The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean - Страница 17

want the coronation delayed. If the Archbishop of Canterbury was absent, what was wrong with the Bishop of Winchester? They wanted their coronation.

In desperation, the King sent for those barons who had confronted him

before. They must change their minds, he told them.

‘There is only one thing which will make us change our minds,’ Warwick

told him. ‘Your promise to banish Piers Gaveston.’

The King was dismayed but he saw the purpose in their eyes. This could be

disastrous. It could even be the beginning of civil war. Piers had only just been returned to him and now they wanted to send him away again.

But there was purpose in their eyes.

‘The coronation must take place? soon,’ said the King.

They agreed. If not, the people would know that something was very wrong.

‘What can I do?’ cried Edward.

‘Please the Queen and the people,’ he was told, ‘by banishing Gaveston.’

‘You don’t know what you ask!’ cried the King in anguish.

‘What we do know,’ said the implacable Warwick, ‘is what will happen if

you do not.’

These barons! They had too much power. Ever since Magna Carta a king

was not in truth a king. He had to bow to their will or face? disaster.

The King knew he had to promise. After all promises did not necessarily

have to be kept.

???????

The coronation was a disaster. The fact that it was postponed had tarnished whole affair in some way, and the people were aware of certain tensions.

Nevertheless they turned out in their thousands and the press in the streets and about the abbey was so great that when one of the knights, Sir John Bakewell, fell from his horse, he was trodden to death before he could be rescued.

Gaveston had insisted on making the arrangements. He had intended that

this coronation should be more splendid than any which had gone before? and he the most splendid figure in it. But his numerous enemies had decided on quite the opposite and on this occasion they proved more effective than he was.

The service was delayed and darkness had descended just after the

consecration of the King and Queen. When they arrived at the banqueting hall by torchlight it was discovered that the meal was not ready in spite of the delay.

The barons were very hungry and they complained bitterly and there were

audible whispers that Gaveston’s departure must not be delayed. When the food did arrive, it was proclaimed to be cold and ill-cooked and disgruntled looks could seen everywhere.

The Queen’s uncle Charles who was close to her said: ‘This is an affront to you and therefore to France. It shall not be forgotten.’

‘You must write your account of this matter? and others? to your father

and we will see what he has to say,’ added Louis.

Isabella had every intention of doing that.

Her coronation had been a disaster and she had not been the centre of

attraction, for all eyes had been on that impossible outrageous creature,

Gaveston. True the looks cast in his direction had been far from friendly but still it had been as he had intended it should from the first: His day.

The Queen was ready to upbraid the King and tell him that she would

complain to her father, but he did not come near her. He must spend as many hours as he could with his beloved Gaveston, particularly now the threat of separation hung over him.

Isabella wrote home to her father: ‘What sort of man have I been married to?

I see little of him. He prefers the couch of his favourite Gaveston to mine.’

Her uncles informed the barons that they were displeased by the treatment

given to the Queen and that they would consider it their duty to explain the situation to her father.

Lancaster replied that the Queen’s uncles could be no more displeased with the state of affairs than the barons were and that before long they intended Gaveston to be banished from the country.

Charles de Valois discussed the matter with his brother Louis and they

wondered whether it was wise to advise the King to send his favourite away.

‘If he does not,’ said Charles, ‘the barons will rise in revolt.’ He smiled slowly. ‘Our brother will not be displeased at that, I’m sure.’

‘And Isabella?’ asked Louis.

‘Never fear, we shall take care of our niece.’

Charles was right. When the brothers returned to France the King was

interested to hear of the English barons’ dissatisfaction with their King.

‘Good,’ he said. ‘We must let them know that if they should decide to rise against him we should not come to his aid.’

‘As your son-in-law, would he not expect it?’ asked Louis.

‘There is no harm in his expecting it. But Edward is not my son. Every King of England knows that France cannot help but watch with interest any

disaffection in his realm; and since we can never be sure when he will seek to take advantage of us, we must be somewhat relieved to know that he has his troubles elsewhere.’

‘Do you propose to take action, my lord?’ asked Louis.

The King smiled slowly. ‘Secret action. It shall be known that if the barons needed help we might be prepared to give them? a little.’

???????

Lancaster had received word from the King of France that Philip was

displeased with Edward’s treatment of his daughter and, if Lancaster were to make himself head of that party which demanded action against the King’s

favourite, he would have the support of the King of France.

That decided Lancaster. The party was more powerful than he would have

believed possible. The King had vowed to banish Gaveston. He and they must make him realize it was within their power to force him do so.

Lancaster called together a meeting of the barons.

‘It is clear,’ he announced, ‘that we cannot continue in this way. Gaveston must go. The King of France desires it and no wonder. Gaveston’s presence at court is an insult to the Queen.’

The barons agreed with one exception. This was Hugh le Despenser, Earl of

Winchester, an ambitious man? more than that, an avaricious one. He had

served in Scotland with the King ‘s father and eager to curry favour with the younger Edward, he saw an opportunity here. He had asked for an audience with the King and being admitted found him with Gaveston, both of them rather

gloomy for they knew the barons were standing together against the favorite.

Winchester told them that the barons had called a meeting and intended to

confront the King and command Gaveston’s banishment.

‘I will not let him go!’ cried Edward petulantly.

Gaveston said: ‘They may force you to do so, sweet lord.’

‘I will not be forced. Am I the King, or am I not? God’s teeth, I have not reigned a year yet and they would rule me.’

Winchester said: ‘I fear my lord that they are going to insist and it may be necessary for a while to do as they wish. But need it be for long, and why should you not decide where the Earl of Cornwall should go?’

‘They want to send him to Gascony.’

‘He could go to Ireland, my lord. There he could act as your lieutenant. He could be given a grant of money and live in comfort until you could see fit to recall him. You see if there were trouble in Ireland it would be necessary to consult with him. And then you could meet somewhere half-way. You could

accompany him on his journey until he takes ship. Perhaps this could break the melancholy a little.’

Gaveston’s face had brightened but Edward was still downcast.

‘I do not wish him to go at all,’ he cried peevishly.

‘My heart is torn in pieces,’ added Gaveston, ‘But Winchester is right. We can soften the blow. We can rest assured that they are determined to part us, and I fear they may succeed. But let us make our parting as brief as possible. Let us see if we cannot outwit them in the end.’