The Wisest Fool mog-4

by Nigel Tranter

  Quickly, amidst much acclaim, the two protagonists were reduced to a state of mother-nakedness-although they did not appear quite, perhaps, as on the day they were born, the man's highly positive masculinity rather remarkable in the circumstances, and the woman's slight improvements on nature much commented upon. Then they were picked up by such of their supporters as could manage to get a hand upon their persons anywhere, and carried to the great bed. There was some argument here as to who should be set down on top of whom, the principals proclaiming the matter immaterial-but James's plea for natural seemliness prevailed, and Lady Susan was lowered first on the bed.

  Thereafter no urgings, counsel or guidance as to the next stage was necessary, or indeed could have been found time for, as Sir Philip settled himself into his due and effective position, for these two were obviously experienced practitioners, possibly more so than most of their assistants. In one way, perhaps, it was a little disappointing for habitual attenders at wedding-beddings, since the encouragement, schooling and manipulation of less confident performers could on occasion provide considerable interest, not to say hilarity. These two went at it, from the start, with expertise and enthusiasm-to their own very evident satisfaction, whatever else. It was all over before the best epigrams and flights of wit had really got going-and Philip Herbert has disproved that a surplus of wine was necessarily any handicap to bedtime prowess-and his bride that an audience need be an inhibiting factor.

  "Aye-very guid," King James commented, although perhaps just a little doubtfully. "Expeditious. Aye, right prompt,"

  "That is one hundred pounds you owe me, Sire," came a contentedly languorous voice from the bed,

  "Ooh, aye. But I'll might get it back yet, man. An hour later, you said? We'll be back up in the hour, then, to see if you can keep my hundred-or you can make another fifty. Come you, then, my lords and gentles-gie them a bit peace, for they hae a heavy night ahead o' them, I'll wager! Gie's your arm, Vicky. Geordie-you got what's your ain? Well-doon wi' us. There's plenty wine yet-unless yon Patrick o' Orkney and his crew hae drunk it a' while we've been doing our duty by these innocents. Come, you…"

  11

  His CLOAK TIGHT around him against the chill November drizzle, George Heriot presented himself at the gatehouse of Whitehall Palace, and waited while it was checked whether he should be admitted or not-for, unlike the Queen's Somerset House where almost anyone could walk in and out, entry here was strictly controlled. It was an odd time for an urgent summons to the presence-just before three in the afternoon-for when he was not out hunting, the King liked to take a nap after his midday meal. It was scarcely his time for discussing money matters or ordering jewellery. The Duke of Lennox himself came down to the gatehouse to conduct his friend to the King. "A strange business, Geordie," he declared. "Some sort of conspiracy, it seems. To do with the Catholics again. Thank God our slippery Patrick Gray does not seem as yet to have a hand in this one-there seems to be no connection with Scotland. James has a letter-very mysterious, just after his own heart I Whether there is any truth in it is another matter."

  "But what is this to do with me? Why bring me hurrying from the Exchange? I am no plot-breaker-as the King has not failed to tell me 1"

  "There is talk of money-much money. It is seemingly a large matter-no more plot but a great conspiracy. Or so Cecil thinks…"

  "Cecil? Is he in this? Then it becomes serious, one way or the other! Serious for somebody "

  "No doubt The Catholics, I would think. Such as we all were, not so long ago!"

  Heriot looked at the other quickly. The Duke's sister, the Lady Hetty of Huntly, was a fervent Catholic, as had been his father-as had been most fathers, indeed, with the Reformation not more than fifty years old, in Scotland at least Until the age of thirteen Ludovick had been brought up in Catholic France, then taken to Scotland and put largely in the care of the Master of Gray- whose Protestantism was notoriously of the suspect sort In theory, the Duke was firmly in the Protestant camp; but in fact…? Heriot believed that a man's religion was his own business; but in a situation such as this it was wise to tread warily.

  There was no time to pursue their discussion. Past the Yeomen on duty they came to the King's own bedchamber. In the anteroom thereof they found James, in a bed-robe but wearing his hat; Cecil, recently promoted, once more, to be Earl of Salisbury; the youngish Howard, Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain; and a tall, thin, dark man whom Heriot knew to be the Lord Monteagle, a moderate Catholic peer. The King was sitting at a table, poring over a letter, Cecil was watching him tight-lipped, Suffolk looking bored and William Parker, Lord Monteagle, distinctly agitated and unhappy, all standing.

  "Ha, Geordie," James cried, "Here, man, and cast your eye ower this. Here is a letter. Sent to the Lord Monteagle. A fell strange letter. Warning him o' danger. Frae hi men, gey ill. Wicked treasons. Danger to my royal person. Aye, and to this parliament I'm to open the morn. You've a guid canny heid on your shoulders, Geordie. What d'you mak o' it?"

  Heriot took the paper, and scanned the ill-spelled epistle, watched by the others, Salisbury and Suffolk with ill-concealed impatience and disapproval at this waste of their time over a mere tradesman's views, however wealthy he might be. My lord-out of the love i beare to some of youer friends, i have a caer of youer preservation, therefor i would advyse yowe as yowe tender youer lyft, to devyse some exscuse to shift of youer attendance at this parliament, for God and man hathe concurred to punish the wickednes of this tyme, and think not slightlye of this advertisement, but retyere youre self into youre countrie wheare yowe maye expect the event in safti, for thowghe theare be no apparance of anni stir, yet i say they shall receyve a terrible blowe this parleament, and yet they shall not seie who hurts them; this councel is not to be contemned, because it maye do yoew good, and can do yowe no harme, for the danger is past as soon as yowe have burnt the letter, and i hope God will give yowe the grace to make good use of it, to whose holy protection i commend yowe.

  Heriot looked up, smoothing mouth and small beard. "A very curious document, She," he commented slowly, thoughtfully. "Which presents more questions than it answers. Wicked, shameful-but curious." "We discovered that for ourselves, man!" Cecil said testily.

  "Let him be, my lord," the King observed, raising a grimy finger. "Geordie Heriot's no' a new-made earl! Nor yet slightly aulder one!" Suffolk although a son of the former Duke of Norfolk, had only been created earl in 1603. "But he's got mair siller to jingle in his pouch than the twa 0' you together, I vow! And he's no' made a' that by failing to ken what's what! He kens how mony maks four, does Geordie Heriot! And he has a quick eye. Well, Geordie-what say you? These questions?"

  "I take it, She, that this is warning of the threat of an attack upon yourself at the opening of parliament tomorrow? But more than yourself-the entire parliament in assembly. The writer does not mention Your Majesty-but if the whole of parliament is threatened, it can only be when both houses are together assembled, in the Lords' chamber. For the opening. When you and Her Majesty and the Prince are present An attack on the King in parliament all but takes the breath away! The first question then, is-is this to be taken as serious? Or is it some folly, some prank? Or the work of someone light in his wits? "

  "Think you that such as ourselves would be here, sir, troubling His Majesty, if we did not conceive it serious?" Suffolk demanded.

  "As to that, my lord, I know not But I agree that it probably should be taken as serious. Any prankster, hoaxer or scatterpate would, I think, have used names, the King's or others. Where he aims his threats. This does not Moreover, he says to burn the letter. Were it a hoax, would he not rather wish many to read it? Else his satisfaction is limited to cozening one man only-my Lord Monteagle."

  "I hadna thought o' that," James admitted. "I daresay you're right. But that's no' important since we're taking it fell seriously onyway. But what d'you think o' the matter itself, man. The threat? Quiet, my lords-I wish to hear Master Geordie's ain impressions."

 
Glancing at the letter again, Heriot put his finger on a line midway. 'These words, Sire, seem to me of the most import'… they shall not see who hurts them.' To threaten an entire parliament with destruction, and then to say that they shall not see who hurts them, seems to rule out armed attack, many men making assault Some cataclysm, then-devastation. Fire, perhaps. To burn down the House of Lords. Or smoke, suffocation…"

  "Or gunpowder, man-gunpowder!" James could not hold back his own theory. He slapped his bare knee excitedly. "Man-your mind works the same way as my ain! I was telling these lords- only gunpowder would serve. To destroy all, so that nane kenned what slew them. I say it’s gunpowder."

  'Your Majesty may recollect that I also mentioned gunpowder amongst the possibilities," Cecil put in stiffly.

  James ignored that, "Man-think o' it! In one michty displosion and discharge, to dispose o' the entire realm-or a' that matters in the realm. King, Queen, heir to the throne, great officers o' state, ambassadors, bishops, Privy Council, judges, lords and commons. Waesucks-what a contrive! What an excogitation! Worthy o' the mind o' auld Satan himself!" Quite carried away by the magnificence, enormity and comprehensive scope of the entire conception, Majesty gobbled, goggled and dripped saliva.

  "It would require a deal of gunpowder," the practical Lennox remarked, "to bring down the whole House of Lords. It would not serve to bring down only part. And it is costly stuff. Even one barrel costs a deal of money. As Admiral, in Scotland, I know."

  "That is one reason why I brought Geordie in. My lords, here, compute that it would tak maybe a score o' barrels o' powder to blow up yon building-more, belike. And to move so much through the city wouldna be easy, unkenned. It would hae to be by boat, I'm saying. A ship in the Thames. A' this means much siller. Who has that much siller-who would wish to do the likes o' this? Catholics? It's the sort o' ploy yon man Raleigh might devise. And he has the money. But he's safe lockit up in the Tower." "You are sure that it is a Catholic plot, She? "

  "Who else? My Lord Monteagle, here, is a Catholic-forby a leal one and he believes it so. What other party would wish to get rid o' the entire rule, rule, in Crown, Church and State, this way? Eh, Monteagle, man?"

  "I fear that it must be so, Sire," the tall, thin individual acceded unhappily. "Else why warn myself?"

  "Do you know that you are the only one to be warned, my lord?" Heriot asked. "That was the third of my questions." The other eyed him quickly. "What do you mean, sir?"

  "Merely that you are not the only Catholic peer, my lord. There are many. Someone in the plot has sent you this letter, because they say they love you and do not wish you to die in the holocaust. You may, or may not, have a notion who the writer might be. But surely it is conceivable that other plotters-or the same man, indeed-may wish to save some other Catholics also? Members of both Houses, perhaps. So there may be other letters. Or if not letters, other warnings. Such as might tell us more."

  "Sakes, Geordie-you have a point there. Cecil, man-you should ha' thought o' that."

  "It had indeed occurred to me, She, But I did not see that it would take us greatly forward."

  "It might, my lord," Heriot asserted. "A swift enquiry amongst Catholic lords and Members…"

  "We do not want this trouble bruited abroad, Master Heriot The fewer who know, the better. It is not good for His Majesty's name and repute that any should consider such outrage. Moreover, we do not know, as yet, that there is any truth in it"

  "But you believe there is. And must act for the King's safety. Surely certain Catholic noblemen can be approached secretly? This day. If there is naught in it, they will scarcely spread the rumour, to the hurt of their own people?"

  "Geordie's right," the King declared. "And we've no' that long to act Hae you anyone in mind, man? In especial? "

  "I thought of the young Earl of Arundel, Sire. Kinsman of my lord Earl of Suffolk, here. He is only a youth, too young to take his seat in the Lords-but he will be at the opening ceremony, will he not? He is the head of your great family of Howard, is he not, my lord? Who would be Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England were it not for the forfeiture of his late father, your brother? Surely Catholic conspirators would not wish to destroy the highest-born Catholic in England? "

  Suffolk looked uncomfortable. His own Protestantism was undoubtedly political rather than of conviction. "If my nephew had received such a letter, be sure that he would have brought it to me, sirrah. Or to the Lord Admiral. Or to Northampton."

  "He might not. He might be too frightened. Or believed it but a jest. Not understanding the importance of it. It would be worth asking."

  "It would so," the King decided. "See you to it, Suffolk. Anything else, Geordie?"

  "You mentioned ambassadors, Majesty-when you spoke of those who would be destroyed if-and God forbid-this evil conspiracy had not come to light But surely the last thing that Catholic rebels would wish would be to slay the ambassadors of the Catholic states-the Vatican, Spain and France, Venice and the rest. It would be of interest to know whether they have been warned not to attend."

  "Well thought on. We'll find out frae Don Juan. He's right friendly wi' my Annie-she's even given him a bit wing in her Somerset House. Vicky-can you make shift to find out if the Spanish ambassador will be going to the opening the morn? As invited."

  "Sire, I would strongly advise care in this matter of ambassadors," Cecil put in. "Such cannot be questioned as can other men. Moreover, we want no alarming messages sent to Madrid or Rome or Paris, declaring England to be in a state of revolt, and Catholics ready to destroy the realm. I crave your royal leave to attend to this of the ambassadors myself."

  "He doesna trust you, Vicky I But-as you will. So long as it is done."

  "A further matter, Sire. Although no doubt my lord of Salisbury has already thought of it also I" Heriot said. "As well as the question of the cost and bulk of sufficient gunpowder, there is that of where it would, or could, be bestowed. Without being seen. Difficult, I would think."

  "I have indeed thought of it," the Secretary said. "Nor would it be so difficult. There are many cellars under the House of Lords." "You'll hae to search them, man. Instanter."

  "With your permission, Sire, any such search should be postponed for as long as possible. So that the dastards do not take fright. We want to catch them-not merely frighten them off, to make their wicked attempt on some other occasion. We must capture some of them. To put to the question. For this conspiracy must have wide ramifications. If these assassins intend to blow up the King, parliament and government, they must have plans for taking over the rule of the realm thereafter. It does not end but only begins, with the gunpowder, or other means. I believe that there must be a great many involved. Men of note and riches, prepared to govern. Otherwise all is a foolishness."

  "Aye-the mind which conceived this satanic ploy, to destroy a' at one fell blast, wouldna fail to think on what would hae to follow," fames nodded. "Much will hae to be wheasled oot Aye, it's right diabolical to think on such base ingratitude and unkind-ness to their sovereign lord-waesucks, it is. You'll need to catch some o' them, to question, right enough. Maist severely. Nae-thing's ower bad for the likes o' these." "Agreed, Sire. Therefore they must not take fright and abandon all. Disperse before we can lay hands on them."

  "But we havena long, Cecil man. Only the night The morn's the opening."

  "We have twenty hours, Majesty. Much may be done in that time-and we have much to do. I suggest that we waste no more time in talk. That knowing, or at least conjecturing, what we do, we each now go our several ways, and make all enquiries that we may. In discretion and circumspection, I must insist" Salisbury looked pointedly at Heriot whom obviously he considered quite unfit to be mixed up in anything so delicate and important "No alarm must reach the conspirators. We should reassemble, to report to Your Majesty, and further discuss the situation-or such of us as have any true contribution to make-in, say four hours. Shall we make it seven o' the clock, Sire?"

  'That so
unds right enough. But can you find oot that much in four hours?" "I think that we can, yes."

  "Aye, you're a right beagle, man, once on the scent! Off wi' you, then. Vicky-go you wi' Geordie Heriot In case he needs authority-aye, my royal authority, to mak ony investigation he thinks fit Find oot Geordie, if you can, if ony Catholics o' means and substance hae been borrowing money, or pawning or selling jewellery or plate. Aye, and hiring shipping. Find who sells gunpowder, and who they've been selling it to. You can mak siclike enquiries a deal better and mair quietly than these lords amongst your city acquaintance" "Shall I search the cellars of the House of Lords?" Suffolk asked.

  "Not yet," Cecil said. "Too soon. Wait until we next assemble. Monteagle, you will know well many Catholic lords and gentlemen. Find out what they know. You can, h'm, remind them discreetly that their heads may be at stake, in this! Here is opportunity to make proof of their loyalty." Unhappily Monteagle nodded.

  ***

  Four hours later they were all back in Whitehall Palace, with an addition-Sir Thomas Knevett magistrate responsible for this section of Westarinster. The King was as eager and impatient as a schoolboy with a new game.

  "Well?" he demanded. "What have you discovered? A’ the pack o' you. Out with it. What's new? Monteagle-you first."

  "I have learned but little, Sire. Not for want of will, I assure Your Majesty. I have found only the one other who has been warned not to attend the opening. My own brother-in-law, the Lord Stourton. But not warned by letter. Only by a message. Spoken to his manservant. By a stranger, he says. In the street. The message only that if he valued his life, he would not go to the House of Lords tomorrow."

  "Stranger? What sort o' stranger? Complete strangers dinna gie that sort o' warning to lords' servants and expect to be heeded, man."

  "I know not, Sire. Stourton said that his servant had never seen the man before. He was waiting outside his lodging…"