fifth was over. That of Richard the Third had begun.

Anne had arrived in London with her son Edward. She was uneasy for she was sure that Edward was not fit to travel. However, on such an occasion she must be present and so must their son, for now she was the Queen . . . Queen of England. On the journey down from Middleham her apprehension had increased. She had grown accustomed to the quiet life at Middleham; she had wished, naturally, that Richard could be with them, but since the death of his brother she had scarcely seen him. It had been something of a shock to her to learn that he had been offered the crown and for what reason.

She thought often of Queen Elizabeth Woodville and imagined her wrath at the turn events had taken. And here was she, in Elizabeth's place. She wondered what those who had departed would think if they could look back and see what was happening. She could imagine her father's delight. His daughter a queen!

Dear father, who had been good to his family when he had time for them, but he had sought the glittering prizes of life and had in time met his death. What were all those prizes worth now? But she smiled to think how he would have rejoiced to see his daughter Queen. He would have thought everything worth while and she wished that she could share those feelings. Alas, the prospect filled her only with misgivings.

She knew that Richard would be uneasy too. He would be a worthy King; he had the gift of governing well; but to think that he had come to power through the dishonour of his brother and

his young nephew would disturb him greatly she knew.

He brought her into London by barge but as soon as he had greeted her she noticed the fresh hirrows on his brow. He was delighted to see her and their son of course though the looks of both of them added to his anxieties.

She had commanded her women to brighten her complexion for she did not want to alarm Richard with her pallor. There was nothing she could do, though, to disguise the boy's wan looks.

'So,' she said, 'you are the King now. You were a mere Duke when we last met.'

'It has all happened quickly, Anne. I want to talk to you about it/

The people cheered them as they sailed up river to Baynard's Castle. There was little time, Richard explained, for the coronation was fixed for the sixth of July.

'So soon?' cried Anne.

'Coronations should never be delayed,' answered Richard.

He talked to his son and was at least pleased with the boy's brightness. It helped to compensate for his frail health.

He sought an early opportunity of being alone with Anne for he could see that she was bewildered by the astonishing turn of events.

'You have heard the story. Young Edward was a bastard because of my brother's previous marriage.'

'The whole country talks of it.'

'Everyone of good sense wants a stable country and that cannot be with a King who is too young to govern. There are certain to be rivals—different people eager to get the King in their control. If Edward had been of age I should have subdued the fact of his bastardy for my brother's sake.'

'Yes, Richard, I believe you would.'

'It is not that I wish for the crown. . . for the arduous duties of a sovereign. Power is enticing but it brings such burdens, Anne. We were happy at Middleham, were we not?'

'So happy,' she said. 'But such happiness does not last.'

'And you are worried about the boy?'

'His health is not good.'

'We will make him Prince of Wales.'

'I do not think that will improve it.'

'Anne, he must get well'

'I wish we could have more children. I'm afraid I am not a very

good wife for you, Richard. You should have had someone fecund, vital. . . someone like Elizabeth Woodville.'

'God forbid. I dislike that woman as much as she dislikes me. I thought Edward demeaned himself by marrying ... or rather going through a form of marriage with her. It was from that that all our troubles started. The Woodvilles . . . the cursed Woodvilles . . . they brought your father against my brother.'

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