The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean - Страница 37

Dejected and disconsolate the King allowed himself to be taken from the

field. He almost wished that he might be have been slain and so he might have been if Bruce had been able to give chase.

They rode to Linlithgow and finally reached Dunbar. There they found

refuge for a while before they were able to take ship for Berwick.

It was a miserable homecoming for Edward. He could not stop thinking of

all that had been lost— the lives of so many men, thirty-thousand some

declared. So much lost apart from lives, arms, horses, apparel, vessels of gold and silver, treasures? all gone. And perhaps chief of all— honour. None would respect the King of England now. And he must return England where it would be said: ‘Ah, if it had but been his father!’

The theme of his childhood and youth. It was hard on an unworthy son to

follow such a father. He must live in the shadow of greatness which made his shortcomings the more conspicuous.

In Scotland, there was great rejoicing.

‘For years to come,’ said Robert the Bruce, ‘Scotsmen will glow with pride when they talk of Bannockburn.’

THE KING IS WARNED

THE King was in despair. Nothing had gone right since the murder of

Gaveston, he mourned. Oh, for a return of those happy days when he and his dear Perrot had danced and conversed so gaily! Why could people have not let him alone? Why did they have to take Perrot from him? He often dreamed of the last ordeal of Perrot. How had he felt when they had taken him out to Blacklow Hill? A common soldier had run him through his heart; another had cut off his head; Those brave bold knights had dared not do the deed themselves. No

matter. They were the guilty men. He would never ever forgive them, and at their head was Lancaster.

Lancaster was his enemy, and since Bannockburn, Lancaster’s power had

risen. It was said by some that Lancaster ruled the country now.

Lancaster was too rich, too powerful and too royal. He had too grand an

opinion of himself and since he had the titles of Earl of Lincoln and Salisbury (in addition to those he already possessed) he saw himself as the most important man in the country. It was amusing that his wife? through whom he had come by the titles of Lincoln and Salisbury? did not think so much of him. There were rumours that that marriage was in such a parlous state that the lady was seeking a means of escape from it. Good luck to her, thought Edward viciously.

Lancaster had refused to come to Bannockburn although he had acted within

his rights by sending a token force. Would it have made any difference if he had come? Would the battle have been won instead of lost? None could truthfully say and yet that was exactly what people were saying. Unpleasant rumors were in circulation. If Lancaster had been Edward’s son instead of the son of his brother?

God in heaven! thought Edward. Lancaster wants to rule this country.

And there were many who would support him.

Bannockburn. Disaster, defeat, disgrace to the crown and to England!

Edward knew that all through his life and perhaps after, people would talk of Bannockburn. Ever since King John had been involved in conflict with the

barons that company of ambitious men had had grand ideas of their own

importance. They would not allow a man to be a king. They wanted him as their figurehead to move this way and that as pleased them.

It was a wretched life. And no Perrot to enlighten it!

Perrot had never really had a proper burial. He would give him a grand one.

He would have a tomb made for him so beautiful that it was worthy of him—

one of which Perrot himself would approve. He would give himself up to grief and be thoroughly wretched and he would forget those rebellious barons

gathering about him crying Bannockburn. Bannockburn? as though it were all his fault.

How humiliating it had been to fly from the field of battle as he had been obliged to do. He would never forget it: riding fast with Pembroke beside him, making for Dunbar and pausing for a brief respite there before taking ship to Berwick. The horror of it, with the entire army in flight. Many of them were drowned trying to cross the Forth; many of them fell in the pits which Bruce’s men had dug; the amount of treasure that was lost horrified him. Rarely had there been such a disaster in English history. All his father’s victories had been wiped away in one great blow.

At Pontefract, Lancaster had been waiting with an army? men who should

have been beside their King at Bannockburn and Lancaster could not hide his satisfaction at the sight of the fugitive King.

An army! Why had he assembled an army? It was because, he had implied,

he believed that if Edward had been successful in Scotland he would have

turned his victorious army against Lancaster and those earls who had not been with him at the battle.

Then Edward must ride, side by side, with Lancaster to York, where a

parliament had been called. Was there no end to the humiliation an unkind fate was heaping on him?

In York he was made aware of his subject’s contempt. He wanted to shriek

at them when they continually invoked his father’s name. Great Edward, they called him as though to differentiate between him and his ineffectual son.

I will be revenged on them all one day, Edward promised himself.

He was clearly told what he must do, and it was maddening to realize that he had no alternative but to obey. He must confirm the ordinances; he must receive back into favour those earls with whom he had recently been at cross purposes.

That meant the murderers of Perrot and most humiliating of all, he was informed that his allowance would cut to ten pounds a day.

He listened quietly but inwardly seething with rage.

Lancaster was contemplating him blandly. Edward was King in name but

Lancaster was in command now.

???????

Lancaster faced the King. Edward was thinking: Perrot has always hated you. He knew you meant me no good, my cousin though you might be. But

perhaps it was because you were my cousin and so close to the throne that you always believed you would make the better king.

Lancaster was indeed thinking how feeble Edward was and he was still

exulting in the defeat at Bannockburn. Surely that showed the people the kind of man they had as King. How many English were saying this day: ‘If only

Lancaster had been the son of Edward the First.’

It mattered little now. He was in command. Edward was aware of that for it was obvious.

‘My lord,’ said Lancaster, ‘there will have to be some change of office. I have long felt— and others share my view? that those who hold the highest

posts in the country are not worthy of them.’

Edward wanted to scream with rage. He controlled his anger and said coldly:

‘It is not an unusual state of affairs for those who would rule to dislike a king’s friends.’

‘Ah, if they were but your friends, my lord, none would rejoice in them

more than I. It is as you know, dear lord and cousin, my earnest wish to serve you.’

‘I am glad to hear that,’ answered Edward grimly.

‘So, my lord, it is agreed that Walter Reynolds having bestowed on him the high office of Canterbury should relinquish the Great Seal. One cannot expect him to serve two such great offices in the manner demanded of them.’

So Walter was going now. Thank God he had given him Canterbury. They

could not oust him from his archbishopric.

‘And whom would you bestow the Great Seal, cousin?’

The sarcasm was lost on Lancaster. He had never been a man to look for

subtleties. He had the answer promptly.

‘I? and others agree that John Sandale should have the Seal.’