The Battle of the Queens (16 page)

In the taverns the people of London whispered together; they walked along by the river and talked of the influence the Justiciar had over the young King. The Justiciar was the richest man in England. He governed the King and lined his own pockets. The servants of Falkes de Breauté and the Earl of Chester mingled with merchants and apprentices and asked them and each other why the people endured this state of affairs.

It was always the same when there was a young King on the throne, they pointed out. Ambitious men sought to rule through them; and their rule was to fill their own coffers and the devil take the man or woman in the streets.

So the resentment grew against Hubert de Burgh and when he rode out with the King there was hostility in the silence which greeted them; there was an occasion when someone threw a stone at the Justiciar. One of Hubert’s servants caught the man and his punishment was severe – the loss of the right hand which had thrown the stone.

A bitter reward, said many, for that which others would have the inclination to do had they been on the spot.

One of the principal citizens, Constantine FitzAthulf, called meetings in his house and there he with others plotted the overthrow of the King and planned to send a message to Prince Louis at the French Court asking him to come back to England where he would find the people of London ready to welcome him.

As a result there was rioting in the streets of London and Constantine marched at the head of a band of men shouting ‘Montjoie. God and our Lord Louis to the rescue.’

But the majority of the people, while they wished to remove the Justiciar, had no desire to bring the French back to England. This had not been the intention of Falkes de Breauté and his friends. All they wanted was to keep the King where he was but change his advisers so that they could step into the shoes of Hubert de Burgh and in doing so rob him of his power and riches. For this reason there was little support for the rioters of London and in a short time they were routed and Constantine FitzAthulf and other leaders captured and thrown into prison.

Hubert was deeply disturbed. He must rid himself of Constantine and Hubert believed that he deserved to be condemned to the traitor’s death for if ever a man was a traitor to his King that man was Constantine. Hubert paused though, for he knew how unwise it would be to anger the people of London even more so than they were at this time.

He kept the men in prison while he wrestled with the problem; and in the end it was Falkes – the very man who had provoked the rebellion – who came to Hubert and offered to hang Constantine, assuring all who would listen to him that the last thing he wanted was to depose the King. He took Constantine and his friends across the river and in a quiet spot hanged them.

This did not mean that Falkes and his friends had ended their attacks on the Justiciar. They had no intention of doing this until they had rid the country of him.

They met again and Falkes put forward a plan for seizing the Tower of London. The Bishop of Winchester stressed the difficulties of bringing this about; and suggested that it would be better if they formed a deputation and called on the King, when the Justiciar was absent and pointed out the true nature of Hubert de Burgh and the need for him to rid himself of him.

The Bishop thought this was an excellent plan. They would come to Westminster and there Henry would receive them. He would be unprepared for what they would say to him and they had no doubt that, since he was little more than a child, they could win him to their point of view and get a promise from him to turn Hubert de Burgh from his office.

They chose their moment and the Bishop’s presence secured them an immediate audience with the King.

It was the first time Henry had received a deputation without having had either William Marshal, Stephen Langton or Hubert de Burgh beside him to tell him what he must do.

It was the Bishop of Winchester who addressed him and presented Falkes de Breauté and the Earl of Chester to him.

‘Your humble servants, most gracious lord,’ murmured the Bishop.

Henry inclined his head and bade them rise for they were kneeling before him which while it gratified him made him feel a little awkward. He told them they might be seated. They were so much taller than he was while they stood, which he found disconcerting.

‘You have missed the Justiciar,’ said Henry. ‘He is not in London this day.’

‘It was our purpose to miss him, my lord,’ answered the Bishop. ‘It was our King with whom we wished to speak.’

‘Say on,’ said Henry, beginning to feel more important with every passing second, which was exactly their intention.

‘It has long been apparent to us,’ said the Bishop, ‘that you, our King, have been endowed with wisdom beyond your years, and we feel the time has come for you to take a more active part in affairs. You have no need to be constantly attended by your wet nurse.’

‘My … wet nurse … you mean Hubert …’

‘We are of the opinion that the Justiciar believes you still to be in swaddling clothes. He guides your tottering baby steps, does he not, my lord?’

Henry flushed. ‘You are mistaken,’ he said angrily.

‘Do not imagine that we think you to be in need of such support, my lord. It is for that reason that we have come here.’

‘I think you should state your business,’ said Henry with dignity.

‘You know, my lord, that we have trouble in London.’

‘I know,’ said Henry, ‘that traitors were hanged for declaring themselves supporters of the French.’

‘It is the Justiciar whom the people dislike,’ said the Earl Chester. ‘It is their hatred of him which makes them revolt.’

‘I think not,’ retorted Henry. ‘They were shouting for the French.’

‘There has been much murmuring against Hubert de Burgh,’ the Bishop tried to explain. ‘If he were removed, you would find the country in a very different mood.’

‘Remove Hubert? He is my very good friend.’

‘He is his own very good friend, my lord. Did you know how rich he has become?’

‘I know full well that he has been rewarded and rightly so. I myself have given him castles.’

‘And he has done very well with his wives,’ added de Breauté slyly.

Henry conveyed by a certain regal manner that the man’s coarseness offended him; and the Bishop signed to de Breauté to allow him to do the talking.

‘My lord,’ said des Roches ingratiatingly, ‘out of respect for you and the crown we have come to you in this way. We have seen with admiration how you have grown in stature since the crown was put on your head. You do not need such counsel. You are well able to manage your own affairs.’

‘I am not forced to obey the Justiciar, you should know,’ retorted Henry. ‘I use my own judgment … frequently.’

‘Which is the very reason why you can dispense with this man.’

‘Dispense with him! You mean send him away, or would you like me to rob him of his estates? To send him to the Tower perhaps? To punish him in some way – to put out his eyes … to cut off a limb or two.’ Henry was looking straight at de Breauté. ‘I believe that you, Falkes de Breauté, oft times employ such methods. I will tell you this, my lords, you may go from here. I like not your words. I like not your manners and I like not you.’

They were taken aback. They had come expecting to face a boy of fourteen and they had found a king, moreover one who was loyal to his friends and would have none of their treachery.

The reaction of the King forced the conspirators to abandon hope of a quick victory. Peter des Roches was beginning to feel that it was time they shelved their plans for a while, but he had reckoned without Falkes de Breauté who had already summoned the malcontents to Northampton, with plans for marching on London.

Henry had quickly summoned Hubert who laid the matter before Stephen Langton and as a result the Archbishops and Bishops – with the exception of Peter des Roches – stood firmly with the King, and threatened excommunication for the rebels.

Even Falkes had to see that his small troop of malcontents would have no chance against the King’s army and if those who rebelled were excommunicated they could never gather together the necessary men to work with them.

It was defeat. Nor were they to be let off lightly. The leaders were summoned to Westminster where the Archbishops and Bishops invited them to lay their grievances before the King.

They met in the great hall of the Palace, the King since his encounter with the three rebels grown considerably in dignity. Hubert had told him that he had conducted himself like a king, and he would have said the same even if he had not been so completely loyal to himself.

Henry was seated on the chair of state, Hubert was on his right hand; and Stephen Langton, on the other side of the King, invited the Bishop of Winchester to state his grievance.

Peter des Roches, addressing the assembly, declared that he was no traitor and nor were those who stood with him. They had deplored the rising of the citizens of London who had been ready to invite the French into the land. One of their members, Falkes de Breauté had actually carried out the hanging of Constantine FitzAthulf. Their grievance was this: the King was never allowed to act unless one man was always at his elbow. It was not Henry III who reigned, it was Hubert de Burgh. All he and his followers wanted was to see that man removed, and the King to engage a new minister in the place of de Burgh.

Henry said: ‘I have spoken to you on this matter before, Bishop. I like not your tone. I am at this time very well served and have been so since I took the crown.’

‘My lord King, Hubert de Burgh has enriched himself. His policy is to pour gold into his own coffers and if by so doing the crown should suffer he cares not.’

Hubert rose and asked the King’s permission to speak.

‘Pray do,’ said Henry. ‘Add your voice to mine and we will let these traitors know that we are of like mind.’

‘I thank you, my lord,’ said Hubert. ‘You, Bishop, are at the root of this trouble. It is you who have incited these men. You want my position for yourself. I understand that well, but our king is no puppet to be jerked this way and that. He will choose his ministers where he likes – and I doubt very much that if I were removed from his services – which God forbid – that you would be chosen to take my place.’

Peter des Roches was white with rage. He shouted: ‘I tell you this, Hubert de Burgh, I will spend every penny I possess to prove that you are unworthy of office and to get you turned out.’

Then he turned and stormed out of the hall.

There was silence. Then Henry said: ‘We see what a malicious man we have in the Bishop of Winchester. I would have you know that I will no longer tolerate these rebellious subjects.’

Hubert said: ‘My lord, if you give me your wishes with regard to them I will act upon them.’

‘That I shall quickly decide,’ said the King.

‘In the meantime, my lord, we shall see that they do not have the opportunity of escape,’ said Hubert.

Stephen Langton said that such dissensions were bad for the country and he believed that troublemakers should be put where they could make no more trouble.

The assembly seemed to be in agreement and all except the rebels were delighted with the King’s show of strength.