The Follies of the King (40 page)

But that was what she meant.

The Count hurried to his wife and they discussed the matter long into the night.

‘There would never be such another opportunity,’ said the Count.

The Countess agreed. ‘Moreover,’ she added, ‘the girls are all of them already enamoured of Edward. He is a most attractive boy. I confess I should be very proud for him to become our son-in-law. And then― the crown of England.’

‘What if the Queen’s attempts to depose the King should fail?’

‘If she had enough men to go against him why should she fail? You know how matters stand in England. Our friend there tell us that people are turning against the King every day.’

‘Yes, but they are really against the Despensers. If he sent them away―’

‘He never will. The weaker he grows the more he relies on them.’

‘But to be involved in a war against England― for that what it amounts to!’

The Countess was astute. ‘There is a way,’ she said. ‘You could provide the army without being personally involved.’

‘How so?’

The Queen of England wishes her son to marry one of our girls. We agree to this. You will provide the dowry which will be enough for the Queen to raise an army among our people. Then― if aught should go wrong you have merely supplied a dowry not an army.’

The Count looked at his wife with admiration.

‘It is the answer,’ he said. They were silent for a while, both thinking how glorious it would be on the day when one of the girls became the Queen of England.

‘It must be Margaret,’ said the Countess firmly. ‘She is the eldest and it is fitting that she should be the first to be married.’

‘It shall be as you say,’ replied the Count.

* * *

Isabella and Mortimer were overjoyed. The opportunity had come at last.

‘Oh what a blessing,’ cried Isabella, ‘that the Count of Hainault has four marriageable daughters!’

Sir John was ecstatically happy because the matter had been so cleverly arranged, and immediately set about getting army together.

The fact that the dowry provided by the Count enabled this to be paid for was not mentioned and neither Edward nor the girls realized that marriage had been discussed.

They carried on meeting frequently and often Philippa and Edward managed to slip away undetected when they were riding with a party.

He told her a great deal about his youth and that there was trouble at home now because of a conflict between his father and mother. Philippa was most sympathetic. She could imagine how distressing that must be. He said he would like to show her England and that when he went home and all the trouble was over he would insist on her coming there. He would enjoy showing her his country.

‘You will be King of it one day,’ she said, her blue eyes wide with a kind of wondering admiration.

‘I shall have to wait until my father dies. I mean to be a great King, Philippa.

I am going to be like my grandfather―’

He stopped, remembering that he was repeating what had been said to him so often and that it was disloyal towards his father. Philippa immediately understood. She and her sisters had become very interested in England since Edward and his mother had come to Hainault and they asked a great many questions about England. They had gleaned that there was something unusual about the King of England but they did not know what.

‘He is not like your father,’ the Countess had said firmly and left it at that; but she had implied that there must be something very wrong with someone who was so emphatically not like their father.

With Sir John’s exuberance and the determination of the Queen and Roger de Mortimer the army was ready in a very short time.

The day came when they must leave.

The four girls, all saddened by the departure of the young Prince, stood beside their mother as the Queen took a fond farewell of them and said that she would never, never forget the kindness she had received from the Count and her dear cousin in her hour of need. She embraced the girls and at last it was Edward’s turn.

He stood before them, startlingly handsome, looking as some noted; already a king.

He took leave of the Count and Countess and then turned to the rosy- cheeked girls.

He was telling them how much he had enjoyed his stay with them, how he would never forget their kindness, when he saw that the tears in Philippa’s eyes had started to flow down her cheeks; and then suddenly before she could stop herself she was, sobbing bitterly.

The Prince went to her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

‘Do not weep, little Philippa,’ he said, but she had covered her face with her hands. Then he said: ‘Look at me.’

She lowered her hands and he said: ‘We shall meet again. I promise you.’

The Countess had laid her arm about her daughter’s shoulders while the Queen thought how informal they were in Hainault. She was glad that Philippa had been so overcome. It was most affecting.

But she was eager to be away.

She had her armies― two of them― the English contingent led by Mortimer and the men of Hainault by Sir John. She was all set for conquest.

THE Queen and her armies had arrived at Dort where they embarked on the ships which were waiting for them.

With Mortimer beside her the Queen watched the loading of the ships; the wind caught her hair and with the bush of triumph in her cheeks she had never seemed so beautiful.

‘Gentle Mortimer,’ she said, ‘I have a feeling that God is with us this day.

So much for which I have longed has come to pass. Thank God for Edward who shortly will be our King.’

‘And whose betrothal to one of the giggling Flemish girls has given us our armies.’

‘Forget not, dear Mortimer, that one day one of those girls will be the Queen of England.’

‘You are the cleverest woman on earth as well as the most beautiful.’

‘And you are the wisest man on earth, Mortimer, for joining with me.’

Mortimer left her to supervise his army. The Prince was with him and Sir John was similarly engaged.

Soon they were sailing away and the coast of Holland was lost from sight.

Alas, a storm arose and some of the ships were badly battered. Then the Queen was terrified that the elements were going to destroy all her well-laid plans. She prayed to God not to desert her now. For hours the storm raged delaying their journey— there were moments when she believed this was the end. But her joy was overwhelming when she at last beheld the coast of England and she went on deck and looked about her. She saw at once that many of the ships had suffered considerable damage, and some of them had actually been smashed to pieces by the fearful tempest. It now remained to get ashore and assess the damage in detail.

It was noon when she had glimpsed the coast but midnight before everything was brought ashore. Although some men and arms had been lost a considerable force remained. Her knights and attendants made a tent for her from carpets and they lighted a fire for her to warm herself. The wind was strong and it was an uncomfortable night but she was relieved to hear from Mortimer and Sir John that the damage and loss had been less than they had at first feared.

As soon as day broke they were anxious to move from the windy shore and in a short time they were in the town of Harwich where Isabella’s brother-in-law, Edward’s half-brother Thomas of Brotherton, came to greet her.

She had always been on very friendly terms with Edward’s half-brothers, Edmund of Kent and Thomas of Brotheron; their French mother, Edward the First’s second wife Marguerite, was of course closely related to Isabella.

Marguerite had brought up her boys to observe certain French customs and this meant that there had been an immediate rapport between them and Isabella.

At times like this that was very apparent and it was fortunate for her that they were more ready to be on her side than on Edward’s. Moreover, like so many people in England they were with anyone who was against the Despensers.

The news of her arrival spread through the countryside, She was the wronged wife of a pervert King, it was said; she had flown from England out of fear of the wicked Despensers who had bewitched the King even as Gaveston― of evil repute― had done. They rallied to her banner; not only the common people but the barons who had for a long time been determined to take the first opportunity of getting rid of the King’s favourite.

Adam of Orlton, Bishop of Hereford, who had done so much to help Roger de Mortimer escape the Tower, was overjoyed when he heard of the arrival of the Queen and her army. He had been living uneasily in England, protected only by his calling; and he knew that if the King and his friends ever had a chance of taking revenge on him they would seize it, Now that the Queen had arrived with her army that chance even receded even farther.

He set out to meet Isabella, to assure her of his devotion, which was unnecessary really; he had shown that when he had so ably assisted Mortimer’s escape.

He was received with affection by the Queen and Mortimer and the very next day preached a sermon in their presence to which the people flocked so that the church was filled to overflowing and the people crowded into the porch and at the windows to hear him.

He took the opportunity of thundering against the King and took his subject from the fourth chapter of the second book of Kings when the man complained of the sickness in his head and shortly after died.

‘When the head of a kingdom becometh sick and full of disease,’ thundered Adam, ‘it must be taken off and it is useless to resort to other remedies.’

The congregation listened in awed silence. The Queen glanced at Mortimer who was smiling quietly. The Prince was anxious but he now fully believed that what his father was doing was against the good of England and each day he was becoming more and more sure of his destiny.

He believed now that what was good for England must be done, and here was a Holy Bishop in his pulpit confirming all that he had learned from his mother.

It was sad. It was tragic. But it was right.

* * *

The King was in the palace of the Tower of London when news was brought to him of the Queen’s arrival in England with one army led by Roger de Mortimer and another by John of Hainault.

And they came against him!

He sent at once for Hugh. He had never seen Hugh so disturbed before.

Hugh had always comforted him, refusing to believe in harm, always seeing the bright side of life. It was one quality Edward especially loved about him.

‘They will not succeed,’ cried Hugh. ‘We will raise an army.’

‘How?’ asked his father.

‘We will do it,’ insisted Hugh. ‘First we must get away from here. The Londoners have always disliked you and loved the Queen. Once the news reaches London it will be too late.’

Although it was a mild September day it was chilly as always in the Tower and yet the sweat was on Edward’s brow and there was a terrible fear within him. They were going to take Hugh away from him. He would never allow that.

He would accept anything rather than that.

He turned to Hugh with appealing eyes. ‘We must stay together,’ he said.

‘So shall we, my lord. But we shall have to leave London without delay.’

‘The children―’ began Edward.

His son John of Eltham and his two daughters Eleanor and Joanna were in their apartments in this very Tower. Could they take them with them?

Hugh shook his head. ‘My wife will take charge of them,’ he said. ‘We should escape and as soon as possible.’

‘And what of London? Who will defend it?’

‘Good Bishop Stapledon has shown himself a friend to us. Let us leave him here to hold the City for you.’

‘Excellent,’ cried Edward. ‘Let that be done.’

‘I suggest,’ said the elder Despenser, ‘that we make for Bristol. Then, if the need should arise we can take ship to Ireland.’

‘It must be so, I suppose,’ sighed the King. ‘Who would have believed it possible that my own Queen should so turn against me!’

‘She was always jealous of me,’ replied Hugh.

‘But she did not appear to mind. She was always so ready to be with me―’

‘We did not realize, my lord, that we had a she-wolf in our midst.’

‘And she has Edward with her! That I find hard to bear.’

‘She has John of Hainault and Mortimer―’

‘That traitor! There shall be a price on his head. Oh God, why did I not have that head when I had a chance to take it?’

Edward sighed and looked back over a reign of lost opportunities but there was no time for regrets now. The Earls of Arundel and Hereford had arrived at the Tower. They had come to warn the King.

‘I have some friends left then,’ said Edward.

They agreed that the best plan was to leave London with all haste and make for Bristol.

* * *

It was impossible to keep the departure a secret and very soon it was being whispered throughout the streets of London that the King had fled and the Queen was on the way.