White Boar and the Red Dragon, The (43 page)

But if the sworn statement of a bishop cannot be trusted, whose can? They accepted it as true, anyway. Harry, Duke of Buckingham, made an impassioned speech on Richard’s behalf in the Guildhall a day or so ago to a large assembly of lords and gentry. Lately, he has become Richard’s strongest and most outspoken supporter. He speaks very eloquently and persuasively. He obviously influenced his audience strongly, for they at once drew up a petition requesting Richard to take the throne, and Buckingham, the assembly, the Mayor and Aldermen of London presented it to him this morning at Baynard’s Castle.

The day before, Ralph Shaw, the cleric, had made a long sermon to the people at St Paul’s Cross, with the theme ‘bastard slips shall not take root’ referring to the poor little ousted King Edward and his siblings, no doubt. He explained that they were all bastards, because of what Bishop Stillington had revealed and this was the reason Edward could never be king now. I am sure his audience was very confused and unhappy afterwards. They had expected a wonderful coronation ceremony on that day, and all they got was this strange and disturbing justification for the boy being put aside, as he no longer qualified for kingship!

Richard tells me that he is really very reluctant to take the throne, but in the circumstances feels he has no other choice, if the good of the realm is to be his main consideration. He assures me that it had never occurred to him that the situation might arise where it seemed the only thing for him to do, to stabilise the country. But now he is taking the throne and becoming king, he is regarding it as a challenge to do some good. I can see that. He is an able man, well regarded and respected, and I am sure he will rule wisely and well.

If he is in charge, it will avoid much endless political upheavals, for, with a boy as king, this would be inevitable. But I do not like it. It still seems wrong, whatever the reasons for Richard’s acceptance of the throne. That poor little prince in the Tower! I cannot help thinking how he must feel. He cannot possibly understand the political reasons behind Richard’s decision. He must feel very bitter and unhappy. He must surely hate Richard!

And I have no wish whatsoever to be queen! All the heavy duties and responsibilities that entails fill me with dread. But the main thing is the need to stay in London, as it is the centre of power. I hate the place. It is so dirty and polluted, full of disease and too crowded. We shall be able to get up to Yorkshire only rarely. And my boy is there, my little delicate child who has been left too long already. He has a good nurse and is well cared for, but it is not the same as a mother’s care!

I shall miss Middleham dreadfully. I was looking forward to going home soon after little Edward’s coronation. Now that is cancelled, God alone knows when a visit home will be possible. I prefer the quiet life in the country. And my sick child needs me. John too. But London is the capital and Richard has to stay here. I must be by his side, so my sick child is deprived of the mother he needs so badly. I cannot be in two places at once. But I am torn, so torn emotionally.

Ned has to stay at Middleham. He cannot live here with us. His health would not stand it. He needs the clean, unpolluted air of Wensleydale with his weak lungs. His nurse tells me, in her most recent letter, that he is still coughing and has frequent breathless attacks which are very worrying to see. And the doctors say that nothing can be done to help the poor child. It is heartbreaking. I cannot bear it. If Ned is like this in summer, what will his health be like next winter? I hardly dare to think about it. Ironically, I have another little child here with me now, Edward, George of Clarence’s eight-year-old son, my nephew, recently brought to me to look after again, as Richard discovered he was very unhappy where he was. He is also in much need of care and attention, and though I give it willingly enough, it makes it even harder to bear the separation from my own Ned. The boy has always been backward for his age, but perhaps this is because he is an orphan and has not been nurtured lovingly lately. Being an orphan he is a sad child too. He has never had much to say for himself. My heart goes out to him, even though it is torn with longing for my own son.

My own health is not good. I have never been strong, but now I tire so very easily. I wonder how I will be able to find the stamina to keep up with all the demands on a queen’s time? I have a persistent cough too. I try to hide it from Richard so that he will not worry over me. He has enough worries on his shoulders already.

With Richard now to be crowned king on 6 July, I shall have to be crowned too at the coronation ceremony. I dread it. It does not bear thinking about! How will I cope with the endless hours of religious ceremony in the July heat, wearing all those heavy ceremonial robes, let alone the processions and the great feast that will go on and on late into the night? It will be a nightmare. I hope I do not faint and let Richard down. I will have to use every bit of my will power! Never was there a more reluctant queen!

Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond,
Woking Old Hall, 26 June 1483

My Dear Henry,

There is amazing, astonishing news to impart to you! I can hardly believe it myself, and it fills me with deep concern. And yet, what has happened in the last few days gives you, in the long term, if not in the short, more of a real opportunity to take your rightful place as King of England. If this is not immediately apparent to you when you have read this letter, just think about it!

Prince Edward is not to be king after all! His coronation was set for 4 May, then postponed to 22 June, when his uncle, Richard of Gloucester, took over the post of his Protector and Protector of the Realm, which was according to the deathbed wishes of King Edward. But now, Richard has usurped the young king and is to become king in his place! Some story has been given out to explain the sudden upheaval in events—not that I believe a word of it. It is something dredged up to suit the Duke of Gloucester’s purposes, so that he can make himself king, I am sure of it!

Briefly, a bishop called Stillington has confessed to some long-ago plight-troth that King Edward made to another woman before he married Elizabeth Grey. As this is regarded in English Law as binding, he was apparently in no position to remarry. So now, they are saying that all the king’s children are bastards. And bastards cannot inherit money, property, or estates, let alone the throne!

Duke Richard is not well-liked in the south of England or among your many supporters in Brittany. He only has a really loyal support base in the north, where he has ruled for years as Lord of the North. Now that he has usurped the throne from his nephew, you will suddenly become the focus of attention of everyone who deplores his action and will want to get rid of him quickly. Quite simply, there is no one else to turn to. More and more influential people are sure to see you now as the potential king!

My son, the time is imminent when what I always predicted will come to pass. I know it!

So you must prepare yourself to take arms against this usurper. Duke Francis will surely help you or the King of France? Especially the latter—the French have no love for Richard. They remember his stubborn refusal to endorse the Treaty of Picquigny. Also, his refusal to accept their presents afterwards!

You will need much money for ships, horses, and arms. I will help you too. I can send you a goodly amount of gold to help in your enterprises, but it is up to you now to take advantage of the situation and prepare for an invasion. I have communicated with your Uncle Jasper regularly and he and your other friends there, and here, are at the ready to support you!

Richard of Gloucester has had his two nephews, the young princes, locked away in the Tower of London, that dark and threatening place, ostensibly for their own safety, but who knows what he plans? They are in the way, after all!

The queen remains in sanctuary with her daughters. She knows better than to risk all their lives by emerging, in spite of many assurances as to their safety. She and I share the same doctor, who visits her in Westminster Sanctuary, and he is easily prompted to reveal her thoughts and desires to me and, I expect, mine to her. I plan to visit her soon. Also, I plan to visit her boys in the Tower. Edward, the eldest, is quite sick with an abscess in his jaw from a rotten tooth, I hear. I shall take in some of my soothing pain-killing remedies to help him, which my doctor supplied me with. I shall reassure Elizabeth that I, at least, am taking pity on the young prince in his situation! I am able to go in and out of the Tower freely if I so desire, as my husband, Lord Stanley, is acting Constable of the Tower. The younger prince, Richard, is not well either. I am not surprised, being cooped up in that place all the time. The only recreation they both get is a little shooting at the butts in the small garden by the walls outside their tower. They are sometimes observed there playing at their games too. But they do not have their freedom, any more than you have yours!

But all that will soon change! My friend, Bishop Morton, an implacable enemy of Gloucester and a very clever and resourceful man, has assured me that he is also working industriously on your behalf. Though a member of the Yorkist council until Lord Hastings was accused of treachery and summarily executed, when Morton was sent to Brecon Castle as a prisoner of the Duke of Buckingham, being suspected of collusion with Hastings, he has always supported the Lancastrian cause privately and is just waiting for the right time to oppose Richard openly! He is very devious and, though a prisoner, he will know exactly how to go about stirring things up and headhunting influential men to rise up against Richard when the time is ripe and all is prepared! He is very persuasive and always gets his own way, I believe. He is a most useful ally to have on our side. And he loves money. I have plenty of that to assist him to make the right decisions in our favour and to work on our behalf to influence others in high places! I would not put it past him to persuade Buckingham to change sides. He could offer him many tempting possibilities if he does, I am sure!

So, now do you see that what seems a setback is actually going to boost your claim?

I will be in constant communication now through my agents.

Until you hear from me again soon, please reply and let me know that you are ready in your mind for the coming confrontation. You have had plenty of time to think about it over the years, with my constant exhortations for you to have faith in your ultimate destiny!

Your loving mother,

Margaret Beaufort,

Countess of Richmond

Henry Tudor, Vannes Castle, Brittany, 30 June 1483

My Dear Mother,

I am replying to your last letter at once, as I am in communication with Uncle Jasper, who has also heard the news of Richard of Gloucester’s usurpation and is making all haste to join me here to discuss the situation. My other chief councillors are nearby, ready for the Council of War we shall soon have.

I have spoken to Duke Francis, and he has agreed to advance me enough gold to equip ourselves well with ships, horses, and armaments. He has no love for Richard and is scandalised by his treatment of young Edward, who should have been crowned king, but if he had, this window of opportunity for me would hardly have come now! I would have had to wait patiently even longer. I have spent my entire life waiting for something or someone, it seems!

I am very sorry for him. In many ways, his experience recently has been like mine: dragged away from all he knew and loved and was familiar with in Ludlow, as I had to leave my beloved Wales at short notice and come here, leaving behind my home, Maude, my dearest friend and the girl I loved, and Owen, my horse, whom I missed so dreadfully. And he is much younger than I was when it happened to me. At least I was taken by friends and looked after since by them, though I have been in exile. He is locked in that dark Tower, surrounded by potential enemies, the chief of whom must be his Uncle of Gloucester, I should think, who was appointed his Protector. How afraid he must feel! And he is ill too. It is kind of you to visit him with your herbal potions to ease his pain. At least he has a companion now in his little brother, Richard of York.

I do understand, Mother, what you mean about the time to strike a blow for my own claim being almost here! As soon as we are ready, I will sail for England. But it may take a few weeks before we can set out. There is so much to do! Richard is a great soldier. I have no experience of fighting battles whatsoever, though I have studied tactics and do have good men who can advise me in this. If I am to have any hope of taking him on in battle—and winning—I must listen carefully to their advice, and we must make detailed plans for the invasion and what happens after!

I am filled with trepidation and exhilaration at the same time! It is very strange.

All these years, I have been in limbo, as it were, and now suddenly, I am called upon to take extreme action! Can I do it successfully? Can I win and oust Richard? And become king myself? It still seems an impossible dream!

But I am prepared to take my chances anyway! You have always had great faith in me and urged me on to realise my destiny when the chance came. Now it has! And I welcome it with open arms!

I once met Richard, you know, when I was at Raglan Castle, in Gwent, and he came to visit Lady Herbert. We got on, and I liked him a lot. It will be strange to be forced to fight him. I would rather have been his friend. I admired him as a man and as a soldier. His achievements were awesome, even then. I was always sorry we were on opposing sides. So was he, I think.

But I realise I cannot harbour any sentiment now when it comes to fighting for the Lancastrian cause. I have been a pawn all my life, but now it is my chance to assert myself and see what I can achieve, not only for the cause, but for myself! I have achieved little in my life up to now—unlike Richard. I have always envied him.

The gold that Edward Woodville brought me from King Edward’s treasure is safely stowed away in Duke Francis’s strongroom. I thank the Marquess of Dorset for arranging to have it sent to me. It will aid greatly in paying for equipment. Strange that English gold should be used to pay for an invasion of England!