The Follies of the King (28 page)

Roger had been noticed for his outstanding good looks when he was created a knight at the same time as the Prince of Wales and at the coronation of young Edward he had been a bearer of the robes. Along with his earldom he had inherited important estates and a marriage was very soon arranged for him which would enhance his possessions still further. Joan de Genville was connected with the Lusignans and therefore had associations with the royal family and among other advantages she brought to Mortimer the town of Ludlow and estates in Ireland.

In that troubled country he had achieved great success, for his experiences with the Welsh had taught him how to deal with the Irish.

It had come to Roger de Mortimer’s ears that the young Hugh le Despenser had been warning the King that it was time he curbed the power of the Mortimers, who, in the Despensers’ opinion, were becoming too powerful in the Marcher country and regarded themselves as rulers there in subservience to none. Thus when it was known that Lancaster was rousing the barons against the Despensers the Mortimers were ready with their support.

Being somewhat wild and lawless men they could not wait for conferences.

They went into the attack at once, and as the young Despenser had taken lands bordering on the Marcher country which he swore belonged to him because they were part of the Gloucester inheritance, they ravaged those lands, seized the castle, made off with valuables and cattle and declared open war.

The young chamberlain came to the King in despair. ‘See what these Mortimers have done,’ he cried. ‘Oh, it was a mistake to allow them so much power.’

‘My dear Hugh,’ cried the King, ‘we will punish them, I promise you.

Everything shall be restored.’

‘But how?’ cried Hugh.

‘My dear, I promise you something shall be done. I shall issue a writ forbidding anyone to attack you and your father. I shall threaten them with death. It is treason. Yes, Hugh, there shall be a writ and all that the Mortimers have taken shall be restored to you.’

But neither the King nor Hugh had realized how strong was the opposition.

Under Lancaster the barons stood together insisting that Edward call a Parliament to discuss the matter of the Despensers and when it was assembled, the barons were present in large numbers all wearing white badges on their arms to indicate to the King that they were unanimous in their decision to get rid of the Despensers.

It was Lancaster who led the attack. The Despensers had appropriated funds from the royal exchequer, he said. He had proof of this. They had become richer than their deserts warranted. They must be banished from the land and their ill-gotten gains taken from them.

The King’s furious despair was of no avail.

Hugh the elder saw that the country was on the verge of civil war. The King would find that there was scarcely a nobleman ready to support him. He would be defeated and deposed. His son was nine years old; the Queen would not stand with the King and she had friends in France; they could set up a regency under Lancaster. Because of this state of affairs the elder Despenser decided that they should go quietly.

The Despensers left court and the trouble subsided.

Edward wept. It was the Gaveston problem all over again.

The Queen was amused. Everything was working her way. She was pregnant once more and at the time of the banishment her time was very near.

She had decided to go to the Tower this time for her confinement. There she would brood on the future. She had two boys and her daughter Eleanor. They were all in good health. If her fourth child was a girl, perhaps her plans would be delayed. But she had two boys already. No, after this fourth child there should be no more. She had done with humiliation, with standing aside for Edward’s favourites.

She had borne enough. It was her turn now.

As she lay awaiting the birth of her child she wondered why she had chosen such a gloomy place. Although it was the month of June there was a chill in the stone walls and she had noticed that much of the place was in need of repair.

The roof was not watertight and when it rained, her bedclothes were wet.

The whole place had been neglected, and she knew who was to blame for that.

The Despensers had used money for their own needs which should have been spent in repairs. It was a well known trick, and it was one of the reasons why people considered it a boon to get the custody of such places.

Oh the cursed Despensers! First Gaveston and now them. And if some evil fate overtook young Hugh le Despenser what then? Some new young man would appear in due course.

What a man to have married her to! And what a joke that she had managed to get four children by him. Something of an achievement.

But no more.
This is the end,
she promised herself. Now she would start to work towards that goal which had been in her mind for some time now.

The birth was not difficult. She bore children easily; and this was another girl.

She decided to call her Joanna and she became known as Joanna of the Tower.

Edward came to the baby.

‘Another girl,’ said Isabella, watching him closely. He was good-looking still. She felt angry when she regarded him because in the beginning if he had been prepared to be a good husband to her she would have loved him and worked with him. Then there would not have been this perpetual trouble which time and time again grew out of his infatuations— first Piers Gaveston and now Hugh le Despenser. If only he would be more reasonable with them; if only he did not have make the relationship so blatant, it would have been so much easier. As it was it gave rise to utterances such as those which had almost cost the man Messager his life, and incidents like that of poor Drydas which had brought him to hideous death. If only he could have been discreet; if only he did not have to have them with him all the time, to pamper them, to bestow costly gifts on them.

Oh Edward, you fool. I wonder what will be the end of you. Our son Edward is growing up. Nine years old, a reasonable age and showing every sign of being like his grandfather. That is what the people say when he rides out. He is a growing danger to you, you foolish Edward.

Edward was laughing to himself as though enjoying some private joke. He had scarcely looked at the baby. She waited for him to tell her.

‘It’s Hugh,’ he said.

Her expression was cold, but he did not notice.

‘Did you know he is on an island in the Bristol Channel?’

‘I did not, and should he be?’ she answered. ‘Wasn’t he banished from the country?’

‘He has turned pirate.’ Edward was laughing so much he could scarcely go on. ‘He has an armed vessel and has captured two merchant ships. They were coming up to Bristol full of rich cargo. He has taken their cargo and sent them on empty.’

‘Does he know the penalty for piracy?’ asked Isabella.

‘Oh, Isabella, come now. It was only meant to be a joke.’

‘Do the captain of the ship and the owner of the vessel think that?’

‘They will be made to understand. But is it not just like Hugh?’

‘Exactly,’ she retorted with asperity. ‘The role of pirate should suit him well.’

‘It will not be long before he is back,’ mused Edward. ‘And I shall not rest happy until he is.’

The Queen regarded him cynically.
You fool,
she thought.
You are signing your own death warrant.

IN gratitude for another birth and quick recovery, the Queen must go to the shrine of St Thomas in Canterbury to give thanks.

She set out from the Tower and what a joy it was to ride through London where the people cheered her so loyally! She was their beautiful Queen who had remained faithful to the King and bore him children even though he behaved so badly with those leech-like friends of his.

‘God save the Queen!’ they cried, and she was amused to think that if the King had been with her she would still have been the one they cheered.

It was a long way to Canterbury and her marshal suggested that it would be a good idea to break the journey at her Castle of Leeds and he would send a messenger on to warn the custodian, Lord Badlesmere, of their approach.

The messenger arrived at Leeds but unfortunately Lord Badlesmere was away and Lady Badlesmere was in charge.

The Badlesmeres were firm adherents of Lancaster’s cause and stood firmly against the King. They had been incensed by Edward’s attitude towards the Despensers, and Lady Badlesmere who was a very forthright woman had been heard to declare that royalty was only to be respected when it was worthy of respect.

Lord Badlesmere had given instructions that none— no matter who― should be allowed into the castle unless they carried an order from him or from the Earl of Lancaster. And when she heard from the Queen’s messenger that the visitor was to be Queen Isabella, she decided that she was not going to swerve from the orders she had received even for her.

‘Begone!’ she cried to the messenger. ‘I will admit none to the castle unless he bears an order from my lord or the Earl of Lancaster.’

‘My lady,’ replied the messenger, ‘do you understand this is the Queen of England?’

‘How can I be sure of that? How do I know that you may not be an enemy in disguise?’

‘You will see for yourself when the Queen arrives.’

‘My good man, go back to your mistress. Tell her that I shall admit no one—
no one
, do you understand― unless they come from my husband or the Earl of Lancaster.’

The perplexed messenger was wondering how he could go back and tell the Queen that she was denied access to the castle when he heard the sounds of approach. The Queen’s party had arrived at the castle walls.

‘The Queen is here,’ said the messenger. ‘My lady Badlesmere, have you considered that this castle belongs to the Queen and your husband is merely the custodian?’

‘I repeat my orders and these I intend to carry out,’ insisted Lady Badlesmere. ‘If this is indeed the Queen, she must needs find lodging in some other place.’

The Queen hearing the dispute was astounded and commanded her guards to approach the drawbridge, but Lady Badlesmere gave an order to her archers and from the castle walls came a stream of arrows which struck six of the Queen’s company, killing them.

Before the furious Isabella could advance, one of her bodyguards seized the bridle of her horse and forced her to retreat.

‘We must escape from this mad woman, my lady,’ he said and galloped off with her.

The Queen was shaking with anger. How dared a subject behave thus to her!

She knew Lady Badlesmere of old. A woman who thought she was always right and knew how to manage other people’s affairs.

‘By God,’ she cried, ‘she shall be taught a lesson for this.’

The Queen’s party minus the six dead, rode away to spend the night with more hospitable hosts. Lady Badlesmere was in truth, a little disturbed when she found the six dead at the gates. She had them removed and immediately sent a messenger to the Earl of Lancaster.

She knew that there would be trouble. The Queen had been grossly insulted and six of her servants had been killed. Perhaps, thought Lady Badlesmere, she had been a little rash. She believed though that Lancaster would be delighted with this insult to the royal family. After all, she had been acting on his orders and it was yet another proof that he was more important than the King.

She waited a long time for a reply from Lancaster and finally she sent another messenger. This time the answer came back. It had been folly to deny the Queen admittance to her own castle. The Queen was seething with rage and unlikely to allow the matter to pass. Lancaster dissociated himself from the affair. The Badlesmeres alone would have to face the storm they had stirred up.

He, Lancaster, had had no hand in it and he did not intend to become involved now.

Even Edward was roused from the lethargy into which he had fallen on the banishment of the Despensers.

Isabella raged at him. ‘It must not be allowed to pass. What would the people think of a King who did not avenge such an insult to his wife?’

Yes, he agreed, something must be done. Lancaster had declared he was not involved so it should not be a difficult matter to take Leeds and let Isabella have her revenge on the Badlesmeres.

When the people of London heard of the insult to the Queen they were enraged. They marched through the streets demanding she be avenged. Many of them were strong able-bodied men and had taken part in battles when the need had arisen. They were ready to do so again for their darling Isabella.

Edward caught their enthusiasm and within a short time he was marching at the head of a sizeable army to Leeds. It was exhilarating to find that his men were with him. They could not wait for the battle. They were determined to take Leeds and then let those who had dared behave so callously to their beloved Isabella begin to say their prayers.

Leeds Castle had been built on two islands in a lake of about fifteen acres in size. The islands were connected by a double drawbridge but the two separate buildings were capable of making a separate defence. The water passed between the buildings in three places, which was of great use to the defenders.