Chivalry: Dizain des Reines

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RODIGALITY OF HER AFFECTION SHAMES TREACHERY, AND COMMON-SENSE, AND HIGH ROMANC

y of the

, you must know that this boy's father in the flesh had hounded him from England, as more recently had the lad's uncle Charles the Handsome driven him from France. Now had this boy and his mother (the same Queen Ysabeau about whom I have told you in the preceding tale) come as suppliants to the court of that stalwart nobleman Sire William (Count of Hainault, Holland,

nd a nightingale carolled as though an exiled p

girl, running, stumbling in her has

!" the boy half-sobbed. S

dear, I believe for certain that this lady and her son have been driven from their kingdom wrongfully. If it be for the good of God to comfort the afflicted, how much more is it commendable to help and succor one who is the daughter of a king, descended from royal lineage, and to whose blood

reat benefit might come of an alliance with her father. Well! the Prince had found chance-taking not unfortunate. With the episode as foundation, Count William had already builded up the future queenship of England. The strong Count could do-and, as it seemed, was now in tr

then, "If I forget-" His voice broke awkwardly. "My dear, if ever I fo

breast to breast, passed young Jehan Kuypelant, one of the pages, fitting to the accompaniment of a lute his paraphra

hammering against heart, saw for an instant Jehan Kuypelant's lean face silvered by the moonlight, his

t also had sung, as though

han Kuy

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followed,

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pelant, now secretary to the Queen of England,-brought his mistress the unhandsome tidings that David Bruce had invaded her realm with forty thousand Scots to back him. The Brabanter found plum

ison of the Chatelet. You may appraise her dominion by this fact: chaste and shrewd, she had denied all to King Edward, and in consequence he could

crable news. Already Northumberland, Westmoreland

ed: "Let them weep for this th

efully, "Do you forsake

his fiefs in Northumberland. These, I hear, are being laid waste. Were there a thousand men-at-arms left in England I would say fight. As it is

d his belongings. And my lord's fief is England. I bid you God-speed, Catherine." And when the Countess was gone, Philippa turne

ire Edward return," said the secret

nce, if such be the Trinity's will. You know perfectly well that he has always

opeland considered, "is a smaller evil t

hn Copeland,"

e must make peace with the Scottish rascal!-England is lost!-A sh

pa, "who commands here? Am I,

ked up a lute and was fingering the instrument half-idly. Now the Marquess of H

nt, my lord," the Queen as

his head and without prel

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toward John Copeland wonderingly. The secretary was fretting at his lutest

it is my will that to-morrow one and all your men be mustered at Blac

outed; "lunar madness! We can do nothin

the Queen said,

uess answered. Then he cried,

tly. They brought in her son, Messire Lionel, now a boy of

plain, this document requires your signature. It is an order that a ship be despatched to ask the King's return. Your Highn

t; "and all for making a little m

n. If you sign that paper you will beyond doubt get the pony, but you will n

y lord," he said in the ultimate, "but I do no

another, closing the English ports. "My lords," the Queen said, "this boy is the King's vicar.

arquess of Orme, Lord Stourton, the Earls of Neville and Gage, and Sir Thomas Rokeby. These seven found a long table there littered w

ueen faithfully, since if I did otherwise Sire Edward would have my head off within a day of his return. In consequence, I do not consider it convenient to oppose his vicar. To-morrow I shall assemble the tatters of troops whi

The all-powerful Countess of Salisbury had compounded with King David; now Hastings, too, their generalissimo, compou

gathered the letters into a heap, and without glancing at the superscriptures

tter of hoofs, and Hastings rose. He was a gaunt, terrible old man

nd your common-sense, messieurs, and I request you to withdraw. Even a damned rogue such as I has nee

had pillaged and burned his way to a place called Beaurepair, within three miles of the city. He sent word

ves for the realm of their lord the King. The Bruce grinned and kept silence, since he

dreams she had of miraculous victories, while her barons trafficked in secret with the Bruce. It is recorded that, on the Saturday before Michaelmas, when the opposing armies marshalled in the Bishop's Park, at Auckland, not a captain on either side believe

r the third bottle had found them candid. "Madame and Queen, we are betrayed. The Marquess of Hastings, our commander, is inexplicably smitten with a fever. He will not fight to-day. Not one of y

uld be vexed. He has always wanted to conquer France. I shall visit the Marquess as soon as Lionel is fed,-do you know, John Cope

lled up to his chin. "Pardon, Highness," said Lord Hasti

ce it is well known that the same illness brought about the death of Iscar

untenance. "I am an ill man," he muttered,

was a

s a leader. Afford them that, my lord-ah, I know that our peers are sold to the Bruce, yet our yeomen at least are honest. Give them, then, a le

I am ill. I cannot r

n, "since Sire Edward went into France. Praise G

palfrey, alone and perfectly tranquil. Her eight lieutenants were now gathered about her in voluble protestation, and she heard them out. Afterward she spoke, without any particular violence, as one might order a strange cur from his room. Then the Queen rode on, as though these eight declaiming persons had ceased to be of interest. S

them into battle-and by God! there is no braver person under heaven than yonder Dutch Frau! Friend David

rugged. "And so woul

d his horse by the Queen's side. "Madame and Queen," said Hastings, "I rejoice that my rec

ump hand upon the big-veined hand of Hastings. That was all. "I welcome back the gallant gentleman of yesterday. I was about to

, because there was no one else to do it! Ho, madame! had I an army of such

said, "But yo

upon the lords and bishops twittering about his horse's tail. "You merchandise, get back to your stations, and if there was ever an honest woman in any of your families, the which I doubt

was informed that he had ridden off, armed, in company with five of he

nceivable that He would fail her; and in any event, she had in hand a deal of sewing which required immediate attention. Accordingly she settled down to her needlework, while the Regent of England leaned his head against her knee, and his mother told him that ageless tale of Lord Huon,

ffingly, he used her husband's favorite oath,-"now, by the Face! there was never a victory more complete! The Scottish army is fle

horrible!" She sprang to her feet with a cry of anguish. Here in little you have the entire woman; the victory of her armamen

is arms bound behind him, surrounded by the Queen's five retainers. "In the rout I took him," said

ixed salt and water for a mouthwash. "Sire Edward should be ple

"He could not choose," John Copeland said; "madame, he

a pity," the Queen said. She reflected a while, reached her decision. "There is left alive in England but one man to whom I dare entrust the keeping of the King of Scots. My barons a

s no lady more lovable. Twenty years I have loved you, my Queen, and yet it is o

nd in his nose? I think a bread poultice would be best." She told him how to make this poultice, and

een thousand Scots were slain. True, her gallant general was no longer extant, though this was scarcely astounding when one considered the fact that he had voluntarily entered the mêlée quite unarmed. A touch of age, perhaps; Hastings was always an eccentric man: in any event, as epilogue, this Neville congratulated the Queen that-by blind luck, he was forced to concede,-her worthy secretary

aptive. Let him be sought at once. She dictated to Neville's secretary a letter, which informed John Copeland that he had done w

ith. The letter, I repeat, suited this smirking gentleman in its tiniest syllable, and the single difficulty was

ite a passage therefrom: "I will not give up my royal prisoner to a woman or a child, but only to my own lord, Sire Edward, for to him I have sworn allegia

anor and by the indignant letters she dictated; true, none of these letters could be delivered, since they were all addressed to John Copeland. Meanwhile, Scotland was in despair, whereas the traitor Englis

and came unheralded to the quarters of King Edward, then besieging that city. Master Copeland entreated audience, and

who afterward betrayed Sire Edward, and a lean soldier whom Master Copeland recognized as John Chandos. These three were drawing up an account of the recen

d probably have hanged him within the next ten minutes; finding his gaze unwavering, the King was pleased. Here was a novelty; most people blinked quite honestly under the sc

e grunted, "I welcome the squire who by his valor has captured t

nwhile, I entreat you, sire, do not take it amiss if I did not surrender King David to the orders of my lady Qu

idnapping Davie is a farce. Hey, Almerigo, do you and Chandos avoid the chamber! I have something in private wit

cessary you first understand I be

rt of God! have I an eternity to wa

he King trifled with a pen, half

ohn Co

o would have betrayed you to the Scot. And, dear lord, if it be pleasing to your high lordship that as soon as ye may that I might hear of your gracious speed, which may God Almighty continue and increase, I shall be glad, and also if ye do continue each night to chafe your feet with a rag of woollen stuff, as your physician directed. And, my dear lord, if it like you for to know of my fare, John Copeland will acquaint you concerning the Bruce his capture, and the syrup he brings for our son Lord Edward's cough, and

ILI

true

g; "and now give me

ward a window. "Catherine!" he said. He remained motionless while Master Copeland went on without

he leaped upon the King, and grasping him by each s

n his wrath. He saw that John Copeland held a dagger to his breas

hear me out," Jo

King retorted, "that

other man in all the world who possesses a tithe of your glory; yet twenty years ago Madame Philippa first beheld you and loved you, an outcast, an exiled, empty-pocketed prince. Twenty years ag

e King said

ed you, and twenty years had quadrupled her private fortune. She gave you every penny of it that you might fit out this expedition; now her very cr

iercely sa

otland as a gift, and in return asks nothing-God have mercy on us!-save that you nightly chafe your feet with a bit of woollen. You hear of it-and inquire, 'Where is Ma

n," the King replied. "Mean

imously loved that shrew of Salisbury! because you fancied the color of her eyes, Sire Edward, and admired the angle between her nose and her forehead. Minstrels unborn will sing of this great love of yours. Meantime I say to you"-now the man's rage was mons

ment. "You have been

ty years you have dared to flout that love wh

s now very noticeable. "I consider my wife's clerk," he drily said, "to discours

like one transfigured. His voice was

ther good. Her purity is so inestimable that I cannot say whether I derive more pride or sorrow from its preeminence. She does not love me, and she will never love me. She would condemn me to be hewed i

his while, with an inverted pen. He cle

old tale how the devil sat upon a cathedral spire and white doves flew about him. Monks came and told him to begone. 'Do not the spires show you, O son of darkness' they clamored, 'that the place is holy?' And

cajoling that red lecher Robert Stewart?" He laughed, not overpleasantly. "Eh, yes, it needed

ear you any ill-will! You will now return home, and take your prisoner, the King of Scotland, and deliver him to my wife, to do with as she may elect. You will convey to her my entreaty-not my orders,

d fell upon his knees before Ki

is, I must strive to prove not altogether unworthy of my fortune. But I make no large promises," he added, squinting horribly, "because the most generou

cents and shadows and faint sounds of Valenciennes on that ancient night when a tall girl came to him, running, stumbling in her haste to bri

ohn Co

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OF THE F