The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean - Страница 20

there before.

The Inquisition did not lack victims. Countless arrests were made. The tales of what happened in those sombre chambers of pain were whispered in dark

corners. Insecurity was in the air.

Edward had said that he would have no burnings at the stake and it was

ordained that the Templars should be disbanded, their property confiscated and they could find places where they could settle into civil life.

The Templars could not believe their good fortune for they were well aware of what was happening in France. True, they must find new ways of existence but at least they had been left with their lives.

The Inquisition finally departed from England to the great relief of the

people.

Never, never, they vowed, should it come to these shores again

Meanwhile the horrible tortures persisted in France and the Grand Master

himself suffered. He was in his seventies and to the delight of the King of France could not stand up to torture and was ready to confess anything of which he might be accused, but it was not possible for Philip to consign him to the flames. He must receive his sentence of death from the Pope. That would come in due course. Meanwhile Philip concerned himself with lesser men and revelled in their property which was more than even he had dared hope.

Edward had replenished his exchequer also, which gave him much relief, but was glad he had not the sin of murder on his conscience.

His behavior over the matter of the Templars had brought him a certain

popularity with the people. In fact, they had always been fond of him and had blamed Gaveston for the troubles in the kingdom. When he rode out with the Queen he was cheered, and seeing them together the people thought that the scandalous affair of the king and Gaveston was over now.

If the Queen could give birth to a son, they would be popular indeed.

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In his heart, Edward did not greatly care. All he wanted was the return of Gaveston and he began to plan for his return.

Perrot was clever. He was doing so well in Ireland that even his greatest

enemy— Warwick perhaps— had to admit that this was so.

As for Edward, he sought to placate those very men who had dismissed

Perrot, and they were not unwilling to be placated. He was after all the King and the King’s friendship must mean a good deal to them all. Edward was realizing more and more that there was only one thing he desired— that was the return of Gaveston, and he was ready to do anything to bring it about.

His friendship with Walter Reynolds had always been a source of irritation to the nobility who deplored the King’s partiality for those of humble birth. He had recently made Walter Bishop of Worcester and had actually attended the consecration by Archbishop Winchelsey at Canterbury. That was a great mark of favour. Walter was well known as a crony of the King and Gaveston; he was standing with Edward now against the barons and was believed to be working for the return of Gaveston. So it was clever of Edward to send him off on a papal mission to the Court of Avignon where he would have to remain for some time. That was not all. There was one man whom Gaveston’s enemies were very eager to see removed from his position near the King. This was Hugh le

Despenser. He had been dismissed from the council at the time of Gaveston’s banishment but he still remained close to the King.

The departure of Walter Reynolds had so pleased the barons that Edward

had another idea which he confided to Hugh.

‘My dear friend,’ he said, ‘you know my regard for you. You must never

think that it has faltered. I am a faithful friend I trust, to those who serve me well.’

‘Your fidelity to the Earl of Cornwall can never have been surpassed,’ said Hugh.

‘Ah Perrot! How I miss him. But he will come back to us, Hugh. I am

determined on it.’

‘I pray so night and day, my lord.’

‘I know you are our good friend, Hugh. That is why you will understand

what I am going to do. I must have Perrot back. I shall die if he does not come to me soon. I have sent Walter to France. Did you see the effect of that? They could not believe it and they took it as a sign that I have reformed my ways and am going to be the sort of King they want me to be.’

‘I have noticed it, my lord. Walter was desolate to go and you to lose him.’

‘He understands, as you must, Hugh. I am going to dismiss you.’

Hugh’s face was blank. He was so eager not to show his emotions.

‘It will seem that you no longer please me as a close friend, but that is

untrue. You must understand that. I shall be seen everywhere with Isabella.

Please understand what this means to me. I must have Perrot back.’

‘I understand well, my lord. You will win the barons and the Queen to your side and then you will say that there is no reason why the Earl of Cornwall should not come back. He has proved himself an able lieutenant and good

servant of the country; and you must have grown out of your infatuation with him for you are dismissing your old friends and becoming a good husband to the Queen.’

‘You have it, Hugh. Do you think it will work?’

Hugh was thoughtful for a while. Then he said: ‘It may well. As for myself, although I shall be desolate to be dismissed, I am ready to do anything in your service.’

The King embraced Hugh.

‘My dear good friend, I shall not forget this.’

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The barons were as Edward had foreseen, duly impressed by these signs of

reformation but they were not to be entirely deceived.

The King was too extravagant. There were too many Court officials who had

too much power. The laws of justice needed revising and there should be more drastic action against those who debased the coin. In fact the barons drew up a long list of necessary changes.

When these were presented to him Edward said: ‘I would be ready to agree

to these on one condition.’

‘And what condition is this, my lord?’ asked Warwick.

‘That the Earl of Cornwall return to England and his estates be restored to him.’

There were grave faces round the table but he could see that some of them

wavered. They agreed that they would like to discuss the matter if the King would give his permission. All gracious charm and tolerance, the King agreed.

They came back to him. He could see that Lincoln was half apologetic, but

Warwick was adamant. He would be. He had never forgiven Perrot for his

success at the tournament and most of all for giving him the nickname of the Mad Hound. Warwick was a strong man and Warwick was firm in his

denunciation of Gaveston and stressed his determination not to allow him back in the country.

Edward could have wept with rage. He wanted to arrest Warwick and have

him sent to the Tower. But he had grown wily in his great desire to bring

Gaveston back.

He bowed his head and accepted the judgment of the barons. So the time had not yet come.

But the next day, three of the barons asked for an audience. They were

Lincoln, Pembroke and Surrey.

Lincoln was growing more and more unwieldy. Poor old Burst Belly!

Edward could hear Perrot’s derisive voice and the longing for him was almost unbearable. Then there was Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, who thought himself royal because his father was the half-brother of Henry II. Perrot had had a nickname for him too; Joseph the Jew because he was dark, of pallid

complexion and had a hooked nose. Then there was John de Warenne, Earl of

Surrey, one of those whom Perrot had defeated at the tournament

Lincoln was their spokesman. He had come tell Edward that he and his

friends deplored the enmity which appeared to exist between the King and the barons and since the King had shown himself willing to accept their reforms they would show their appreciation by agreeing to his side of the bargain.