Flower O'Scotland
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Chapter 13: Scotland The Bold
VVD0D95
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Chapter 13: Scotland the Bold
April, 1543
April, 1543
Spring had come and with it had come the resolution of most of the quandaries of the church. They were to be publishing bibles in Scots from this month, after the Pope had reluctantly agreed. The pomp and ceremony remained and the hymns of the bible to spread God’s message were to continue as well. And of course, in the south, well that was the main focus of why he had called this meeting. His councillors were looking at him, waiting for him to speak. James smiled at them.
“Our Royal Uncle, the King of England has been dead for two months now. His death has left England in a state of chaos, with different factions fighting over who has the best claim to the regency. As such, it is our opinion that Scotland can gain from this. Lord Sinclair, you have looked through this have you not?” James said.
Sinclair smiled. “I have, Sire. From my own studies, I think we have two options before us. We can either go forward with alliance with the French and invade England now and try and take some land in Northern England. Or we can negotiate with the English now, and get Berwick back and some border towns also.”
There were some murmurs there. James knew his council was split, as it so often was on various things. He would need to sort the matter out himself. The Earl of Atholl spoke then. “Sire, I believe that negotiating with the English would be our best bet. We can invade, but men would die. Right now we are at a position of strength. We have cards to play. Negotiate and get what we want without bloodshed.”
Bothwell who was very much in favour of the French alliance spoke then. “Sire, I think if we negotiate we shall look weak. Our alliance with France goes back to the wars of independence, to abandon them now would be cowardly.”
There was grumbling at that. “Will you be leading troops into war then?” Atholl demanded of Bothwell.
“If His Majesty wishes to grant me the honour such a thing, then I will.” Bothwell shot back.
Atholl snorted, but before he could say anything, James spoke. “Your Eminence, please do inform the council of the proposal from Paris.” He had kept this secret for some time hoping to get the feeling from his council. It seemed he would need to act sooner than he had hoped.
“Sire,” Cardinal Beaton said. “King Francis has proposed a marriage between his granddaughter Elisabeth and His Royal Highness the Duke of Rothesay, for when they come of age. He also adds that a significant dowry would come with this.”
James let this settle for a time, and then spoke. “Such a marriage would continue the alliance, without needing to wage war. For King Francis makes no mention of such a thing does he?”
“He does not, Your Majesty.” The Cardinal replied.
Sinclair spoke. “Then perhaps that is the best solution. Negotiate with England, and then negotiate a betrothal with the King of France. Betrothals can be broken later on if nothing comes of it.”
“Such a thing would reflect badly on His Majesty.” Bothwell replied.
James looked at the man, already tired, “Send word to Arran, he shall negotiate with the English. Sinclair you shall go to Paris and negotiate with Francis.” Perhaps some good could come from all this mess.
Chapter 14: Cranmer
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Chapter 14: Cranmer
June, 1543
Thomas took a deep breath. It had been months since the King had died. The wounds he had taken long ago finally doing in for him. Since then, the government had been in a state of crisis. The Queen Dowager claimed the King had named her regent for his son, but no document had been found saying anything of the such. Still she persisted. Eventually, a compromise had been reached where the Lord President of the Council, would act as regent, and the privy council would continue on its functions. But this had not truly worked. They were all combative personalities, and without the King being a man grown to stem the tide, things had gotten into disarray. June, 1543
Cranmer had asked to meet with the Lord President and the Duke of Norfolk who was still Lord High Treasurer, to discuss what was happening and to try and find a solution. Both men were sat next to him, in his solar in the Palace of Whitehall, where the King, a mere boy of six had decided to make residence. Thomas took another breath and then spoke. "We cannot go on like this, Your Graces. England is in crisis. It is a wonder that our enemies have not tried to invade and take land from us."
Suffolk snorted. "What do you call what the Scots have proposed? That is as good a land grab as any."
Norfolk replied. "We would be wise in considering their proposal seriously. We cannot afford to have them barking on our heels and allied with the French."
Before Suffolk could retort, Thomas spoke. "They ask only for Berwick and one other border town that they claim was taken without their consent in the treaty of 1482. I say we consider it."
Norfolk nodded. "I agree, I think we would be wise to consider their proposal. If they align with France, we are going to be surrounded by two hostile powers, though Francis of France is himself ailing, you can be sure his son will continue his policies."
Suffolk said nothing for a time, and Thomas feared he would object, then he said. "Very well, I can see the sense in that. We will need to ensure the council to get this through, properly. Seymour will object, as will Dudley, but they can be dealt with easily enough. I suggest we put in our own proposal."
"A proposal of marriage?" Norfolk asked sounding surprised.
Cranmer seized on it. "Yes, let's offer the Lady Elizabeth or Princess Eleanor's hand in marriage to the Duke of Rothesay, with the town of Berwick as her dowry."
"I would offer the Lady Elizabeth myself, Princess Eleanor is the heir to the King. We cannot risk her." Norfolk replied.
"Lady Elizabeth would need to be legitimised. We cannot have a bastard marrying into Scotland, otherwise they will definitely align with France." Suffolk said.
"Not to worry, that legitimization can be performed easily enough. It just needs the King's signature." Cranmer said.
"And what of the Queen Dowager? We cannot have her wandering around causing trouble. We could use her expertise and her relationship with the King. It would take away Hertford's influence." Suffolk said.
"Why not name her regent, confirm her in her deepest desire, and then we can get to work?" Cranmer suggested.
"I agree, she would make a good regent, the King trusts her also. " Norfolk said.
"Very well then, let us confirm that." Suffolk said. A piece of paper was brought forward, their words dictated, and then their seals affixed to it. They would present this to the Queen Dowager on the morrow and ensure the troubles went away.
Chapter 15: Guise
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Chapter 15: Guise
September, 1543
September, 1543
Mary took a breath, looked at her husband and then spoke. "Your Majesty, I have tried to reconcile myself with the changes you are bringing to the church, but I find that I cannot quite agree with them anymore. I feel this is something we must speak about to prevent a rift within our family."
Her husband stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "Then speak your mind."
"Sire, whilst I agree the church needs reform, I think that the manner in which this reform has been achieved will undermine its position in the long term. Placing the focus on hymns and translating the Bible into Scots is not something that is right. God's word is in Latin as decided by His Holiness in Rome. Why go against that?" Mary replied.
Her husband smiled slightly. "Mary," Here, her husband took to Scots, a language she only knew slightly well. He then switched to French. "We cannot expect the people of Scotland to follow us if our religion is different to theirs. The Pope has shown he wishes not to make changes that need to be made for the church to survive. I do not want some heresy from Luther or worse Calvin coming to infect my Kingdom, therefore I have taken the steps I have. Our sources report that Lutheran and Calvinist preachers have had to flee southwards to England, or to the continent as a result. We have stopped potential war, and for that we must be grateful."
Mary thought about that and then said. "Yes, it is good that war has been avoided and that heretics have been removed without violence. But Sire, what happens if the lords or someone else decides they want more? What then?"
Her husband laughed. "What more could they want? We have given them the reforms that they spoke of. Should anymore corruption become apparent, those responsible will lose their heads and their lives. That I made sure of."
"And you do not think anything like what is happening within England could happen here, Sire? The regent is having to handle those foolish Puritans and other forms of bigots." Mary said.
"The regent is a woman and her charge is a boy. Her council is divided, ours is not. We shall face no such issues so long as we remain in charge." Her husband replied confidently.
Mary said nothing to that, for speaking of the King's death was treason. Instead she tried changing tack. "And what of our sons tutor? John Knox, a low ranking clergyman, His Eminence, Cardinal Beaton does not like the man. Surely that should cause a pause for thought over whether or not he is a good fit for our sons."
James took her hand then and looked into her eyes. "Our sons will be the future of these isles, we must bring about their education to adapt to that. We must ensure that they are prepared for challenges and for anything else that might come their way. His Eminence has valid concerns, but this is not something I am willing to be swayed on." Mary said nothing to that, and as if sensing her hesitance, her husband said. "If it is of great concern to you, my dear, we can invite your brother to come and oversee part of the boys' education."
Mary smiled at her husband. "That would please me greatly." She kissed his cheek then.
I don't think 'compassing the death of the King' was considered treason in Scotland. Treason in Scots Law required a lot more evidence. Lèse-majesté wasn't ever a crime in Scotland, iirc.
It ('compassing the death of the king') was treason in England (from the Treason Act of 1351). In most monarch's reigns, just stating that the king would die someday wasn't considered treason - some sort of overt act was required as well. I think it's true that during Henry VIII's last few years, speaking the words was considered enough of an 'overt act' so your previous scene in England made sense.
Great TL so far, thank you!
Merry Christmas / Nollaig Chridheil!
VVD0D95
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Ahh. Okay that makes sense, thanks for pointing that out
And cheers, glad you’re enjoying it.
Nollaig chridheil!
Chapter 16: Regency
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Chapter 16: Regency
December, 1543
December, 1543
Catherine looked about her, at the men of the Privy Council and she did not feel weak or afraid. They were all mighty and powerful men, but they were just that, men. They did not terrify her, she felt contempt for some and respect for others. She knew she had been chosen as regent to end the stalemate that had destroyed the country since her husband and King had died. And truth be told she did not mind. It meant a woman’s caution would be exercised over the impulses of men like Hertford and Dudley.
She cleared her throat. “My lords of the Privy Council, we have much business to discuss. First and foremost this offer from the Emperor of an alliance. My Lord Norfolk, if you could please explain it for the council.”
Her Uncle, the Duke of Norfolk spoke then, clearly and concisely. “Your Majesty, my lords, the Emperor states that if we were to declare an open alliance with him, that he would aid us in expanding the Pale of Calais, so long as we might fight against the French to the best of our abilities.”
There was a murmur there and Hertford being the most war like of all the councillors, spoke. “I think such a proposal is smart.” A pause and then. “King Francis is ailing, his heir is untested, we must make a move now before we lose momentum.”
“And what of Scotland? The moment we declare an alliance with the Emperor, the King of Scots will end our peace treaty.” Catherine pointed out. “There is only one reason why he has held out for so long.”
Hertford looked as if he wanted to fire off something at her, but he resisted and instead said. “Our army is stronger than Scotland’s. If King James wishes to wage war, then we shall do so and we shall defeat him. But I believe it is imperative that we take this offering and make good of it.”
Suffolk spoke then. “I disagree.” There was a silence and Suffolk continued. “The last war we fought in alliance with the Emperor saw us left out to dry whilst the Emperor took most of what he wanted. We cannot in good consciousness fight the French now. Not when there are a great many other problems facing the realm.”
“You think the people will care about those problems should we be winning against both the French and the Scots?” Hertford demanded.
“I think the farmers will want to know why we haven’t done more to aid them combat the poor weather, and the poor will want to know what measures we have got to ensure they do not die in the cold.” Catherine said staring down at Hertford with contempt.
There was weighty pause, then Hertford’s shoulders slumped. “So, we are to focus on those things instead of actually winning against France once and for all?”
“Considering that unless we deal with those things there will not be a nation, yes, we shall deal with them first.” Catherine commanded. She looked at Norfolk and said. “I want enough money set aside so that we might provide aid to the farmers in the new year, and I want edicts passed out to every church and abbey and poor house with instructions.”
“Yes Your Majesty.” Norfolk said.
“And send word to Edinburgh, let King James know I am willing to discuss new terms with him.” Catherine said. She might not give him Eleanor, but she would string him along.
“Yes Your Majesty.” Norfolk replied.
I love a clever Catherine and just a thought if Cathrine is not willing to give away Eleanor would she be willing to make King James daughter Mary (not Queen of Scots) the Queen of England.
Chapter 17: Marriage Concerns
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Chapter 17: Marriage Concerns
February, 1544
February, 1544
Joao kept his expression without clarity, knowing his council members would pounce on any hint of uncertainty. The future of the dynasty rested on himself and his son, who had been in and out of health. Sometimes, he felt that God was punishing him for the closeness of the marriages he and his family had made. A curse upon him for breaking the sacred law set down in the Bible. It was a thought that haunted his every waking moment. The line of his house might die with him and his son, but his brother Luis and nephew Duarte were both still there. Perhaps it was time to look for marriages for them also.
Joao cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, it has been some time since we last met, in that time much has changed. The Emperor has signalled his intent to declare war on France, though the English are looking increasingly unlikely to join him. Consequently, we would not be surprised if he demanded something from us. Luis, how strong is our navy?" Sometimes he wondered if he had been wise to give Luis a position of power on the council, given how scattered his brother's thinking could be.
"Sire, our navy is strong. We are more than a match to sally forth and challenge the French fleet as it currently stands. However, I would hesitate to commit to a long scale commitment. We would do well in short raids to take plunder and such, perhaps even in whatever colonies the French have, but nothing more." Luis replied.
"How long could we remain within the sea as a proper combatant?" Joao demanded, that mattered more to him than the colonies.
"I would say at full commitment, some three to four months, at most, Sire." Luis replied.
Joao frowned. "That is not good enough. We cannot be considered a serious force if our fleet is unable to last longer than half a year."
"Sire, with respect, we are not meant for such engagements." Luis said.
"What do you mean?" Joao responded. "Our strength comes from our maritime presence."
"In terms of trade, yes, but in terms of active combat? We would be better suited to raiding than actual long scale war." Luis stated.
Joao went to say something, but before he could, the Duke of Braganza spoke. "Sire, perhaps for the time being we should instead focus on another pressing matter. Mainly that of the succession."
Joao gritted his teeth and nodded. "very well, who are the choices being put before us?" The thought of marrying again did not sit well, he had loved his wife, but the needs of the dynasty came before his own personal needs.
"Margaret of France is one candidate." Braganza said. "It would be a positive, Sire, it would bring a new alliance and a hefty dowry, and perhaps ensure that we are not so tied to Spain."
"And likely invoke the Emperor's wrath." Luis said. "I do not think it is worth it. Better to consider his own niece, Anna of Austria."
Joao considered that and then said. "Anna of Austria for the time being seems to be the right marriage. Send the proposal through."
Luis nodded. "I will do, Sire."
"And whilst you are doing that, consider your own marriage also, we must strengthen the house." Joao added.
His brother looked surprised for a moment and then said. "Yes Your Majesty."
I think she should still be married to Philip II or other foreign monarch but have her fail to reclaim her crown because she dies on the birth of her last child but her descendants do like her cousin Christina did.
Would Catherine really do that? She seemed to consider Mary a threath? But on the other hand, wed Mary of to a older king, that should make her harmless, atleast that is what Catherine THINKS!