The Red Rose of Anjou by Jean Plaidy Page A

my lord of Suffolk. William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, was, after the Cardinal, the most powerful man in the land; the great enemy of both the Duke and the Cardinal was the Duke of Gloucester and every day the latter was becoming more and more ineffectual.
    No, it was the Cardinal who ruled England with Suffolk close on his heels and so it would be for although England had a King and he was now past twenty years of age he was not meant to be a ruler. He was too gentle to his enemies; he hated the sight of bloodshed; he never wanted to harm his enemies; he liked to be with his books and he was constantly engaged in prayer. He showed no interest in the ladies of the Court many of whom would not have hesitated to indulge in a Little frolic with the King and when he had seen some of them, as he thought, immodestly dressed he had turned shuddering away crying for shame.’ His strongest oath was ‘Forsooth and Forsooth’, and ‘By Jove’. He would have made a better priest than a King, thought Champchevrier.
    And as he was riding along he suddenly realized that he was being followed. He called to his servants to move faster and they broke into a gallop, but it was not long before they were surrounded.
    Champchevrier protested but he was told that he was arrested in the name of the King.
    ‘The King of France...’ cried Champchevrier.
    ‘Indeed the King of France. What other King could there be on French territory?’
    Champchevrier said: ‘I can explain.’
    ‘That you are an escaped prisoner. We know that already. It is on that count that you are now under arrest.’
    There was nothing Champchevrier could do but submit.
    But when he reached the Court he managed to assure his captors that he was engaged on a mission of some secrecy and one which he could only divulge to the King himself.
    ‘You are mad if you think the King will see you,’ he was told.
    ‘You will be in trouble if you refuse to take my message to the King. I come from the King of England.’
    After some preamble Champchevrier’s claim was put before the King and Charles, intrigued, agreed to see him.
    Champchevrier bowed low before Charles and begged that he might speak to him in private for the nature of his mission was very secret.
    Those about the King were suspicious but Charles insisted that he would hear the man and his guards retired to wait at the door and Charles said: ‘Well, proceed.’
    ‘Sire, I am on a very private mission for my lord Duke of Suffolk and the King of England. It is true that I was taken in battle by Sir John Fastolf and the ransom demanded has not been paid.’
    ‘Then you have offended against the laws of chivalry and I must hand you over to Sir John.’
    ‘Let me explain, Sire. I have had conversations with the King of England for I have been treated most honourably in England. I am a native of Anjou and have on several occasions seen the fair daughter of King René. The Lord Cardinal has also seen 1 her. You may know, my lord, that there are negotiations going on for a marriage between the King and one of the Count of Armagnac’s daughters. The Duke of Gloucester wishes this marriage but the Cardinal and my Lord Suffolk do not believe that such a marriage will help to bring about a peace.’
    The King nodded. ‘I think I agree with that.’
    ‘My lord Gloucester wishes that marriage to take place because he is all for prolonging the war. He is a man of unsound judgment, my lord.’
    ‘There you speak truth.’
    ‘The Cardinal was much impressed by Margaret of Anjou.’
    ‘I begin to .see what this is all about,’ said the King with a smile.
    ‘Yes, Sire. Being a native of Anjou, I know the country well. I was able to add my opinion of the lady Margaret’s beauty to that of the Cardinal. Sire, you know what a delicate matter this is. The English do not wish the Count of Armagnac to know that the King is looking elsewhere. It is disastrous that having completed my mission I should be arrested. As I saw it,