Wonders Will Never Cease
Page 36
It is only when they are at last mounted and ready to ride to London that Mary catches some of the boy’s anxiety. She begs Anthony to take care, but Anthony reassures her that with an escort of 2,000 armed men they are hardly likely to be attacked by bandits on the road. But Edward has other fears and towards the end of the first day’s riding, he cries out, ‘I do not want to die! I am too young!’ and he tries to turn his horse back towards Ludlow, but he is too closely hemmed in by his escort to succeed. Thereupon Anthony patiently tries to explain how things will be. There will be a royal entry into London and then a few days’ or weeks’ later the coronation will follow. Once they arrive in London Anthony must resign his role as Governor to the Prince and Richard of Gloucester will take over as Regent and Protector of the Realm, though the regency should not be overlong. Anthony tells the boy that Gloucester and Hastings served his late father most loyally and ably. They are honourable lords and doubtless Edward V will be well guided by them. Gloucester is certainly capable. The boy will become a great King. And before all that Edward will be reunited with his mother and his little brother Richard. Anthony says that, for his part, he will be glad to be soon shed of all responsibilities.
What Anthony does not say is that he feels that they all – Gloucester, Hastings, Buckingham, Essex, Stanley and himself – are part of a generation whose time is past. There are younger men who stand and wait or are even already pushing their way forward. The older lords will soon have to make way for them.
On the fifth day’s riding as they approach Northampton, Anthony finds himself recalling fragments of an old tale that he heard from his mother when he was a child. He remembers that it was a frightening story. As the dark gathers two riders are passing through a wood. Who is riding so late through the dark and the wind? It is a father and his son. ‘Boy why are you scared?’ asks the father and the boy replies, ‘Can you not see the Erl King with his crown and robe?’ The father replies, ‘It is only a cloud?’ But the boy persists, ‘Can you not hear the whispered promises of the Erl King?’ ‘That is the wind in the trees. Your mother and sisters will be pleased to see you.’ ‘Can you not see the Erl King’s sisters? They want me for their husband.’ ‘I can only see the alder trees waving in the wind.’ ‘Help, father. The Erl King has me in his grip.’ And when the father turns he sees that his son on the horse beside him is dead.
Anthony is roused from a dark reverie by one of his outriders who tells him that Richard of Gloucester and Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, coming from the north, are also heading for the coronation in London. A few hours later Anthony receives a message from Gloucester which proposes a meeting at Stony Stratford so that they may dine together. At this point Anthony plays with the idea of refusing or stalling, and then withdrawing back to Ludlow? What then? But in effect, such a hostile gesture would amount to a declaration of civil war and he is outnumbered and during his retreat his Welsh archers would be picked off by Gloucester’s northern horsemen. It is even possible that the new King could be killed in the fighting. At the same time it is unlikely that Elizabeth would be able to hold London against Hastings and other enemies of the Woodvilles. Having played with such fancies and then rejected them, he replies that he will be glad to join the noble lords for dinner at Stony Stratford. Then he kisses Edward’s head in farewell.
So he meets Gloucester and Buckingham at Stony Stratford and they dine on quails and after some solemn deliberations about the expense of the forthcoming coronation, he and Buckingham become very merry as they refight old battles. Buckingham ends up declaring that now England is at peace it has no need of great lords such as themselves! Only Gloucester looks wey-faced and anxious and Anthony guesses that Gloucester is more afraid about what is going to happen than he is. As Anthony bids them a goodnight before leaving the hostelry’s dining room, he reminds himself that though Gloucester and Buckingham believe that they have the advantage over him, all three of them have eaten of the living goose.
The following morning he finds himself under arrest and he is taken to Pontefract Castle where he is confined until it is decided to execute him without trial. While waiting for the end he finds time to write to Mary and then to compose a poem:
Somewhat musing
And more mourning
In remembering
The unsteadfastness
Of this world,
What answer
To the riddle may I guess?
Willing to die,
Methinks truly
Bound am I
To be content,
Seeing plainly
Fortune does turn
All contrary to my intent.
My life was lent,
To what intent?
It is near spent,
So welcome Fate!
Though I never thought
Low to be brought,
Since she so planned
I take her hand.
On June 25th 1483 he is brought out from his cell and led to the block. His last thought is of Evnissyen and how that man had dealt with his sister’s son. The axe falls and Anthony Woodville, second Earl Rivers, vanishes into history.
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First published by Dedalus in 2016
Wonders Will Never Cease copyright © Robert Irwin 2016
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