The King’s Banquet

by Derek Gorman

  Jane Melville was his wife and accompanied him. She too was in her 40s and had worked for Queen Mary as Maid of her Chamber. Another loyal and dedicated member of the Queen’s household - she would keep the Queen company and guard her bedchamber. One perk of the role was being responsible for all of the Queen’s jewels, and there were plenty to look after.

  It is here where she first met Andrew, who was impressive - he had started in a similar position but worked his way up in importance to be an envoy for the Queen and Jane always had a crush on Andrew. He noticed her as well - red hair was rare and Jane was a fine beauty with her long red hair falling to the middle of her back. Andrew was smitten with her, but they did nothing about it. Life in the Royal household was too hectic.

  It was only upon returning to Scotland they both decided to marry and start a family together. They were in a position of power, being entrusted to bring Queen Mary’s jewels and artworks back to King James after her death. They had spent long enough working for others and would now look after themselves. Andrew was working for the King with Jane’s support, but they prioritised time together above everything else. So when they arrived for the banquet - they were both appreciative that they had finally reached a happy point in their lives where they were comfortable and also knew what was important. They had also just celebrated their two year wedding anniversary, another occasion to celebrate at this banquet.

  “Welcome to Knockhall,” bellowed Lord Sinclair as he met the couple just outside the primary entrance.

  “Thank-you Sir. It’s very grand,” replied Andrew nervously. It wasn’t often that he was invited to an event like this almost as equals.

  “Yes, it’s lovely. You’ve done an impressive job with it,” chimed Jane.

  “You are all too kind. Look, just behind you. We have a fellow guest merely minutes behind,” observed Lord Sinclair.

  In the distance, not too far away now, was another coach, but this was very different to Andrew’s. This was a ‘four poster’ carriage, which was a recent invention. It had a door and protection from most of the elements and was housed in a square box as opposed to their more basic round top cousin. King James used this, but it was relatively rare to see this outside of the Royal household. This would most likely be Thomas Randolph, or the Ambassador as he was known. He was coming all the way from London, so it wasn’t a surprise that he was early given the time such a journey would take. As the coach approached closer, Lord Sinclair could see that it was indeed the Ambassador.

  The Ambassador was an elder statesman. Now 66 years old, he really had lived a lifetime or two. Unfortunately, it showed. He was frail and hunched over his walking cane. He still had an impressive aura around him and would always wear the finest garments. He had that pride in appearance that those of advancing years always seem to have. The first half of his life had been relatively unremarkable. He was born in Kent, England and studied hard, eventually going to the University of Oxford, which then led to him becoming a notary. He did this until he was 30 years old before the Protestant prosecutions drove him away and he retired to France becoming a scholar. It was at 35 that his life began and became a lot more interesting.

  Queen Elizabeth becoming ruler of England changed everything for the Ambassador. He quickly fell into favour and acted as a spy for the English in the German Republic. Little is known about what he did and he never spoke about it, so it remained a mystery. All that is known is that he returned to England after a few months and settled down in Kent. He remained valuable to Queen Elizabeth given the respect he had built up during his time in France with the Scottish protestants who had become a sizable expat community in Paris.

  One of his missions was to smuggle in a Scottish nobleman into Scotland. He did so using the alias Barnabie and the code name Pamphilus, a likely nod to a biblical scholar who had lived many moons ago. Truth be told, that his genuine quality was his ability to influence the Scottish Protestants. They danced to his tune, and he brought them onside to follow Queen Elizabeth. The Ambassador therefore played a key role in the union's formation between Scotland and England. It is no exaggeration to say that without him the bloody civil war would still be raging. Hence the respect that he commanded. Lord Sinclair had goosebumps to think that the Ambassador would be here in mere minutes, what an honour it was given his fragility and age.

  The Ambassador was central to some of the juiciest gossip of recent history. While Queen Mary was still powerful and Queen Elizabeth’s influence was only starting to grow, the Ambassador was tasked by Elizabeth to complete the marriage of Queen Mary to a suitable husband. Elizabeth was in love with a man called Robert Dudley, but with her health in doubt, she wanted him to succeed to the throne so proposed Dudley as the future husband of Mary and instructed the Ambassador to “get it done.” Elizabeth wanted Mary to marry Dudley and for all of them to live together in the English Court. Mary wasn’t sure about this as it sounded like a trap, but potentially being given lineage to succeed Elizabeth as Queen of England was something she would be interested in. Dudley was then made Earl of Leicester to make the marriage more attractive in Mary’s eyes. The Ambassador was central to these negotiations, and eventually Mary agreed after several months of hesitation. However, Dudley refused. He wanted to marry Elizabeth and still believed that possible. That never happened, as Elizabeth couldn’t marry an Englishman if she wanted a union between England and Scotland. Dudley died last year from stomach cancer. He married twice during his lifetime, but nobody who was anywhere near to the throne. How history would have been different if Dudley agreed to marry Queen Mary. Queen Mary might still have been alive and might even have become the first Queen of both Scotland and England. The Ambassador being the key pawnmaker. How Lord Sinclair would have loved to have heard the details of all these shenanigans - but of course, the Ambassador was discreet and never spoke of what he saw.

  The Ambassador’s life then turned another corner when he became Postmaster General, in charge of all the communications across the land and for the Royal household. This was a relatively calm year before his life would take another unlikely turn. This time he ended up in Russia on behalf of English merchants who wanted better trading privileges. He really had a gift of getting things done, and it was no surprise when he came back and the formation of the Muscovy Company was announced. It was one of the first major public stock companies in the world, and it had a monopoly on trade between England and Russia.

  After his Russian adventure, he returned to Scotland and got married to the lovely Anne Walsingham. At this point he was nearly 50 years old, but he still hadn’t slowed down. After getting married, he became Chamberlain of the Exchequer for life, always on hand to advise Queen Elizabeth - albeit primarily on financial matters, given his uncanny ability in finances. He still led on more missions for Elizabeth in Scotland and in France, but given his advancing years they were less juicy than previously.

  The Ambassador wasn’t immune to scandal himself. Rumours were rife that he secretly married a second wife in the last few years. Single for almost 50 years and then two concurrent wives within the last 15 years - it really was something you wouldn’t expect from someone as distinguished as the Ambassador. It was therefore no surprise when he stepped out of the carriage alone, without his wife (or rumoured second wife). After being greeted by Lord Sinclair, he slowly made his way inside.

  The last guests to arrive were Lord & Lady Maitland - they too had a ‘four poster’ horse drawn carriage that protected them from the elements. This really impressed Lord Sinclair. It was one thing for a King to have one, it was another for an Ambassador with international political connections to have one, but Lord Maitland’s one was a clear statement of wealth.

  Lord Maitland had turned 50 years old not too long ago and was on the slightly chubby side. He looked decadent with a pointy moustache complimenting his extended jawline. He was dressed impeccably, and you could tell that he was an important man, cultured too. He was another of those who had studied abroad i
n France before returning to begin his climb up the political ladder.

  At the start, he didn’t have to work too hard as he inherited his influence and power from his Father, including the role of the Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, this was a powerful and important role. He would hold on to the official seal of King James and any document that would require the King’s approval would require Lord Maitland to stamp it. Given that King James was only a baby at the time, it made Lord Maitland the de facto King. There were so many warring factions at the time, it was a fragile power, so he really didn’t feel like a King.

  Things quickly deteriorated, and his decision to back Queen Elizabeth in the civil war backfired. He was imprisoned for years and stripped of all of his titles and wealth. Quite a downfall from someone who was the de facto King.

  He wouldn’t have been a Maitland if he didn’t have political cunning. As the civil war was winding down, he weaned his way back into favour with King James and regained all of his old positions, titles, and wealth. It wasn’t just down to King James showing forgiveness to his enemies as part of the peace deal, but Lord Maitland had become powerful in England and King James was thinking about his future path to the English throne.

  He therefore returned to play a powerful part in King James’s court, much like he had when the King was just a young boy. Ever since his return to favour, he had been picking up titles all over the place becoming Secretary of Scotland five years earlier, followed by Lord Chancellor of Scotland three years ago and then the Barony of Stobo.

  This created a lot of resentment and riled up some powerful enemies. Only a few months earlier, several Earls held a rebellion with plans to execute him and take control over the King. They marched to Holyroodhouse and won a powerful battle over the soldiers stationed there. However, their plot failed, and they were flabbergasted to find that the King and Lord Maitland weren’t there. They were actually at Stirling Castle at the time, a benefit of the King’s travelling court. When word reached the King about this plot - the rebels were soundly defeated. It wasn’t the first plot to get rid of his influence - but they all had failed.

  Lady Maitland was in her mid 30s but looked much younger and was stunningly beautiful. The stereotypical trophy wife with her long brown flowing hair; big brown eyes that melted many hearts. She had a face that showed little sign of life’s struggles and had a svelte frame of a body. She had a reputation that meant most of the women weren’t too friendly to her - many scared that she’ll corrupt their husbands.

  However, Lady Maitland came from a noble upbringing. Her father was the 4th Lord Fleming. Long before the scandal involving Queen Mary and her desire to marry Dudley, she actually had a first husband. She married a King of France many years earlier when he was only 14 years old and she was only 16 years old, although he passed away only two years later. Lady Maitland’s father was part of the delegation who attended the wedding in France. However, half of the eight strong delegation died on their way back after being poisoned. The French wanted to send a message that they didn’t trust them.

  This turned Lady Maitland’s life upside down. She was only 5 years old and lost most of her inheritance to a greedy uncle. Life was therefore tough, and it is no surprise that she made the most of her noble background and her beauty. She was such a beauty that William Fowler had dedicated a poem to her Triumphs of Petrarke.

  It was therefore no surprise that as Lord & Lady Maitland made their way to the banqueting hall that it should be William who they run into first.

  “Bello come una rosa,” bellowed William in Italian. “Bello come un narciso. La bellezza arriva e la bellezza vede. Che bellezza avevano visto i miei occhi,”

  “William, you old charmer,” responded Lady Maitland, whilst giggling.

  Lord Maitland smiled and shook William’s hand. William was an icon of Scotland and one of the most famous artists in the land, so his flirty compliment to his wife was viewed as a compliment. He also did that with all of the important people’s wives but never overstepped the mark so wasn’t viewed as a threat.

  All was set. The guests had arrived. The flowers were in position. Music was being played. The kitchen was a hive of activity. It was now just time for the principal guest of the evening to turn up, King James, for his unofficial bachelor party / celebration.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It was quite a scene in the banqueting hall as the pre-dinner drinks were being served. A bevy of servants patrolled the floor to ensure there was plenty of wine, whisky, or beer flowing for the guests. The hall really was ornately decorated. There were flowers across both long sides of the hall. Mosaics lined the hall, bringing colour and light to proceedings. The banquet table must have been 30 feet long. As was customary, benches lined both sides of the table. The only chair was placed at the end of the table, obviously for the King to use.

  The guests and performers had split into two distinct groups. On one side of the hall, you had Lord & Lady Sinclair discussing political events with Lord & Lady Maitland. At the other end, you had the poets Mark and William standing alongside Andrew & Jane and the Ambassador. During the conversations, servants would top up quaiches (a small wooden shallow bowl with handles) with alcohol.

  Mark said to the group, “I wonder which version of James will turn up.”

  “What do you mean?” responded the Ambassador, taking the bait.

  “Well, who will be the Esme Stewart of the evening!”

  “Esme Stewart? You mean the Duke of Lennox. What’s that got to do with anything?”

  “You’ve been out of the loop for too long, old man” replied William in a condescending tone. “Andrew, Jane - am I right?” The Melvilles nodded in agreement.

  Esme Stewart, or the Duke of Lennox as he was now known, was famous amongst the King’s inner circles. The King was a young man of only 13 years of age when he first made his way to Edinburgh Castle. Young and impressionable meant that he was easy prey for Esme. Esme was 37 years old at the time and married with five children. He had just arrived from France and was the most exotic thing that the King had ever seen; Fragile and tall like a bean pole, but he really intrigued the King. He was articulate, cultured, sensitive, spoke four languages and had life experience. The French just had a way of carrying themselves. They also believed themselves to be better than the English or Scottish, given their sophistication and culture. The King quickly brought Esme into his court and immediately gave him a senior role appointing him Gentleman of the Bedchamber, a role that involved Esme spending evenings and nights with the King. This would cover everything from keeping the King company to guarding over him while he slept.

  Rumours about their relationship reached a new level when the King would be seen at banquets gently clasping Esme by the neck and kissing him passionately. The relationship grew and Esme quickly become an Earl and then the Duke of Lennox, a newly created title just for him. The Royal status benefited Esme socially and led to him being treated semi-seriously, as opposed to just a punchline in a scandalous bit of gossip.

  His influence on the King kept growing, and it was when Esme entered the political sphere that it alarmed those close to the King. The Earl of Morton ended up almost executed because of a dispute with Esme. This was the turning point in the pair’s relationship. The Raid of Ruthven that took place when the King was only 15 years old was partially down to limiting pro-catholic influence and bringing Queen Mary back to the throne but, truth be told, it was really a power struggle to limit French influence, Esme’s influence. The King eventually agreed that Esme had to be exiled. He therefore returned to Paris. They continued their love affair via correspondence, but it wasn’t to continue for too long as Esme passed away after only a year following a terminal illness. Esme’s rise to the top and fall was only two years. Upon his death, his heart was transported to the King as per his wishes, although little is known about where the heart now lies.

  “I have never heard something so absurd. A heart transported from the King’s old male lover
in a box all the way from France! You believe in fairytales,” exclaimed the Ambassador.

  “Say what you will but we all know it to be true,” said a stern faced Mark.

  At the other end of the room, the Lords, and Ladies were discussing the Ambassador.

  “Did the Ambassador tout his ill thought out investment opportunity to you?” inquired Lord Maitland.

  “Heavens, no,” sputtered Lord Sinclair. “But I heard about it. It’s a real shame what has happened to that fellow. He seems to have fallen from grace, and also what is he doing? Imagine coming to this event without his wife.”

  “Which one!” chuckled Lord Maitland, sending the rest of the group into fits of laughter.

  The Ambassador had carried out many successful foreign trips on behalf of merchants with his Russian sojourn the pinnacle of his achievements. The Muscovy Company was doing well, and both Lords had a sizable investment in the company benefiting from generous dividends. However, that was more than a decade ago and the Ambassador was now an old man. He seemed to be missing the excitement of the past so was busy promoting an investment to set up an expedition to the New World. This was nothing new. It was nearly 100 years since Christopher Columbus’s first voyage, and the entire region was still very volatile.

  The Spanish had colonised parts of the New World and the last thing England needed was a bloody war with Spain in Europe, and in the New World. A private venture would therefore compete with all the difficulties of the time.

  If you could get past the Spanish, then one problem would be the indigenous Indians. Over 8 million died because of European illnesses bought over by traders. They were therefore wary of anyone European. The Lost Colony was also a recent occurrence. The English had tried to establish two colonies in the New World. Both in Roanoke. The first attempt failed a few years back and the most recent attempt was a mystery - the entire population just vanished. Most likely killed in a bloody battle, hence it was now known as the Lost Colony. Therefore, any business investment opportunity to monetise the New World was foolhardy. There was already a nasty feeling in the room post the English Armada fiasco, so there was little appetite to hear about the Ambassador’s investment opportunities.