The Red Rose of Anjou

NICHOLAS OF THE TOWER

Henry was happier than he had ever been. He was delighted with his marriage. He believed he was surrounded by good ministers headed by the Duke of Suffolk, but he was grieved that his great-uncle the Cardinal had died. That had been a sadness and Margaret had felt it deeply. She had dearly loved the old man and she was very touched that he had left her all the fine scarlet damask and the bed which he had had made especially for her on her visits to Grafton.

‘I shall always treasure them,’ she said, but she wept bitterly and was sad every time she saw them.

She was recovering from her grief though, and she was interested in Henry’s plans for building. They visited the work frequently. He had enjoyed showing Margaret the College of the Blessed Mary of Eton beside Windsor. He had explained to her how interesting it had been studying the plans for the building and what a boon it would be to scholars. They would go on from the college to the one he was building at Cambridge. He was going to call it College Royal or King’s College to Our Lady and St. Nicholas.

Margaret was very interested. She said she would very much like to found a college herself.

Indeed she should, said Henry, and he thought how much pleasanter this was than the perpetual negotiations and plans for war.

Together they went to Cambridge and there Margaret met a certain Andrew Doket who was the rector of St. Botolph's there. He was very gratified by the interest of the King and Queen because he had already laid the foundation stones and he was seeking help in bringing about the building of a college. It was his greatest ambition but a lack of funds was a tremendous handicap to progress, but in view of royal interest his hopes were soaring and since Margaret wished to found a college why should she not work in conjunction with Doket?

He had intended to call the college The College of St. Bernard as before he had become rector of St. Botolph’s he had been the principal of the St. Bernard Hostel. But he was ready enough to change the name in order to get the college built and it was decided that it should be called Queen’s College of St. Margaret and St. Bernard.

Thus Margaret had a project to equal that of the King and they spent many happy hours glowing with enthusiasm, discussing plans and visiting sites. They had literature in common too. Margaret was very fond of Boccaccio’s work and she and Henry read this together. Then there was the hunt to occupy her. Henry did not follow her quite so enthusiastically in this but Margaret loved to ride for after a few hours over her books she found the chase invigorating. She loved to ride ahead of the rest of the party, to be the first in at the kill. That was something Henry liked to avoid, for bloodshed, even of animals, was abhorrent to him.

When Margaret discovered that certain of the courtiers had been hunting in the royal forest she immediately gave orders that the game should be preserved absolutely for her use. Henry had never given such orders and the fact that Margaret did so without consulting him indicated her imperious nature. Why should she have consulted Henry? she would have asked. He would agree to give her what she wanted. And that was the truth. Henry was living in a state of blissful happiness. He had a beautiful Queen whom he loved and who loved him. The foolish war with France was petering out. He had made peace by his marriage and Margaret and he with their books and music and founding their colleges were happy.

They had no child as yet and that was a source of regret; but it would come. Margaret was very young and he was not old.

When their child was born, they would have reached perfection.

He deeply regretted the death of the Cardinal but then as though to balance that, Gloucester was dead also. York was to go to Ireland—although he was taking a long time to set out. Everything could be safely left in the capable hands of the Duke of Suffolk and Henry need only concern himself with his happy life.

And it was a happy time. He and Margaret made a tour of the country’s monasteries. They went to the Austin Friary at Lynn and as far north as Durham.

In the midst of all these mutual pleasures Margaret received letters from France; among them was one from her father. There had been great delays, he complained, and he begged her for the good of England, he said, as well as for that of France, to urge the surrender of Maine to the King of France.

Margaret thought of the matter a great deal. She knew that the English were clinging to Maine as one of the most important of their possessions in France. They should give it up. It belonged to France and if it were returned to that country her father would profit, for it would be restored to the House of Anjou.

She wrote to her father. I will do your pleasure as much as lies in my power as I have done already.’

She and Henry had had a happy day. They had been to the colleges and had indulged in a little friendly rivalry which delighted Henry.

She was so amiable, so amusing and so very beautiful. He was singularly blessed in his marriage, he told himself.

When they were in their apartment she sat at his feet with a book on her lap. She would read aloud to him; but after reading for a while she laid aside the book and said: ‘Oh, I wish we could have absolute peace. I think if I could have a child and peace between our countries I would know perfect happiness.’

‘The child will come,’ said Henry. ‘And peace...well, there is no active war at this time.’

‘We have a truce!’ she cried. ‘What is a truce? It means that war can break out at any moment.’

‘Yes,’ he agreed solemnly.

‘And it could be ended at once.’

Henry shook his head.

‘Yes,’ she insisted. ‘Maine. That is all that stands between us and an end to this war.’

‘If I thought...’

‘Yes?’ she asked eagerly. ‘If you thought that giving up Maine would end the war you would give it up?’

‘Yes,’ he cried. ‘Yes, yes.’

She rose and coming close to him put her arms round his neck.

‘Then it is done,’ she said.

He shook his head. ‘The Parliament...’

‘The Parliament. You are the King. Oh Henry, I cannot bear it when you let others rule you. You are the King. It is for you to say.’

‘Yes, it is for me to say,’ he repeated.

She brought pen and paper to him. ‘Henry, write this. Say that you will give up Maine...for peace.’

Henry hesitated but only for a moment. She was so earnest and so beautiful. She was clever too. Far more so than he was. And he did want to please her.

Moreover he desperately wanted peace.

She was triumphant. It was done. The King had agreed to surrender Maine.

So Maine was to be surrendered and Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and nephew of the Cardinal, was in France with Adam Moleyns, Bishop of Chichester, to arrange peace terms.

The King of France was not eager to make peace unless he achieved what he wanted and he knew that it was impossible to get the English to agree to that. What he wanted was to clear the English out of France and to make them give up their claim to the French crown forever. They would not be ready to concede that—but the surrender of Maine was a very good piece of good fortune to be getting on with. All that had been agreed to was an extension of the peace for two years.

The Parliament was very uneasy. They should not have surrendered Maine and yet on the other hand they were not in a position to continue the war. The French were becoming prosperous under the King who in his youth had seemed so hopeless. The English had a King who did not care for war and had no skill in conducting it. England was in no condition to continue the war but on the other hand they must get out of it with some advantages.

The surrender of Maine was a great mistake and for it they blamed the Queen and Suffolk.

Well, there was a truce and that might give them time to build up the army, to raise taxes—if the people did not revolt and refuse to pay them. It was a waiting time, but the uneasiness was growing.

Then disaster struck. Francis Tarragonois, one of the English captains, seeing the build-up of French arms and knowing that attack would come sooner or later, forestalled them and marched into Brittany, took several fortresses and captured the town of Fougères.

It was a foolish action for it gave the French the very chance they wanted. The English had broken the truce. Very well, that meant it was over. There was nothing to stop them now. They were ready. In a very short time they had captured Normandy.

The loss of Normandy demoralized the English. So it had been long ago in the reign of King John. Normandy had been brought to England with the Conqueror and had been part of the English heritage since the Conquest.

The people were aghast. What had happened to the glorious victories of Henry the Fifth? It was little more than thirty years ago when the bells were ringing and the country was rejoicing in Agincourt.

And now...disaster. The surrender of Maine had meant the beginning of surrender to France. And they had let it happen. Not the King...he was too weak to do it. He had been forced into it. By his ministers, by the grand Duke of Suffolk and the Queen. The Duke of Somerset was a fool. He had been defeated in France and he and the Bishop Moleyns deserved to be hanged.

There was uneasiness throughout the country.

Henry’s idyll was rudely shattered.

They were losing France. Very well, let them lose it. He was content with England. He wanted to see the people happy. He wanted to encourage the artists. He wanted his people to appreciate fine music and art, to have colleges in which to study. War was the last thing he wanted. Let them abandon France...the whole of France if necessary and let them give their minds to being happy in England.

Suffolk came to Windsor to see him. A new Suffolk, a worried man this. His self-assurance was crumbling.

‘My lord, my lady.’ His eyes were on the Queen. She was the one who understood these matters better than the King. ‘Bad news.’

‘No more losses,’ cried Henry. ‘People should give more thought to prayer.’

‘Prayer will do little to save Moleyns now. He went down to Portsmouth to pay the sailors for their work in carrying the troops to France, and he lodged there at the hospital called God’s House.’

Margaret put her hand to her wildly beating heart. He is afraid to tell us, she thought. That is why he is hesitating.

‘My lord,’ she began. ‘William, tell us the worst. We have to know it.’

‘Well, my lady, the sailors began to quarrel about their payment. They said it was not enough and accused Moleyns of taking it for himself. Moleyns replied with some disdain, I gather, that they were behaving foolishly. Therefore they began shouting "Normandy. You have lost Normandy for us." And then they fell upon him.’

‘Forsooth and forsooth,’ cried the King. ‘They did not...harm him . ..’

‘They killed him, my lord. They so mishandled him that a short while after he was dead.’

Margaret looked at Henry. He had turned very pale. The thought of violence unnerved him.

‘It was the mob,’ she cried. ‘I hate them. They act without reason...’

Suffolk said slowly: ‘It shows the way the wind has begun to blow.’

He was right. His enemies were gathering. Maine had been surrendered, Rouen lost. Somerset might in some measure be to blame, Moleyns had paid the penalty, but the leader was Suffolk and now it was his turn.

Very shortly after the murder of Moleyns Suffolk was committed to the Tower.

Alice, Duchess of Suffolk came to the Tower and begged to be allowed to see her husband.

When she was shown into the small chamber where he was seated she ran to him and was swept up in his arms.

‘William,’ she cried, ‘how could this happen? How could they

‘I am the scapegoat, Alice.’

‘Something must be done,’ she cried. ‘They will never allow this to go on. The King...the Queen...’

‘I doubt either will have the power to stop it, Alice.’ ‘What have you done but ever serve your country.’ Suffolk was silent. He had served his country, it was true, but he could not deny that he had served himself rather well at the same time.

He sat down and covered his face with his hands.

‘It is like a prophecy coming true. Do you remember years ago a soothsayer telling me that if I could escape from the Tower I should live? If I did not I should die.’

‘A safe prophecy for any man,’ said Alice scornfully. ‘But put such foolish notions from your head. What will happen? You will have a hearing and how then could anyone bring charges against you.’

‘They will accuse me of giving Maine to the French.’

‘But that had to be. It was the price of peace.’

‘But it did not buy peace. They will accuse me of losing Normandy.’

‘You were not there. Somerset was in charge.’

‘That matters not. They want to bring these things against me and they will do so. They have accused me of many things.’

A silence fell between them. Yes, the people had accused him...of Gloucester’s murder, of being Margaret’s lover.

Any accusations which could be thought of would be brought against him. When a man was down anything could happen to him.

‘We shall not despair,’ said Alice. ‘I shall see the Queen.’

‘Take care. They hate the Queen. Do not let us involve her in this more than she is. It can do us no good and it can bring harm to her. Be patient, Alice. I have to face the Parliament and I can give a good account of myself, I promise you.’

‘But if they are determined to find you guilty...’

‘They have to prove it, my dear. I tell you I did not reach this position from which so many want to tear me down by being reckless or without guile.’

‘I know. I trust you, William. You will pull through this as you have through other things. It is just that to see you here...’

‘It is the Tower. It has that effect. So many cruel things have happened in this grim fortress. While one is here it seems impossible to escape from them. But I shall come through these troubles. Once let me get out of the Tower and all will be well.’

‘I believe you,’ said Alice.

She had to. She could not bear to contemplate the alternative.

He stood before his peers and listened to the charges against him.

They declared he had conspired to secure the throne for his son John Pole by contracting for him a marriage with Margaret Beaufort the daughter of the first Duke of Somerset. The child had been two years old only when her father had died and she had been taken into Suffolk’s house, there to be brought up until that time when she could be married to his son. This was nonsense. He had had no such thought. There would be many to claim the throne before Margaret Beaufort. The real grievance was the loss of Maine and Anjou which had been surrendered to the French. Suffolk was accused of working for the French and it was said that this was the reason why he had given over these important provinces. Moreover he had failed to supply adequate forces and arms to the army serving in France and was thus responsible for the present debacle. These were the main charges, but in addition evidence was brought out that there had been some maladministration in property and money and that Suffolk had come far too well out of too many transactions for the good of the nation.

They were determined to condemn him and he knew it. But he also knew his own powers. He would not be easily defeated. He could give a very good account of himself.

He was taken back to the Tower.

Alice came to the Queen. She threw herself at Margaret’s feet and seizing her hand begged her to help her.

‘They are going to condemn William,’ she said. ‘They have made up their minds. They are all against him.’

‘Not all,’ said Margaret. ‘We will save him. I promise you, Alice. Come to the King at once. He will give an order that William shall be freed from these ridiculous charges.’

Alice kissed the Queen’s hand. There were tears in her eyes. ‘Oh my lady, 1 knew you would be a good friend to me.’

‘Of course I am your friend. Do you think I shall ever forget how you looked after me when I was so young and apprehensive? You and William are my first friends in England. Of course, Alice, we shall not allow these wicked men to harm William. They shall withdraw their charges at once. Come, we will go to the King.’

Henry was as grieved as Margaret. William was his good friend. He relied on William.

‘You must order them to free him from the Tower at once,’ said Margaret.

He looked at her rather sadly. There was much that Margaret did not understand. He was the King, yes, but he was to a large extent governed by his Parliament and he could not order the release of a man whom they had condemned.

‘It will not be as simple as that,’ he explained. ‘The Londoners are against William and the Parliament is always afraid of the Londoners. You see the people don’t understand that we had to give up Maine for peace. They blame William for the loss of Maine.’

Margaret did not meet Alice’s eyes. She could not. Was it not she who had persuaded the King, because her father and her uncle had wanted the surrender of Maine? She had helped to bring about this situation and was partly responsible for the disaster which had befallen her friends.

‘The war could not have gone on,’ she said quickly. ‘We had to have peace. If we have lost almost all the whole of Normandy that is not William’s fault.’

‘The people will have their scapegoat,’ said Henry.

‘And they have settled for William,’ added Alice.

There was silence for a while and then the King said: ‘I cannot order him to be released. There would be riots all over the country if I did. I can order him to be banished. Yes, that is the answer.’

‘Banished,’ cried Alice.

‘Yes, my dear. He can go abroad for a time and you can join him. In due course he will come back.’

Margaret looked at Alice. She could see the dawn of hope in her eyes.

The King had given the order of banishment. Suffolk was to leave England for five years.

Alice came to see him in the Tower.

‘Don’t you see, it is a reprieve,’ she said. ‘Oh, William, I have been so miserable, so much afraid. But Margaret and Henry are our friends. Henry does this because it is the only way of fighting your enemies.’

‘To be banished from the country I have served...from my home...’

‘Hush,’ said Alice. ‘Be thankful and rejoice. They were after your life. Remember what they have done for others. They would have had your head but for the intervention of the King.

The Queen was wonderful. She is a true friend...a loyal friend. She insisted that the King act and you know he does all that she tells him. You will go to France. There you will stay...perhaps not five years and I shall join you there. And perhaps the children...’

‘They will confiscate our estates.’

‘We’ll get them back, William. Be thankful. They have made you the scapegoat for inevitable defeat. But rejoice that you have escaped thus easily.’

They sat silently together. Then he said: ‘You are a great comfort to me, Alice, and always have been.’

He was in better spirits when they parted and settled down to prepare to leave his prison.

The cool March air was exhilarating after the confinement of the Tower. Alice was right. All would be well. The walls of the Tower were enough to unnerve any man when he found himself a prisoner within them. In six weeks’ time he was to leave England. He would not be safe until he had done so, but those six weeks could be spent on his estate in Suffolk. There he could be surrounded by his family. He could put his affairs in order.

One of the guards of the Tower came to him as he stood looking over the river inhaling the fresh morning air.

‘My lord,’ he said, ‘you must ride quietly out of the town. It would be unwise to go with your company. The people are muttering against you. Slip away quietly with one servant only. It may be then that you will not be recognized. Your attendants can follow later.’

‘God help me,’ said Suffolk. ‘Have I not suffered enough?’

‘You know what the mob can be like,’ was the answer.

He knew it was wise to take the advice so he rode quietly out of the town with one servant beside him as two friends taking a journey together.

He realized what sound advice that had been when he saw the gathering crowds and listened to their murmurings. He was however unrecognized and came safely to the country. The men of his company were less fortunate. As soon as his livery was recognized they were set upon.

‘Where is the Duke?’ the people cried. And it was clear what his fate would have been if they had laid their hands on him. Several of his servants were injured, but when it was discovered that the Duke was not with them they were allowed to pass on, while the crowd went to the Tower to wait for the Duke to emerge.

Meanwhile riding eastwards he realized what a lucky escape he had had.

He spent a rather melancholy six weeks in Suffolk. He could not forget that he was an exile but those weeks passed quickly and it was soon time for his departure.

Alice had not left his side and she constantly assured him that they would not be parted for long. She would soon be with him.

‘I am going to write to our son, Alice,’ he said. ‘I know he is only eight years old but there are things I must say to him in case I never see him again.’

‘Of course you will see him again. It is only for five years and perhaps I can prevail on the Queen to make it less. I am sure she wishes to help us all she can and the King loves us too and he will do what the Queen asks him. Yes, write to little John and keep in good heart. Be thankful that you have escaped from the Tower. Remember the soothsayer. If you can escape from the Tower you will have a long and prosperous life.’

‘God bless you, Alice,’ said the Duke. ‘Now I will write to our son. And in the morning we leave for Dover.’

It was a good sailing wind and the air was clear. He could see the outline of the coast of that land which would provide him a refuge from his enemies. It was so near and yet it would be so far because he could not leave it until the period of banishment was over. How often he would gaze with longing across that strip of water.

But Alice would come to him. They would plan...and who knew she might prevail upon the Queen to get the banishment curtailed. The King would not do it unless prompted to. Poor Henry. He was a good and loyal friend, a good and saintly man, but he lacked the will and the power to act.

In his heart Suffolk knew that he had been wrong to rejoice in a weak King because such a King meant power to his ministers. The country needed a strong King like the First and Third Edwards and the Fifth Henry. Hard, stern men all of them. It was no use putting a gentle scholar on the throne and expecting strong rule.

He had been at fault. He had made the most of the situation.

He had enriched himself. What man wouldn’t? He had wanted riches and power for his family.

It was too late now to regret.

But I’ll come back, he told himself. I have escaped from the Tower.

He went aboard. There was an accompanying ship and a pinnace. He began to wonder what his reception would be in Calais and decided to send the pinnace on to discover if there would be anyone there to greet him and whether he could expect hospitality or hostility.

Then they set sail.

They had not gone more than a few miles when he saw a ship bearing down on them.

They were hailed and the master of the ship invited Suffolk to step aboard.

Suffolk did so and as he climbed on to the deck a shiver of apprehension ran through him for he saw the ship’s name painted on the side. St. Nicholas of the Tower.

It was the word Tower which had haunted him all the time he had been in that formidable fortress because he could not forget what the soothsayer had said.

No sooner had he stepped aboard than there was a cry of ‘Welcome, Traitor.’

Then he knew that his worse fears were realized. His enemies had determined not to let him go.

The Captain spoke to him. He said that those who believed injustice had no intention of allowing him to escape to banishment. He had been tried and condemned and his last hours were near.

They were Christian folk however and would give him the rest of the day and a night in which to shrive himself.

He knew it was useless to appeal. This was the end.

He asked for writing materials which were given him for men such as these did not want to deny the last requests of a man condemned to die at their hands. He wrote to the King protesting his innocence.

He thought of Alice and his little son John. He was glad he had written to him; and he thought how fickle fortune was to raise a man to the heights of power and then as easily dash him down.

The Tower. He had not thought of any other Tower. But here it was and the prophecy was true. He was here, a condemned prisoner in the Tower...St. Nicholas of the Tower.

He faced his executioner, an Irishman with a cruel countenance which betrayed his delight in the deed he was about to perform.

Suffolk looked at the rusty sword in the man’s hand and prayed that death would come quickly.

It took six strokes to sever his head from his body and when the deed was done, both body and head were taken back to Dover and thrown on the beach there.

The whole country was talking of the Duke’s murder. Many called it execution for he was judged guilty. He had worked for the French, it was said. He had surrendered Maine; he had enriched himself; he was a traitor to his country; he was the lover of the Queen and had been conducting an adulterous intrigue since her arrival in England. He, with her, had murdered the Duke of Gloucester who now, for no reason but that he was dead, had become a saint.

Any ridiculous charge which could be brought against Suffolk was brought; his death was used to increase the unpopularity of the Queen.

The King still kept the regard of the nation. He was good, he was a saint, he was deeply religious, he founded colleges and he hated bloodshed. Yes, they still loved the King. But he was weak and he was the slave of a wicked woman...an adulteress, a murderess...a French woman...and were not the country’s greatest enemies—and always had been—the French?

Alice was heartbroken. The Queen tried to comfort her and Alice was relieved that not all the calumnies uttered against her husband reached Margaret’s ears.

Henry did show a certain strength when Suffolk was attainted in an attempt to make his execution legal. The St. Nicholas of the Tower was a royal ship and it was certain that the captain and crew had acted on orders from someone in a high position.

There was a whisper that Richard Duke of York was involved. He was in Ireland, it was true, but he had his supporters all over the country. He had been a great enemy of Suffolk. But then Suffolk had had so many enemies.

Margaret kept Alice with her. The Queen was seething with hatred against those who had murdered her friend. She wanted to arrest the captain of the St. Nicholas and have him die the traitor’s death.

Margaret was fierce in her denunciation of those whom she considered worthy of the most dire punishment. Her feelings went deep whether they were engendered by anger against her enemies or loyalty to her friends. She grieved with an intensity which matched Alice’s own.

But it was useless. That would not bring Suffolk back.

The King however refused to agree that Suffolk was a traitor and ordered that his body should be taken for honourable burial to Wingfield. A stone effigy was placed above it; and the King and the Queen, with Alice, continued to mourn.