In Convent Walls Part 12

"Amen!" saith Jack, and kissed me. "We will both pray, my dear heart, to be kept out of temptation; but let us watch likewise that we slip not therein. They be safe kept that G.o.d keepeth; and seeing that not our self-will nor folly, but His providence, brought us to this place, I reckon we have a right to ask His protection."

Thus it came that I tarried yet in the Queen's household. And verily, they that did so, those four next years, had cause to seek G.o.d's protection.

On the first of February was--but, wala wa! my pen runneth too fast. I must back nearhand a month.

It was the seventh of January, being the morrow of the Epiphany, and three days after we reached Westminster, that the Queen met the King's Great Council, the which she had called together on the eve of Saint Barbara [December 3rd], the Duke sitting therein in state as keeper of the kingdom. Having opened the said Parliament, the Duke, by his spokesmen, my Lords of Hereford and Lincoln, laid before them all that had taken place since they last met, and bade them deliberate on what was now to be done for the safety of the realm and Church of England.

[Note 7]. Who at once adjudged the throne void, and the King to be put down and accounted such no longer: appointing certain n.o.bles to go with the Duke to show these things unto the Queen.

Well do I mind that morrow of the Epiphany. The Queen sat in the Painted Chamber, spinning amongst us, when the n.o.bles waited upon her.

She had that morrow been full furnish, sharply chiding Joan de Vilers but a moment ere the Duke entered the presence: but no sooner came he in than she was all honey.

"Dame," saith he, "divers n.o.bles of the Council pray speech of you."

The Queen looked up; she sighed, and her hand trembled. Then pulled she forth her sudary [handkerchief], and wiped her cheek: I am somewhat unsure of the tears thereon. Yet maybe they were there, for verily she could weep at will.

Dame Elizabeth, that sat in the cas.e.m.e.nt, saith to Dame Joan, that was on the contrary side thereof, I being by her,--"Will the Queen swoon, think you?"

"She will come to an' she do," answered she.

I was ready at one time to reckon Dame Joan de Vaux somewhat hard toward the Queen: I saw later that she had but better sight than her neighbours.

Then came in the prelates and n.o.bles which were deputed of the Parliament to convey the news, and the Queen bowed her head when they did reverence.

My Lord of Winchester it was that gave her the tidings that the Parliament then sitting had put down King Edward, and set up the Duke, which there stood, as King. All innocent stood he, that had been told it was his father's dearest wish to be free of that burden of state, and himself too true and faithful to imagine falsehood or unfaithfulness in her that spake it.

Soothly, she played her part full well. She greet plenteously, she wrung her hands, she tare off the hood from her head, she gripped her hair as though to tear that, yea, she cast her down alow on the rushes, and swooned or made believe thereto. The poor young Duke was full alarmed, and kneeling beside her, he would have cast his arms about her, but she thrust him away. Until at the last he arose, and with mien full princely, told the a.s.sembled n.o.bles that he would never consent to that which so mispaid [displeased, distressed] his dear mother, without his father should himself command the same. She came to, it seemed me, full soon thereafter.

Then was sent my Lord of Lancaster and other to the King to hear his will thereon. Of these was my Lord of Hereford one, and man said he spake full sharply and poignantly to the King, which swooned away thereunder (somewhat more soothly, as I guess); and the scene, said man that told me, was piteous matter. Howbeit, the King gave full a.s.sent, and resigned the crown to his son, who was now to be king, he that had so been being thenceforth named only Sir Edward of Caernarvon. This was the eve of Saint Agnes [January 20th, 1327], the twentieth year of the said King.

Note 1. Better known as Carfax. The exact church is not on record, but it was likely to be this.

Note 2. Adam de Orleton. He and Henry Burghersh, Bishop of Lincoln, are the two Bishops whom Thomas de la Moor, King Edward's squire, brands as "priests of Baal" and "Caiaphases."

Note 3. I have here given the version of events which seems best to reconcile the accounts of the chroniclers with the testimony of contemporary doc.u.ments. See Appendix.

Note 4. This is the character sketched of him by De La Moor, to whom he was personally known.

Note 5. "For envy they had delivered Him." Matthew, twenty-seven, verse 18.

Note 6. Kennet, a coa.r.s.e Welsh cloth, trimmed with stranling, the fur of the squirrel taken between Michaelmas and Christmas.

Note 7. The idea of some persons that the Church of England began to exist at the Reformation would have astonished the medieval reckoners "according to the computation of the Church of England," who were accustomed to hear Parliaments summoned to debate "concerning the welfare of the kingdom and Church of England." The former notion is purely modern.

PART ONE, CHAPTER 5.

THE REIGN OF KING ROGER.

"She is no sheep who goes walking with the wolf."

Russian Proverb.

And now, were I inditing a very chronicle, should I dip my quill next in the red ink, and write in full great letters--"Here beginneth the reign of King Edward of Windsor, the Third after the Conquest."

But, to scribe soothliness, I cannot do so. For not for four years thereafter did he in verity begin to reign. And what I should write, if I writ truth, should be--"Here beginneth the reign of King Roger de Mortimer, the First in England."

Now, here cometh an other matter I have noted. When man setteth him up to do that whereto he was not born, and hath not used himself, he is secure to do the same with never so much more din and outrage [extravagance] than he to whom it cometh of nature. If man be but a bedel [herald, crier] he shall rowt [Shout] like a lion the first day; and a prince's charetter [charioteer] shall be a full braver [finer, more showy] man than the prince his master. Sir Roger made a deal more bruit than ever the King himself; that during all these four years was meek and debonair [humble and gentle], as though he abode his time. He wrought what he would (which was mostly ill), and bare him like those of whom the Psalmist speaketh, that said, "Our lips are of us, who is our lord?" [Psalm 9 4, Rolle's translation.] He held up but a finger, and first the King, and all else after, followed along his path. Truly, I fault not the King; poor lad, he was in evil case, and might well enough have found hard to know the way he should go. But I do fault them that might have oped his eyes, and instead thereof, as being smoother way, chose to run after King Mortimer with his livery on their backs.

"How many of them knew the man, thinkest?" saith Jack, that had come in while I writ the last piece.

"Jack!" cried I. "What, to see him do that he did, more in especial when his pride was bolned [swollen, pulled up] by being create Earl of March--when he had larger following than the King himself, having nine score knights at his feet; when he arose from the King's table ere the King stirred, as though he were lord and master of all; when he suffered the King to rise on his coming into the presence, all meekly and courteously, yet himself, when the King entered, kept his seat as he micht afore a servitor; when he walked even with the King, and sometimes afore him; when he was wont to put him down, and mock at him, and make him a laughing-stock. I have heard him myself say to the King--'Hold thy peace, lad!' and the King took it as sweetly as if he had been swearing of allegiance."

"I have eyes in mine head, my fair warrior, and ears belike. I saw so much as thou--maybe a little more, since I was something oftener in my Lord's company than thou."

"But thou sawest what he was?" said I.

"So did I; and sorry am I to have demerited the wrath of Dame Cicely de Chaucombe, for that I oped not the King my master's even."

"Nay, Jack! I never meant thee. I have somewhat more reverence for mine husband than so."

"Then art thou a very pearl amongst women. Most dames' husbands find not much reverence stray their way--at least from that quarter. I mis...o...b.. if Vivien's husband ever picks up more than should lightly slip into his pocket."

"Sir James Le Bretun is not so wise as thou," said I. "But what I meant, Jack, was such as my Lord of Lancaster and my Lord of Kent, and my Lord of Hereford--why did never such as these tell the King sooth touching the Mortimer?"

"As for my Lord of Hereford," saith Jack, "I reckon he was too busied feeling of his pulse and counting his emplastures, and telling his apothecary which side of his head ached worser since the last draught of camomile and mallows. Sir Edmund de Mauley was wont to say he had a grove of aspens at Pleshy for to make his own populion [Note 1], and that he brake his fast o' dragons' blood and dyachylon emplasture.

Touching that will I not say; but I reckon he thought oftener on his tamarind drink than on the public welfare. He might, perchance, have bestirred him to speak to the King had he heard that he had a freckle of his nose, for to avise him to put white ointment thereon; but scarce, I reckon, for so small a matter as the good government of the realm."

"Now, Jack!" said I, a-laughing.

"My Lord of Kent," went he forth, "was he that, if he thought he had hurt the feelings of a caterpillar, should have risen from his warm bed the sharpest night in winter to go and pray his pardon of his bare knees. G.o.d a.s.soil him, loving and gentle soul! He was all unfit for this rough world. And the dust that Sir Roger cast up at his horse-heels was in my Lord of Kent's eyes as thick as any man's. He could not have warned the King, for himself lacked the warning."

"Then my Lord of Lancaster--why not he?"

"He did."

"Ay, at long last, when two years had run: wherefore not long ere that?

The dust, trow, was not in his eyes."

"Good wife, no man's eyes are blinder than his which casts the dust into his own. My Lord of Lancaster had run too long with the hounds to be able all suddenly to turn him around and flee with the hare."

"Soothly, I know he met the Queen on her landing, and likewise had the old King in his ward: but--"

"I reckon, Sissot, there were wheels within wheels. We need not judge my Lord of Lancaster. He did his duty at last. And mind thou, between him and his duty to King Edward the father, stood his brother's scaffold."

"Which never man deserved richer."