The Star of Lancaster - Plaidy Jean (бесплатные онлайн книги читаем полные TXT) 📗

When she reached Paris her family awaited her. Her parents embraced her warmly ^vhile her brothers and little sister regarded her with frank appraisal.

Her father she noticed at once was different from the man she remembered. He looked haggard, which she supposed was natural after the illness he had undergone. But he was kind

and calm and showed no sign of the mental stresses he must have suffered. Her mother too was different. Her beauty Tvas breathtaking. Isabella had never seen anyone more beautiful. It was a glittering beauty, which made it impossible for people to stop looking at her. Her brothers and sister were just children, not so experienced of the world as she was. Had they been to England; had they been married and widowed and almost forced into hideous union with someone they hated! No, they were young, innocent, unmarked by time.

She soon discovered that there was something strange going on. She w^as aware of covert looks; of the manner in w^hich her mother and the King's brother, Louis of Orleans, looked at each other. She was aw^are of many w^atching eyes; and it soon became clear to her that an adulterous intrigue was going on between her mother and her uncle.

Louis of Orleans was affable. He gave himself the airs of a King. Isabella recoiled because she could not stop thinking of her poor father with his bouts of madness and how her mother and her uncle were deceiving him and the aura of intrigue which surrounded the Court.

Her uncle Louis was very much aware of her she knew. He was planning something. So was her mother. And she felt afraid.

Uncle Louis said to her one day soon after her return: 'How good it is to have you with us, sweet child. We are going to keep you with us. We shall find a husband worthy of you, never fear.'

She w^anted to shout: It is what I do fear. I had one husband. I shall never forget him. I want no more.*

Then she began to w^onder w^hether she would be any happier in France than in England. She longed to be a child again, wdth the belief that everything was good and beautiful and made for her pleasure. How sad that she must grow up and learn the truth. She had wanted to leave the English scene because to her it w^as stained red with the blood of her husband and had become hateful because of the blatant usurpation of the throne. And now she w^as in France and because she was older, more experienced, she could feel tragedy here, as intense as that w'hich she had suffered in England.

What would become of her poor father who for long periods of time lost his sanity? What w^ere her mother and Uncle Louis planning together? When w^ould they force her to

marry the man of their choice? Could she be any happier in France than she had been in England? But how could she be happy anywhere now that Richard was dead.

J

HOTSPUR

It had quickly become clear to the King that though he had won his crown with comparative ease, he was going to find it a more difficult task to hold it.

Richard's mysterious death and the knowledge that the priest Maudelyn had borne an almost uncanny resemblance to him made a good foundation for rumour. Henry feared that for years to come there would be those who declared Richard still lived and the body they had seen paraded through the streets had been that of the priest. Another cause of concern was the existence of Edmund Mortimer whose claim came before that of Henry. None knew more than he that the crown which had been put on his head with such ready hands was very precariously balanced there.

The first real trouble came from Wales and there he discovered a formidable enemy in a man called Owain ab Gruf-fydd, lord of Glyndyvrdwy or as he was becoming known throughout England, Owen Glendower.

Owen had been a student of English law at Westminster and at one time was squire to the Earl of Arundel who had estates in Wales. When Arundel took sides with Henry of Lancaster Owen was with him, although Wales in general supported Richard and there was murmuring throughout that country when Harry was created Prince of Wales.

The trouble really started when Owen quarrelled with Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin over certain lands which they

both claimed, and Owen came to Westminster for the case between them to be tried. There he was treated with a certain amount of contempt but he managed to get the case brought before the King and Parliament. 'The man is bent on getting what he calls justice,' the King was told. Henry impatiently waved the matter on one side. 'What care we for these barefooted scrubs,' he cried contemptuously. The King's words were reported to Owen who went fuming back to Wales.

Henry had made an enemy for life.

When a Scottish expedition was planned Owen should have been a member of it, but out of revenge Grey of Ruthin failed to deliver the summons until it was too late for Glen-dower to comply, and, as he did not join the expedition, Grey denounced him as a traitor. This was too much for a man like Owen to tolerate and if he could not get satisfaction at Westminster over the matter of his lands, what justice could he hope for now. He decided to take the law into his own hands. He made war against Grey, plundered his lands, killed some members of his household and declared publicly that the Welsh would never receive justice, that they were treated with contempt by the English and if any Welshman would march under his banner they would do something about it.

Henry heard the news with dismay and at first thought this was but a local rising but he was soon to learn his mistake. The Welsh were on the march. The cry was Liberty and Independence. Not only did the inhabitants of Wales rally to Owen Glendower's banner, but Welshmen in England left their homes to travel to Wales.

It was necessary to put an end to this rebellion and Henry marched in person to the Welsh border. Owen Glendower might have rallied a great force but it would not stand out long against the trained bands of English archers. There he was wrong, for Owen Glendower was too cunning to meet Henry's army in a confrontation. Instead he and his men retreated to the mountains where it was impossible to follow them. They knew every rock and crevice.

Those mountains were impassable and had defeated others before Henry. They provided the perfect stronghold. Moreover the weather was treacherous and the Welsh had their successes, the chief of which was the capture of Lord Grey and Sir Edmund Mortimer, the uncle and guardian of the young Earl of March whom so many believed had more right to the

throne than Henry. It was simply not possible to bring the conflict to a speedy end. The Welsh could not be conquered as easily as that and what could have been settled by law—if Owen Glendower had been treated with justice—developed into a war which neither side could bring to a satisfactory conclusion.

Henry left a company in Wales and went to Oxford where he saw his son.

Harry had been sent to study under his uncle, Henry Beaufort, who was Chancellor of the University, but he was tired of Queen's College and chafed against his youth, therefore when he heard what his father had to say he was delighted.

Harry noticed his father had lost some of his healthy colour. Being a King had its responsibilities, that was obvious, but Henry was clearly delighted with his son's appearance. Harry had grown and he was a picture of glowing health.

When they had embraced Henry said: *I have come to talk to you very seriously, Harry. I think it is time you gave up Oxford. There is work for you to do.'

Harry's eyes shone at the prospect. 'Right gladly will I leave Oxford,' he said. 1 am no scholar, my lord, and nothing will make me one. I want to fight beside you.'

*That is exactly what I want you to do, Harry.' The King touched his forehead in a weary gesture. 'There is so much trouble everywhere. The Welsh ... the Scots. And can we ever trust the French?'