Текст книги "The Star of Lancaster"

Автор книги: Jean Plaidy

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'You ever gave me good advice,' said Henry.

*My dear son, you are my hope. Everything I dreamed of for myself, I want for you. My affairs in Castile are settled now. Constanza's girl—and mine—has married the heir to the throne and will be Queen of the Asturias. That settles that matter. Constanza is pleased. She will not have the crown nor shall I, but our daughter will wear it. Your sister Philippa has married the King of Portugal. I feel I need no longer take an active part in State affairs. I have not achieved what I set out to, but who does? I must now live through my children. Henry, one day, who knows what will be yours ... Be ready for it. Richard is unstable ... the day may come ... But I will say no more. It is unwise to dream too much. But be ready ... It is a stormy path to greatness; so many fall through a false step. We are set fair. You have two fine sons. I am proud of you.'

'You are right in all you say. Father,' said Henry; and they were silent, both looking into the future and there were dreams of greatness in their eyes.

Before John of Gaunt's visit was over Henry had made up his mind to join the joust at St Inglebert; and by the time he left Kenilworth Mary was once more pregnant.

The two brothers set out for France and threw themselves whole-heartedly into the task of upholding English honour against the French.

They were friends, having known each other well throughout their childhood. Their father had never wished to segregate his legitimate children by Blanche of Lancaster from those who were illegitimate by Catherine Swynford. His daughter Catherine by Constanza of Castile had always lived

with her mother; but the rest of the family had been together a good deal, often under the care of Lady Swynford.

John was a young man with his eye to his own advantage. He was a little younger than Henry, though not much, he being the eldest of the Beaufort boys. He was handsome, showing more than a trace or two of his Plantagenet origins and he had inherited a little of his mother's unusual beauty. He was quick, clever, and a pleasant companion; and, although he had ambitions of his own, he never for one moment forgot that Henry was the heir of Lancaster, that he had the tremendous advantage of being the legitimate son and John knew that all the blessings which his mother, brothers and sisters had enjoyed had flowed from John of Gaunt, and when that benefactor was removed—and death only would remove him —they would have to come from Henry who then would be the new Duke of Lancaster.

John had a great admiration for royalty. It had been bred in him; it was his boast that he had royal blood in his veins —even though it had been injected on the wrong side of the blanket—and therefore he doubly admired Henry, for that blood had come to him not only through his father but also through his mother.

Henry was descended from Henry the Third on both sides, for his mother and father were that king's great great grandchildren and their great grandfathers Edward the First and Edmund Duke of Lancaster had been brothers.

There was complete harmony between the brothers—^John being determined to please Henry and Henry enjoying the obvious respect of his half-brother. Moreover it was not merely paternal pride when John of Gaunt had declared them to be two of the finest exponents of the joust in England and France. They had received the best possible instruction in their childhood and both being of a nature which longed to excel they had turned into truly formidable opponents for any who challenged them.

It was a glittering occasion, and a happy one, for it was such a pleasure to go into combat against the French in a joust d, Plaisance, and it transpired that the two champions were Henry of Bolingbroke and his half-brother John Beaufort. Honour was done to them and they were cheered and feted.

Louis de Clermont, Duke de Bourbon, who was among

the knights present, was greatly impressed by their prowess and he invited them to come to his tent where he promised to entertain them royally.

Many of the French nobles were gathered there and the guests were served with special delicacies and fine wine such as the French produced better than any other nation; and during the feast Louis de Clermont talked at great length about an expedition he was going to launch.

1 have had a deputation sent to me from the rich merchants of Genoa,' he explained to Henry and John. *It appears they are plagued by Barbary pirates who waylay their ships and rob them of their merchandise. They say the menace grows and they plead for help.'

'What do you propose to do?' asked Henry.

It would be profitable for all those who took part,* went on Louis. 'It would be a great adventure. We should be helping to promote trade. The merchants are doing good work. But they cannot go on if this wicked piracy continues. You ask what I propose, my friend. It is to take out a band of brave and adventurous men and attack El Mahadia, the home of the corsairs. They sail from there; they have their homes there. Mahadia grows richer as Genoa grows poorer. The robbers are winning the battle against honest traders.'

It sounds a worthy project,' said John Beaufort.

It is, indeed it is. What I need is men who know how to handle a sword. They are desperate men, these corsairs. It would be a fine adventure. We should recapture the spoils which have been stolen from the merchants and let me tell you, the merchants would be so grateful to see the end of the corsairs that the goods would be our reward.'

'Are you inviting us to join your expedition?' asked Henry.

'I should be glad of your company,' was the answer.

John Beaufort's eyes were gleaming. The thought of that treasure was very attractive to him.

Henry was more cautious. 'Let us think about it,* he said. 'It is not a matter to be lightly decided.'

Louis de Clermont agreed. He was pleased; he felt certain that these two young men, who certainly knew how to handle a sword, would be members of his party.

When they were alone in their tent Henry and John discussed the proposition and John listened with the utmost respect to what his half-brother had to say.

'Our father thinks that I should not become embroiled in politics,' said Henry. It might be a good plan to go to El Mahadia, particularly if there are good profits to be made.'

John enthusiastically agreed.

'We have given a good account of ourselves at the joust,' he said. 'Why should we not do the same and reap some profit with it?'

'Then let us go,' cried Henry.

'Together,' echoed John.

'We should return to England with all speed. We shall need to equip ourselves and that will take a little time.'

'We could leave for England tomorrow.'

'Then let us do it.'

Louis de Clermont was overjoyed at their promise to join his expedition and as soon as the tide permitted they set sail for Dover.

Henry was back in England in time for the birth of his third son. He was named John. So now he and Mary had three boys and their grandfather was delighted to have this one named after him. Young Harry was three years old and showing a decidedly rebellious character. The fact that he still had a tendency to be delicate meant that he was spoilt a little by Joan Waring who rarely let him out of her sight. He was undoubtedly the king of the nursery, which was understandable on account of his seniority, but there was that about Master Harry which implied that nothing would deter him in the business of getting his own way.

Mary was disturbed when Henry told her that he was going to attack the Barbary pirates. She had been pleased for him to go to the joust at St Inglebert. He had stressed that it had been a Plaisance and she had thought, It is just a game really, jousting with blunted lances or those fitted with special heads which rendered them harmless. Why could they not always fight like that—if fight they must? But the Barbary pirates WTre different. They were desperate men. There was real danger there.

Henry tried to soothe her; he gave her an account of the jousts at St Inglebert and stressed his own success and that of his half-brother, in the hope of implying that they would know how they would defend themselves. But Mary could

not be comforted and was very uneasy, although she tried to hide this.

While Henry was mustering the knights he would take with him and giving instructions to Richard Kyngeston, the man whom he called his 'treasurer of war', as to what weapons and stores would be needed, he did manage to spend a little time with his family.

He delighted in his sons and in particular in Harry. This eldest son of his was so bright, a boy to be proud of. The fact that he was constantly in some kind of mischief amused his father. Of course the child being of a quick and lively mind, had already grasped his importance. Joan Waring might scold and even deliver the occasional slap but she was always ready to follow that with a cuddle and an assurance that naughty as he was he was her very special Lord Harry.

He would climb onto his father's knee and Henry told him about the joust, and how he had tilted his lance at his opponent and thundered to meet him.

Harry listened, brown eyes alight with excitement. He was dark for a Plantagenet, but handsome none the less, with an oval-shaped face and a nose which was long and straight. He was too thin but Joan Waring had reported that he was the most lively agile child she had ever encountered and it was her opinion that he would grow out of his childhood delicacy.

*Go on. Go on!' Harry would shout if his father paused and even went so far as to thump him on the chest if he were not quick enough, which should have brought a reproof but Henry was so pleased to see his son excited that he let that pass and obeyed him.

*We scored a great victory over the French. We were honoured throughout the country. I and your uncle John Beaufort were the heroes of the hour.'

Harry did not take his eyes from his father's face and Henry wondered how much of what he was told he understood. He had a notion that Harry just liked to be seated on his father's knee because his father was the most important person in the castle—apart from Harry himself of course—and Harry liked to be made much of by him.

His father watched him ride his little pony, on a leading reign naturally. There must be no risk to the heir of Lancaster even though he had two sturdy young brothers. Henry,

like everyone else in the household, felt that there was something rather special about young Harry.

His father went down to the field to watch him ride with his riding-master. Round and round the field they went. Harry was flushed with excitement and every time he rode past his father he looked at him sharply to see whether his full attention was given to the marvellous prowess of his son.

One day Henry was standing with one or two of his men watching the riding lesson when Richard Kyngeston came out to speak to him. There had been a hold up of some of the supplies and they would not be leaving for Dover for a week.

Henry turned aside to discuss this with Kyngeston just as Harry rode by and seeing that his father's attention was not on him, Harry suddenly, by some trick which he had obviously learned, disengaged himself from the riding-master, and broke into a gallop.

The riding-master cried out in great alarm as he went after the boy, and Henry immediately forgot Kyngeston as he saw his son making straight for the hedge.

'Oh God help us,' he cried. 'The boy will be killed.'

Harry was still ahead of the riding-master. Henry started to run. The boy had reached the hedge and turning and slackening speed began to canter across the field. He was smiling triumphantly as the riding-master caught up with him.

Henry said coldly: 'You are a wicked boy.'

Harry looked defiant and still pleased with himself.

'You know you are forbidden to do that.' The boy just regarded him rather insolently, Henry thought. 'Do you not?' he shouted.

Harry nodded.

'Answer me when I speak to you.'

Harry paused. He was a little afraid of the coldness in his father's voice and eyes.

'Yes, I know.'

'And yet you deliberately disobeyed. You defied orders. Do you know what happens to people who defy their masters?'

Harry was silent.

'So you do not know, eh. They are punished. Get down from your horse. Go to your room and wait there.'

Harry dismounted and went into the castle.

Henry was far from as calm as he seemed. He had been deeply shaken by the sight of his son in danger; that had passed and he was confronted by another danger. This boy was rebellious by nature and that rebellion had to be curbed. He must be beaten. And who would administer the punishment? Joan Waring? She would never do it. She would never be able to forget that this was her precious charge. He must not be hurt, she would say, he is too delicate. Mary? Mary would be quite incapable of inflicting a beating. He knew that he would have to do it himself. Soon the boy should have a tutor and he would have to perform these unpleasant duties– for it seemed likely that there would be the need for chastisement in the future.

He took a stout stick and went to the nursery. Harry was there sitting on Joan Waring's lap telling her a woeful story of his cruel father.

Joan was horrified and trembling with agitation.

It is time, thought Henry, that the boy was taken away from a parcel of women.

Joan stood up when he came in and Harry clung to her skirts burying his head in them.

'Leave us,' said Henry curtly to Joan.

Harry turned and glared balefully at his father as Joan gently prised his hands away from her skirt.

*No,' cried Harry. 'Don't listen to him, Joannie. Don't go.'

'Leave us at once,' commanded Henry.

Joan murmured as she passed: 'My lord, he is so young ... and remember he is delicate.'

Harry's eyes were on the stick, and Henry felt his heart quail. He loved this boy. The child would never understand that this was no less painful to him than it was going to be to Harry himself.

'You were a wicked boy,' he said trying to force a cold note into his voice for he was secretly full of admiration for the manner in which the child had managed the horse and it was obvious that he had been quite fearless. 'You have to learn obedience.'

'Why?' asked Harry defiantly.

'Because we all have to.'

'You don't,' he said.

'Of course I do.'

'Whom do you obey?'

go The Star of Lancaster

*Those above me/

'Nobody's above you ... except the King. Do you obey the King?'

For a moment Henry thought of himself standing before Richard with the other four Lords Appellant. The boy was making him uncomfortable, instead of the other way round.

'Enough,' he said. 'Come here.'

He tried to make him lie across a stool. Harry wriggled so fiercely that there was only one thing to do and that was pick him up and put him across his knee. He felt like a foolish old man. Nevertheless he brought down the stick and it was effective to judge by Harry's yells.

He was glad he could not see his face.

Not too much, he thought, just enough to teach him a lesson. He threw down the stick and pushed Harry off his knees.

The child glared at him. There were no tears, he noticed, though the little face was scarlet with rage.

Henry said: 'That will teach you a lesson.'

The fine brown eyes were narrowed. Never had hatred been so obvious as that which Henry saw in the face of his son.

Mary was upset that Henry had been obliged to chastise Harry.

'It had to be, my dear,' Henry explained to her. 'He is too wilful. We shall have trouble with him later unless a firm hand is taken.'

'I trust you did not beat him too hard. Joan said his screams were terrible.'

'He was screaming with rage. He did not shed a tear,' he added with pride.

'He is not four years old yet.'

'He cannot learn discipline too young. I want him to go to Oxford when he is a little older. His uncle Henry Beaufort will look after him.'

'I do not want him to leave me too soon,' said Mary. 'Let me keep my babies for a while.'

'Of course, of course,' soothed Henry. 'But not too much coddling of the child. Joan pampers him.'

'She is very good with him. He is so fond of her.'

*I don't doubt it when he twists her round his little finger.'

*0h come, she can be severe. She will slap him if he needs it/

* He is a child who is in constant need of correction. Well, he has now had something which will remind him for some time to come.'

The following day Harry was riding round the meadow but his father did not go to watch him. Instead he spent the time with his wife and younger sons. Harry seemed to take this philosophically though when Henry went into the nursery the child eyed his father with caution, but in a moment or two he seemed to have forgotten the beating and was intent on drawing his father's attention from his brothers to himself by asking about the Barbary pirates.

Within a short time Henry said good-bye to his family and set out for the coast. Mary took Harry and Thomas up to the topmost turret to watch him go.

1 want to go too,' declared Harry. 1 want to go and fight the pirates.'

'You must wait until you're older,' replied his mother.

*I don't want to wait. I want to go now.'

Tittle boys don't go and fight pirates.'

'Yes, they do.'

'Now, Harry dear, don't be silly.'

Harry stamped his foot and narrowed his eyes in the way he did when he was angry.

He snatched his hand out of hers and ran round the spiral staircase ahead of her.

He went into the bedchamber which she shared with his father. He was not allowed to go there unless especially summoned but there was no one to stop him now. His father had gone to fight Barbary pirates and had not taken him with him. He touched his buttocks. He could still feel the effects of the stick. It made him angry, not so much because it hurt his body as his pride. He hated to think that he. Lord Harry —his mother's darling, Joan's little precious mite—had to be at the mercy of a strong arm. He was not sure whether he hated his father or not. He did sometimes. At others he wanted to be like him particularly if it meant fighting the Barbary pirates.

But they wouldn't take him and they were all saying how clever his father was and they were not taking enough notice of Lord Harry.

He saw the popinjay in its cage. How pretty it was with its brightly coloured feathers. Sometimes his mother let him talk to it and put the seeds into the cage.

Harry was suddenly angry because they were all making a fuss about his father, and they wouldn't let him go and fight the pirates.

On a sudden impulse he opened the cage.

'Come out, pretty bird,' he said. 'Come and see Harry.'

The bird flew out. He watched it fluttering round the room. Then it went out through the door.

'Come back,' he called. 'Come back.'

But the popinjay took no notice. It flew on ... down the staircase to the hall and out through the open door and away.

THE LAST FAREWELL

Henry met John Beaufort at Calais. They had received permission from the King of France to cross his country as they were bent on a mission which would benefit the merchants of France as well as those of Genoa. While they were at Calais they were joined by a knight who was on his way to Lithuania to fight with the Teutonic Knights.

•We are going to El Mahadia, the lair of the Barbary pirates/ Henry told him. *We plan to destroy the place/

*A worthy cause/ replied the Knight, 'but I am eager to crusade. I shall be fighting the infidel. You may return richer men but I shall have expiated my sins and have struck a blow for Christ and Christendom.'

Henry was silent. It was true. Suddenly he had made up his mind.

He sought out John and told him that he had decided not to go to El Mahadia but to join the Teutonic Knights in Lithuania.

John was astounded. 'My lord, you have come so far,' he protested. 'Can you change now?'

'I can,' said Henry, 'and I will. It is better for me to win honour in fighting what is tantamount to a crusade than to win riches from a gang of pirates.'

John's face fell. He had been looking forward to the spoils which he was sure would come his way.

Henry put his hand on his half-brother's shoulder. 'You

must go on/ he said. 'One of us must. Take your men and the equipment and travel across France to Marseilles. I will return to England. I shall need different equipment for Lithuania and shall certainly not sail from Calais.'

*What shall you do then?' asked the bewildered John Beaufort.

'Return. Raise more money and set out afresh. But John, you must go. It is what our father would wish. Go with his blessing and mine and may God go with you.'

So the two brothers parted and Henry returned to England.

Mary was delighted to see him; but alarmed when she heard that the new plan was to go to Lithuania. She believed this would be even more dangerous than attacking the pirates. But at least he was home for another brief spell.

She was relieved that he was so concerned with his preparations that he could give little attention to young Harry who seemed to grow more and more wilful every day. He had blatantly admitted to setting her pet popinjay free and when she had asked him why, he said, *He wanted to go. He did not like being in a cage.'

He showed no repentance for what he had done but when she told him that popinjays must learn to like their cages because they were unfit to live wild, he was thoughtful and she thought a little contrite.

In her heart she guessed that he had let the bird go free because he wanted to turn the attention of the household on himself. The matter of great concern to everyone at that time had been the departure of Henry and Harry had doubtless felt himself overlooked.

She did worry about Harry—but there were other things to concern herself with. For instance Henry's burning desire for adventure. Of course she had known that it would be impossible to keep him with her, that in his position he must take part in the country's affairs, but this was not the country's affairs. This was adventure for the sake of adventure, the desire to be somewhere other than in his own home. The truth was that the love that was between them and the family they were rearing was not enough for him. He sought adventure abroad.

The thought made her sad. She was foolish, she knew. Her sister Eleanor would laugh at her and tell her she did not behave like a lady of high rank but like some peasant, cling-

ing to her husband and her family. She must keep her thoughts to herself. Moreover the prospect of more childbearing frightened her a little. The last confinement had been agonizing. Joan Waring said that she thought her husband should know how she suffered.

'There are some ladies who can bear children with ease/ said Joan, 'and there are some who cannot. My lord and lady have three fine boys. For your health's sake, my lady, that should be enough.*

She was right, Mary knew. But how could she tell Henry that?

In due course he left for Lithuania and the crusade which would wash away all his sins.

He had not been gone very long when she discovered that she was once more pregnant.

# # #

After having landed at Rixhoft Henry hastened on to Danzig at which port the main body of his force had landed with their equipment. Within ten days they had joined up with the Teutonic Knights and were soon in the thick of battle of Alt Kowno which was known later as the Battle of the Pagans.

Henry and his allies won an undoubted victory with few casualties, and immediately advanced on Vilna and laid siege to that town. It seemed as though victory would be certain but the inhabitants of Vilna were a stubborn and stoical people; they would not give way and as supplies were running out for the besiegers it was necessary to call off the attack and return to Konigsberg.

By this time the winter had come and activities must be postponed. Henry set up in quarters in the town and tried to fill in the time before fighting could be resumed.

This was not difficult for the Teutonic Knights were delighted to have him with them; he had fought hard for their cause and they wished to show their gratitude, and they arranged that there should be good hunting in the forests and in the evenings feasting and merriment.

One day when he returned from a hunting party it was to find an English sailor waiting for him.

The man had come from England he said for the purpose of bringing him a message from the Lady Mary.

*My lord,' said the man, 1 am to tell you that your lady

was delivered of a fine boy. She says that as the last was named for his paternal grandfather this child should be named for his maternal one. He is Humphrey.'

Henry was so delighted that he gave the messenger a purse of gold. Four boys! His father would be pleased. He had done better than he had for he only had one legitimate son. One could not really count the Beaufort boys. Harry, Thomas, John and now Humphrey. Dear Mary, she had played her part well. No man could ever have had a better wife. Mary had given him so much, a fortune, four sons and docility and admiration. She looked up to him and thought he was right in all things. He was a happy man. If only his father had been his father's first-born and was the son of a king instead of the grandson of one, he would be completely content with life.

As it was he had a great deal to be thankful for and now there was a birth to be celebrated.

Christmas would soon be here and on Twelfth Night he proposed that as he had accepted so much hospitality he would now entertain his hosts. There should be a banquet in the English manner with mummers, minstrels and perhaps a joust.

He threw himself into the preparations. He had a new son, he kept reminding himself. He could not stop talking about his sons. Four of them and he was young yet. He would rival his grandfather for begetting children. Edward and Philippa had had twelve, and he saw no reason why he and Mary should not equal that number.

At his feast he received the congratulations of his allies. The health of his children was drunk with special mention of the newcomer Humphrey and his eldest Harry the heir.

Rich presents were brought to him. Silks, velvets and jewels; and from one of the Teutons three bears. *To amuse those fine boys,' said the giver of the animals.

It was a glorious occasion and Henry thought how wise he had been to indulge in such an adventure which could bring him so much pleasure while at the same time it washed away his sins.

The winter began to pass and still hostilities were not resumed. At the beginning of March he began to wonder whether they would ever be, for the Teutons had been unable to raise the money necessary to carry on the war, and it seemed as though it was going to peter out.

Henry began to consider that it was time he returned home. After all he had not intended to stay away so long, so he ordered two ships to be made by two Prussian ship-builders, and, as soon as they were ready, to be loaded that he might set out on his journey home. The three bears were caged and brought on board. It was not easy to take them with him but he could not offend the giver by leaving them behind and he smiled to himself wondering what the boys would think of them.

Then they set sail and finally they came into the port of Hull where Henry disembarked though many of the party sailed down to Boston in Lincolnshire with the baggage.

Henry had sent word ahead that he was coming home and he wished the family to be at Bolingbroke where he would come with all speed.

Mary and the children were awaiting his arrival. John could not remember his father. Thomas was not really sure whether he could; but Harry remembered. He remembered his standing before him with a stick in his hand. Strangely enough he did not feel fear at the thought of his father's return, only a kind of stimulation as he would later when he was going into battle.

Mary's feelings, too, were mixed. In one way she longed to see Henry and she was thankful that he was safe; she wanted to hear of his adventures; but at the back of her mind was the fear that the result of his return would be another pregnancy for that seemed inevitable whenever Henry was home.

During Humphrey's birth she had suffered intensely, and Joan Waring had become even more concerned. Her relief when Mary recovered made it obvious that she had feared the consequences might have been disastrous. *Now there shouldn't be any more, my lady,' she said. Tour fine boys! My lord cannot ask for more than that.'

But he did, of course. He wanted to rival his grandfather. Poor Queen Philippa! Mary had never known her and she heard that she had children easily, but she had grown very fat and unable to move at the end. It was no sooner up from childbed with one than she was preparing for another,' one of her women had said. 'Now that's not good. A woman needs a rest... a good long rest between.'

She could agree with that. But when Henry came riding into the courtyard, his eyes shining with joy to see them all

gS The Star of Lancaster

assembled there, when he embraced her and she felt his warm kiss on her mouth, she thought: How could I tell him? She could not. Life must take its course.

It was a joyful reunion. He must admire Baby Humphrey. He must see how John and Thomas had grown. And there was Harry too—^just the same—slender to the point of thinness, with that oval face and sharp eyes that missed nothing– smooth dark hair rare among the fair curly Plantagenets.

He had changed little. He was demanding attention as clearly as though he actually asked for it. He stood there legs apart, fearing nothing but that so much attention might be given to the returning adventurer that people would forget Lord Harry.

There was great excitement when the baggage arrived and Henry unpacked the rich exotic things he had brought for them. The beautiful silks delighted all the women; he had brought a parrot for Mary.

'Something to make that popinjay of yours jealous,' he told her.

There was a brief silence while Harry looked at his mother almost challengingly. He could almost hear the whacks of the stick as it came through the air.