saint george for england-第9章

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is　five　or　six　years　distant　yet。　Still　the　thought　that　Edith　is　a　ward　of　the　crown；　and　that　her　hand　must　go　where　the　king　wills；　often　troubles　me。　However；　I　have　a　good　friend　in　the　queen；　who　will；　I　know；　exert　what　influence　she　has　in　getting　me　a　good　husband　for　my　child。　But　even　for　myself　I　have　some　fears；　since　the　king　hinted；　when　last　he　saw　me；　that　it　was　time　I　looked　out　for　another　mate；　for　that　the　vassal　of　Westerham　and　Hyde　needed　a　lord　to　lead　them　in　the　field。　However；　I　hope　that　my　answer　that　they　were　always　at　his　service　under　the　leading　of　my　cousin　James　will　suffice　for　him。　Now；　what　am　I　to　do　in　that　matter？　Who　would　have　thought　that　he　so　coveted　my　lands　that　he　would　have　slain　me　and　Edith　to　possess　himself　of　them？　His　own　lands　a　thrice　as　broad　as　mine；　though　men　say　that　he　has　dipped　deeply　into　them　and　owes　much　money　to　the　Jews。　He　is　powerful　and　has　many　friends；　and　although　Earl　Talbot　would　stand　by　me；　yet　the　unsupported　word　of　an　apprentice　boy　were　but　poor　evidence　on　which　to　charge　a　powerful　baron　of　such　a　crime　as　this。　It　were　best；　methinks；　to　say　nought　about　it；　but　to　bury　the　thought　in　my　own　heart。　　Nevertheless；　I　will　not　fail　to　take　the　precaution　which　the　lad　advised；　and　to　let　Sir　James　know　that　there　are　some　who　have　knowledge　of　his　handiwork。　I　hear　he　crosses　the　seas　tomorrow　to　join　the　army；　and　it　may　be　long　ere　he　return。　I　shall　have　plenty　of　time　to　consider　how　I　had　best　shape　my　conduct　towards　him　on　his　return；　but　assuredly　he　shall　never　be　friendly　with　me　again；　or　frighten　Edith　with　his　kisses。〃

〃Well；　Walter；　has　it　been　such　a　dreadful　business　as　you　expected？〃　the　armourer　asked　the　lad　when　he　re…entered　the　shop。　〃The　great　folks　have　not　eaten　you　at　any　rate。〃

〃It　has　not　been　dreadful；〃　Walter　replied　with　a　smile；　〃though　I　own　that　it　was　not　pleasant　when　I　first　arrived　at　the　great　mansion；　but　the　lady　put　me　quite　at　my　ease；　and　she　talked　to　me　for　some　time；　and　finally　she　bestowed　on　me　this　chain；　which　our　lady；　the　queen；　had　herself　given　her。〃

〃It　is　a　knight's　chain　and　a　heavy　one；〃　Geoffrey　said；　examining　it；　〃of　Genoese　work；　I　reckon；　and　worth　a　large　sum。　It　will　buy　you　harness　when　you　go　to　the　wars。〃

〃I　would　rather　fight　in　the　thickest　melee　in　a　cloth　doublet；〃　Walter　said　indignantly；　〃than　part　with　a　single　link　of　it。〃

〃I　did　but　jest；　Walter；〃　Geoffrey　said　laughing；　〃but　as　you　will　not　sell　it；　and　you　cannot　wear　it；　you　had　best　give　it　me　to　put　aside　in　my　strong　coffer　until　you　get　of　knightly　rank。〃

〃Lady　Vernon　said；〃　the　lad　replied；　〃that　she　hoped　one　day　it　might　again　belong　to　a　knight；　and　if　I　live；〃　he　added　firmly；　〃it　shall。〃

〃Oh！　she　has　been　putting　these　ideas　into　your　head；　nice　notions　truly　for　a　London　apprentice！　I　shall　be　laying　a　complaint　before　the　lord　mayor　against　Dame　Vernon；　for　unsettling　the　mind　of　my　apprentice；　and　setting　him　above　his　work。　And　the　little　lady；　what　said　she？　Did　she　give　you　her　colours　and　bid　you　wear　them　at　a　tourney？〃

Walter　coloured　hotly。

〃Ah！　I　have　touched　you；〃　laughed　the　armourer；　〃come　now；　out　with　the　truth。　　My　lad；〃　he　added　more　gravely；　〃there　is　no　shame　in　it；　you　know　that　I　have　always　encouraged　your　wishes　to　be　a　soldier；　and　have　done　my　best　to　render　you　as　good　a　one　as　any　who　draws　sword　'neath　the　king's　banner；　and　assuredly　I　would　not　have　taken　all　these　pains　with　you　did　I　think　that　you　were　always　to　wear　an　iron　cap　and　trail　a　pike。　I　too；　lad；　hope　some　day　to　see　you　a　valiant　knight；　and　have　reasons　that　you　wot　not　of；　for　my　belief　that　it　will　be　so。　No　man　rises　to　rank　and　fame　any　the　less　quickly　because　he　thinks　that　bright　eyes　will　grow　brighter　at　his　success。〃

〃But；　Geoffrey；　you　are　talking　surely　at　random。　The　Lady　Edith　Vernon　is　but　a　child；　a　very　beautiful　child；〃　he　added　reverently；　〃and　such　that　when　she　grows　up；　the　bravest　knight　in　England　might　be　proud　to　win。　What　folly　for　me；　the　son　of　a　city　bowyer；　and　as　yet　but　an　apprentice；　to　raise　mine　eyes　so　high！〃

〃The　higher　one　looks　the　higher　one　goes；〃　the　armourer　said　sententiously。　　〃You　aspire　some　day　to　become　a　knight；　you　may　well　aspire　also　to　win　the　hand　of　Mistress　Edith　Vernon。　She　is　five　years　younger　than　yourself；　and　you　will　be　twenty…two　when　she　is　seventeen。　You　have　time　to　make　your　way　yet；　and　I　tell　you；　though　why　it　matters　not；　that　I　would　rather　you　set　your　heart　on　winning　Mistress　Edith　Vernon　than　any　other　heiress　of　broad　lands　in　merry　England。　You　have　saved　her　life；　and　so　have　made　the　first　step　and　a　long　one。　Be　ever　brave；　gentle；　and　honourable；　and；　I　tell　you；　you　need　not　despair；　and　now；　lad；　we　have　already　lost　too　much　time　in　talking；　let　us　to　our　work。〃

That　evening　Walter　recalled　to　Geoffrey　his　promise　to　tell　him　the　causes　which　had　involved　England　in　so　long　and　bloody　a　war　with　France。

〃It　is　a　tangled　skein；〃　Geoffrey　said；　〃and　you　must　follow　me　carefully。　First；　with　a　piece　of　chalk　I　will　draw　upon　the　wall　the　pedigree　of　the　royal　line　of　France　from　Phillip　downwards；　and　then　you　will　see　how　it　is　that　our　King　Edward　and　Phillip　of　Valois　came　to　be　rival　claimants　to　the　throne　of　France。

〃Now；　you　see　that　our　King　Edward　is　nephew　of　Charles　le　Bel；　the　last　King　of　France；　while　Phillip　of　Valois　is　only　nephew　of　Phillip　le　Bel；　the　father　of　Charles。　　Edward　is　consequently　in　the　direct　line；　and　had　Isabella　been　a　man　instead　of　a　woman　his　right　to　the　throne　would　be　unquestionable。　In　France；　however；　there　is　a　law　called　the　'Salic'　law；　which　excludes　females　from　the　throne；　but　it　is　maintained　by　many　learned　in　the　law；　that　although　a　female　is　held　to　be　incompetent　to　reign　because　from　her　sex　she　cannot　lead　her　armies　to　battle；　yet　she　no　ways　forfeits　otherwise　her　rights；　and　that　her　son　is　therefore　the　heir　to　the　throne。　If　this　contention；　which　is　held　by　all　English　jurists；　and　by　many　in　France　also；　be　well　founded；　Edward　is　the　rightful　King　of　France。　Phillip　of　Valois　contends　that　the　'Salic　law'　not　only　bars　a　female　from　ascending　the　throne；　but　also　destroys　all　her　rights；　and　that　the　succession　goes　not　to　her　sons　but　to　the　next　heir　male；　in　which　case；　of　course；　Phillip　is　rightful　king。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　say　which　view　is　the　right　one；　but　certainly　the　great　majority　of　those　who　have　been　consulted　have　decided　that；　according　to　ancient　law　and　usage；　the　right　lies　with　Edward。　But　in　these　matters　'right　is　not　always　might。'　Had　Isabella　married　a　French　noble　instead　of　an　English　king　it　is　probable　that　her　son's　claim　to　the　throne　would　have　been　allowed　without　dispute；　but　her　son　is　King　of　England；　and　the　French　nobles　prefer　being　ruled　by　one　of　themselves　to　becoming　united　with　England　under　one　king。

〃At　the　time　of　the　death　of　the　last　king；　Edward　was　still　but　a　boy　under　the　tuition　of　his　mother；　Phillip　was　a　man；　and　upon　the　spot；　therefore　he　was　able　to　win　support　by　presence　and　promises；　and　so　it　came　that　the　peers　of　France　declared　Phillip　of　Valois　to　be　their　rightful　monarch。　　Here　in　England；　at　parliament　held　at　Northampton；　the　rights　of　Edward　were　discussed　and　asserted；　and　the　Bishops　of　Worcester　and　Coventry　were　despatched　to　Paris　to　protest　against　the　validity　of　Phillip's　nomination。　As；　however；　the　country　was　not　in　a　position　to　enforce　the　claim　of　their　young　king　by　arms；　Phillip　became　firmly　seated　as　King　of　France；　and　having　shown　great　energy　in　at　once　marching　against　and　repressing　the　people　of　Flanders；　who　were　in　a　state　of　rebellion　against　their　count；　one　of　the　feudatories　of　the　French　crown；　the　nobles　were　well　satisfied　with　their　choice；　and　no　question　as　to　his　right　was　ever　henceforth　raised　in　France。　As　soon　as　the　rebellion　in　Flanders　was　crushed；　Phillip　summoned　the　King　of　England　to　do　homage　for　Aquitaine；　Ponthieu　and　Montreuil；　fiefs　held　absolutely　from　the　crown　of　France。　　Such　a　proceeding　placed　Edward　and　his　council　in　a　great　embarrassment。　In　case　of　a　refusal　the　whole　of　the　possessions　of　the　crown　in　France　might　be　declared　forfeited　and　be　seized；　while　England　was　in　no　condition　to　defend　them；　on　the　other　hand；　the　fact　of　doing　homage　to　Phillip　of　Valois　would　be　a　sort　of　recognition　of　his　right　to　the　throne　he　had　assumed。　Had　Edward　then　held　the　reins　of　power　in　his　hands；　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　he　would　at　once　have　refused；　and　would　have　called　out　the　whole　strength　of　England　to　enforce　his　claim。　The　influence　of　Isabella　and　Mortimer　was；　however；　all　powerful；　and　it　was　agreed　that　Edward　should　do　homage　as　a　public　act；　making　a　private　reservation　in　secret　to　his　own　councillors；　taking　exception　to　the　right　of　Phillip。

〃Edward　crossed　to　France　and　journeyed　to　Amiens；　where　Phillip　with　a　brilliant　court　awaited　him；　and　on　the　appointed　day　they　appeared　together　in　the　cathedral。　Here　Edward；　under　certain　protestations；　did　homage　for　his　French　estates；　leaving　certain　terms　and　questions　open　for　the　consideration　of　his　council。　For　some　time　the　matter　remained　in　this　shape；　but　honest　men　cannot　but　admit　that　King　Edward　did；　by　his　action　at　the　time；　acknowledge　Phillip　to　be　King　of　France；　and　that　he　became　his　vassal　for　his　estates　there；　but；　as　has　happened　scores　of　times　before；　and　will　no　doubt　happen　scores　of　times　again；　vassals；　when　they　become　powerful　enough；　throw　off　their　allegiance　to　their　feudal　superiors；　and　so　the　time　came　to　King　Edward。

〃After　the　death　of　Mortimer　and　the　imprisonment　of　Isabella；　the　king　gave　rein　to　his　taste　for　military　sports。　　Tournaments　were　held　at　Dartford　and　other　places；　one　in　Westcheape。　What　a　sight　was　that；　to　be　sure！　For　three　days　the　king；　with　fourteen　of　his　knights；　held　the　list　against　all　comers；　and　in　the　sight　of　the　citizens　and　the　ladies　of　the　court；　jousted　with　knights　who　came　hither　from　all　parts　of　Europe。　I　was　there　each　day　and　the　sight　was　a　grand　one；　though　England　was　well…nigh　thrown　into　mourning　by　an　accident　which　took　place。　The　gallery　in　which　the　queen　and　her　attendants　were　viewing　the　sports　had　been　badly　erected；　and　in　the　height　of　the　contests　it　gave　way。　The　queen　and　her　ladies　were　in　great　peril；　being　thrown　from　a　considerable　height；　and　a　number　of　persons　were　severely　injured。　The　king；　who　was　furious　at　the　danger　to　which　the　queen　had　been　exposed；　would　have　hung　upon　the　spot　the　master　workman　whose　negligence　had　caused　the　accident；　but　the　queen　went　on　her　knees　before　him　and　begged　his　life　of　the　king。　The　love　of　Edward　for　warlike　exercises　caused　England　to　be　regarded　as　the　most　chivalrous　court　in　Europe；　and　the　frequent　tournaments　aroused　to　the　utmost　the　spirits　of　the　people　and　prepared　them　for　the　war　with　France。　　But　of　the　events　of　that　war　I　will　tell　you　some　other　night。　It　is　time　now　for　us　to　betake　us　to　our　beds。〃



CHAPTER　V：　THE　CITY　GAMES



The　next　evening　the　armourer；　at　Walter's　request；　continued　his　narrative。

〃Soon　after　the　tournament　we　began　to