The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean (электронная книга TXT) 📗

Many in the tavern agreed and the more Robert de Messager drank, the more

frankly he discussed the King’s friends.

There was bound to be someone who reported this conversation and the next

night when Messager was in the tavern there was a man there also who plied him with wine and led the conversation to the habits of the King.

Messager, seeing himself the centre of the company and that he had the

interest of all, used what were later called ‘irreverent and indecent words’ about the King.

As he uttered them, the stranger made a sign and guards entered the tavern.

Shortly afterwards Messager found himself a prisoner in a dark little

dungeon in the Tower. Realizing what he had done he became quickly sober

when he was seized by despair and a realization that his own folly had brought him there.

There was a great deal of talk throughout the capital about Robert de

Messager. He was a citizen of London and London looked after its citizens.

Messager had spoken of the King in a London tavern. He had merely said what everyone knew to be true. Perhaps he had been indiscreet. Perhaps he owed the King a small fine. But if he were to be condemned to the traitor’s death there would be trouble.

The Queen as usual was aware of the people’s feelings. When she rode out

they cheered her wildly. It seemed that the more they despised Edward, the more they cherished her. They saw her as the long-suffering Princess who had tried to be a good wife and Queen to their dissolute monarch.

‘Long live Queen Isabella!’

Then she heard a voice in the crowd: ‘Save Messager, lady.’

Save Messager! She would. She would show the people of London that she loved them as they loved her.

She looked in the direction from which the voice had come. There was a

shout again: ‘Save Messager.’

She replied in a clear voice, ‘I will do all I can to save him.’

More cheers. Sweetest music in her ears. One day everything would be

different.

She had some influence with Edward. He did respect her. The fact that she

never upbraided him for his life with Perrot and Hugh won his gratitude. She had given him the children? two boys. What could be better? They must have more, she had said. Two were not enough. He really owed her a good deal for being so considerate. She was prepared to receive him that they might have children, and she loved their two boys— even as he did. There was a bond

between them and he was ready to listen to her.

‘You must pardon Messager,’ she said.

‘Do you know what he said about me?’ asked Edward.

She did know. She did not add that Messager had spoken the truth.

‘Nevertheless,’ she said, ‘I want you to pardon him. The people have asked me to intercede for him and I think it well for them to believe you have some regard for me.’

‘But they know I have. Have you not borne two of my children?’

‘The Londoners wish him to be pardoned and they have asked me to do

what I can. They want him pardoned, Edward.’

‘But to speak of his King thus?’

‘Edward, it is better for you to waive that aside. The people will gossip less if you do. It is not often I ask you for anything. But now I ask you for this man’s life.’

Edward rarely felt fully at ease with his wife, and the prospect of her

begging for this favour and that it should be for the life of a man appealed to his sense of the romantic.

Let the man go. Show the people that he cared not for their calumnies and

make a pretty gesture to his Queen.

When Robert de Messager was released the crowds gathered to cheer him.

He had struck a blow for freedom. He had come near to horrible death and thank God— and the Queen— that he had escaped.

‘God save the Queen,’ shouted the people of London. She rode out among

them.

‘How beautiful she is!’ cried the people.

‘Shame on the King,’ said some. ‘Such a good and lovely Queen and he

turns to his boys!’

And she smiled and acknowledged their loyal greetings. They loved her.

They were on her side. One day she would have need of them.

???????

Another unfortunate incident occurred soon after that.

It was Whitsuntide and the Court was at Westminster and the celebrations

took place in public according to the custom.

At such times the doors of the palace were wide open and it was the people’s privilege to come in if they wanted to see the royal family at table.

At such a time as this, with famine throughout the country, it was asking for trouble to allow the poor to see how well stocked the royal table was. There had, it was true, been certain shortages in the kitchens, even of the most wealthy, but to the poor the joints of beef and the golden piecrust looked very inviting.

The King and Queen sat side by side at the great table and the King was

beginning to realize that if the Queen was beside him? as a queen should be—

the people were more inclined to look with favour on him.

However, while they sat at table there was a commotion from without and

then suddenly there appeared at the door a tall woman on a magnificent horse.

The woman’s face was completely covered by a mask so that it was impossible to see who she was.

She rode into the hall and brought her horse right up to the table where the King was seated. Then she handed a letter to him.

Edward was smiling, so was the Queen.

‘A charming gesture from one of my loyal subjects,’ said Edward. ‘I wonder what the letter contains?’

He gave it to one of his squires and commanded that it be read aloud so that the whole company could hear.

He was expecting some panegyric such as monarchs were accustomed to

receiving on such occasions when, to his amazement, this squire began to read out a list of complaints against the King and the manner in which the country was ruled.

‘Bring back that woman,’ he said, for the masked rider was already at the

door.

She was captured and immediately gave the name of the knight who had

paid her to deliver the letter to the King.

The knight was brought before the King who demanded to know how he

dared behave in such a manner.

The knight fell on his knees. ‘I wish to warn you, my lord. I am as good and loyal a subject as you ever had. But the people are murmuring against you and I believe you should know it. I meant the letter to have been read by you in private. I was ready to risk my life to tell you.’

A deep silence fell on the hall. Edward was uncertain. The Queen spoke to

him softly.

‘You must let him go as you did Messager. To punish him would arouse the

fury of the Londoners.’

Edward saw the point. He had no wish for trouble from his capital.

‘You may go,’ he said to the knight. ‘I like not your conduct but I know it was done out of no ill wish to me. Another time speak to me yourself. You need have no fear of that. Let the woman go too. The matter is over.’

It was the only way to deal with such a situation.

But it showed the mood of the people.

BANISHMENT

LIFE was not going smoothly for the Earl of Lancaster. He was President of the Council and the people were complaining about his bad rule; he was

commander against the Scots and the state of affairs at the border went from bad to worse. Edward Bruce was reigning as King of Ireland and people were saying that he, Lancaster, who had been full of criticism for the manner in which the country had been governed under Edward, had made as much a disaster of

affairs as Edward himself had.

It was time Lancaster was put out of office. This was the opinion of John

Warenne, Earl of Surrey and Sussex, and he was ready to join with the King to bring about that desirable state.