The Lion of Justice - Plaidy Jean (список книг txt) 📗

Now he could settle to this real business—that of ruling England. First though there was the christening of their little daughter.

Henry had said: ‘There is one name I should like her to have above all others. That of her mother.’

So with a certain ceremony the child was christened Matilda.

She was a lusty girl, and showed signs of becoming a true granddaughter of the Conqueror, for she gave voice to loud yells of protest when anything she wanted was denied her; her parents were delighted with her.

* * * * *

Henry faced Ranulf Flambard, who was watching him covertly. This was the man who had dared cast jibes at him when Rufus was alive, who, when imprisoned in the White Tower, had made such a daring escape, and had gone to Normandy to plan the invasion of England, the man who would have snatched England from Henry and given it to Robert.

Such a man, thought Henry, I should send back to the White Tower, I should have his eyes put out that he might not escape again and plot against me.

They looked steadily at each other.

He knew what Ranulf was thinking: Robert is a fool and I was a fool also to throw in my lot with him. I would have been wiser to go with the clever brother.

Indeed, my friend, you would, thought Henry.

Ranulf was clever in a manner which Henry understood, for it was his own brand of wisdom. Could it be that he might use that wisdom in support of Henry? It was a brilliant move to have lured the fleet over to Normandy so that the force which Henry should have built up to protect him should have been the very means of destroying his protection. He could appreciate that.

‘What would you say, Ranulf Flambard,’ he said, ‘if I were to return your lands in England?’

‘I would say you were a most generous King.’

‘And you would live here?’

A crafty look came into Ranulf’s eyes. ‘I am a grateful man. I return favour for favour. It might well be that I could show my gratitude if I spent some time in Normandy.’

The man was shrewd. He knew what was going on in Henry’s mind. Pay a pension to Robert? Only until his forces were out of England. And then why should not Henry turn the tables and cast his eyes in the direction of Normandy? And if he did Ranulf Flambard might well have an opportunity to show his gratitude.

‘You are a clever man, Ranulf.’ said Henry. ‘There are not enough brains in the world that we can afford to destroy them.’

Ranulf bowed, his eyes gleaming.

He was ready to change his allegiance, for here was a master whom he could serve while taking good care of himself. Moreover he was in Henry’s hands now and if Henry was going to exact no payment for his deeds then he was indeed eager for his services.

There was complete understanding between the two men. Ranulf’s estates would be graciously returned to him and he would live sometimes in Normandy, sometimes in England; and when the moment came for Henry to exert his claims, Ranulf would be his friend as he had tried to be Robert’s.

Henry was not so lenient with Robert of Belleme.

Henry knew that Normandy was in a state of anarchy and that this was due to men such as Robert of Belleme. Since Robert of Belleme had acquired estates throughout the country he had attempted to set up a similar state of affairs in England. The Bellemes had been brought up in cruelty. They had been practising for generations. There was a warped streak in the entire family and their great aim was to see everyone cringe before them. Henry was determined to crush them.

He discussed this with Anselm who was in agreement with him.

‘I must,’ said Henry, ‘rid the country of this man. Yet I have vowed to my brother that those Normans who rebelled against me and showed their allegiance to Duke Robert should be forgiven.’

‘But,’ said Anselm, ‘this man has been guilty of many sins. It should not be difficult to bring charges against him on these scores.’

It was exactly what Henry had in mind but he wanted Anselm to suggest that this action be taken, so that it did not come from him and he could not be said to have broken his promise to his brother.

It was not difficult to bring charges against Robert of Belleme. The man was a scoundrel of the first degree.

The result of the investigations was that Robert of Belleme was summoned to the King’s court to face the charges.

Being accustomed to command and having held all Normandy in terror Robert of Belleme was not going to submit lightly to this upstart King. He began by fortifying his castles and preparing to defend them against the King.

This was a very different matter from facing a Norman army. Moreover Henry was in no fear of deserters now. There was not a man, woman or child in those areas near the Belleme estates who did not go in fear of capture by the wicked baron or his servants. The fact that the King was going into battle against this ogre was a cause for hope throughout the country.

The King had made harsh laws—particularly forest laws— but everyone knew them for laws which must be obeyed. They need have no fear if they obeyed them. How different was the rule of the Bellemes when innocent travellers could be waylaid, when a man could be asked to dine and then to provide sport for the company which could end in his death. Belleme had been known to impale men and women on stakes and gloat over their dying agonies. There was no torture, no obscenity, no cruelty which he would not practise. It was not only the Saxons who hated and feared him; the Normans were also not immune from his cruelty.

Henry said: ‘I will not allow such practices to persist in my realm. I intend to make this country one where just laws will prevail. Those who disobey them will be punished, and severely, but I will not allow men such as Robert of Belleme to practise their evil deeds here.’

With a party of troops he marched first to Arundel which had been fortified against him. It was not difficult to take that stronghold. It seemed that those who were holding it for such a master were not sorry to surrender.

The fortresses of Tickhill and Bridgnorth followed quickly and that left Shrewsbury which Robert of Belleme himself was holding.

This was a little more difficult but Belleme had no doubt lost heart and had realised by this time that Henry of England was not Robert of Normandy. Henry took the castle and Robert of Belleme was his prisoner.

The two men faced each other—the triumphant son of the Conqueror and the cruel depraved scion of the most notoriously wicked family in the world.

Henry despised and hated him. He would have liked to send him to the White Tower, to have inflicted on him the slow torture which he had made so many suffer. But Henry was not hot-headed. He saw a use he could make of this man. He had reduced Normandy to a state of anarchy before he had settled in England and tried to do the same here. If he were sent back to Normandy he could do the same again and it was men such as Robert of Belleme who weakened a country. A weakened Normandy could be very useful to Henry.

If he banished Robert of Belleme to Normandy he would be rid of him; he could take his estates which were considerable; he could give him an opportunity to disrupt the peace of Normandy and at the same time adhere to his part of the treaty in which he had promised leniency to those Norman barons who had worked against him.

There was great rejoicing on those estates where Robert of Belleme had lived and so angry was the Norman baron that he appeased his fury with the blood of his Norman victims.

Henry, outwardly shocked, was inwardly amused when Duke Robert had to take action against the conduct of his vassal, who was carrying out the most fearful atrocities on any who strayed into his path.

How typical of his brother not to be able to subdue the monster I How different from Henry! Robert was forced to make a truce with the Bellemes and the atrocities continued.