A Thorn In The Rose: A War Of The Roses TL
- Thread starter VVD0D95
- Start date
All the weight of the crown, without the power and you need also to add Marguerite's hate and Somerset's...
Poor Cecily...it is never easy to watch someone you love put themselves under so much stress.
For one thing, I hope Richard doesn't end up with his head on a pike...
I literally had to look up who Thomas was.
Child who died young.
No mention of Richard though, so I guess he may have be too young, perhaps?
Chapter 46: Windsor
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 46: Windsor
January, 1456
January, 1456
It was unbearably cold today, Edmund had had to wrap up extra warm even inside the castle with the fires burning as hot as they could get them. The King was sat in a cloak and shirt and trousers but didn’t look particularly cold. How he wasn’t when Edmund was freezing, Edmund did not know but that was something that he marvelled at.
The other thing he marvelled at was that despite having been sent back to his estates to live out an exile, the King had summoned him to Windsor, alongside his wife and their children, to spend the end of the year with the Royal Family. That was an honour that York had never had, and was one that Edmund was convinced showed he was back in the King’s favour.
“How are your family?” The King asked then, breaking into Edmund’s thoughts.
Edmund blinked and then said. “They are well, thank you, Sire. Henry is in Glamorgan ensuring that everything remains in order, and the younger children thank you for their gifts.”
The King smiled. “Good, I am sorry that they couldn’t spend longer here. I know that Margaret and Edward would have liked them to, but I did not think it right to keep them here when we are to discuss business of state.”
“Sire?” Edmund asked, wondering where the King was going with this. He and his wife Eleanor had discussed this the last night that she and the children had been here. Eleanor was convinced the King was going to invite him back onto the Council, Edmund was not so sure of that, not with York in the ascendant.
“We have had a long think about where we want this Kingdom to go over the remainder of our reign.” The King said. “France is gone, we will never be able to reclaim what our father took, and whilst that pains us, we know that we cannot wallow in the thought of what might have been. All that we can do is think forward to the future.” Edmund shifted in his chair, he wondered where the King was going with this.
“Consequently, we have focused on some new issues that we want to bring to the forefront. Foremost amongst them Ireland and Wales. Now Ireland has remained a loose patchwork of areas under our nominal command for some time, it is time we change that. We shall instruct York to get to work on that matter when we return to Westminster. Wales, is another area that we want more firmly brought under our control. Given that your son has managed to win over some of the Welsh Lords, we want you and he to work on a proper strategy to deliver Wales into our firm grasp.” The King said.
Edmund felt his jaw drop open. He had not expected something like this. York going to Ireland he could understand given the man’s lands and influence there, but him and Henry in Wales? That was unexpected. They had only just been handed the Lordship of Glamorgan, they would need more time to get to sorting out their powerbase. “How do you propose we do this, Sire?” Edmund asked. “We have just settled into Glamorgan.”
“We have already had letters sent to Owen Tudor and to Gruffydd ap Nicholas, they shall be coming to Glamorgan once the spring starts to enable your son to begin work.” The King said.
Edmund raised an eyebrow at that, clearly the King had already thought long and hard about this. “So, do you want me to go to Wales also, Sire?”
The King hesitated for a moment then, as if torn between confirming that or denying it. Eventually he shook his head. “No, you, we need here in London. You shall coordinate with your son via letter, and occasionally make visits to Glamorgan.”
“Very well, Sire.” Edmund replied, unsure if such a strategy would actually work.
“We need you here to help us counter York and Salisbury.” The King said.
Edmund wanted to sigh, he was getting tired of fighting York. The man and he had had an antagonistic relationship for most of their adult lives, what had started it he couldn’t quite remember, but it had grown and now threatened to consume them both. “Why, what have they done now, Sire?”
“Salisbury has maintained his warband but has not used it in the way I thought he would. Consequently, this has encouraged Northumberland to start raising men again for his own warband, and as such I fear that a war between those two is inevitable. York remains obstinate in defending Salisbury, and as such, I need you on the Council to act as a counter balance.” The King said.
Edmund couldn’t quite see the sense in the King’s logic. Mainly in that he was struggling to see why the King had thought that Salisbury would take his men down to Devon where he had no visible entanglements instead of keeping them in his lands where the most immediate threat was. He also couldn’t see how his presence on the council could help prevent York and Salisbury. “How, Sire?” He asked then.
“Shrewsbury and Lisle are opposed to York and Salisbury, and Shrewsbury has expressed a desire to work with you.” The King said.
“Shrewsbury?” Edmund asked surprised, the last time he had met the man, he had threatened to kill Edmund.
“Yes, it seems he is as concerned by York and Salisbury as you and I are.” The King said.
Edmund bit back a sigh, he had no idea if this was a good idea. He had a sinking feeling that this might result in war, but he also wanted to get into the Council again and prevent York from making a strike against him. Therefore, he said. “I will return to Court, Sire.”
The King smiled. “Excellent.”
Edmund smiled back, but inside he continued to feel serious doubt and a nagging sense that something wasn’t quite right with the King.
I see him going to make a serie of bad decisions who will bring everything to hell (that will not be the first, by the way)... York and Salisbury are loyals for now but Henry is consistently siding with their enemies and that will not go well. York in Ireland and Somerset‘s son (who is NOT the heir of Glamorgan) in Wales? That can not go well with them... Also York sent away with an almost impossible job and Somerset back at court and in the council? He is almost asking them to rebel
VVD0D95
Banned
This is true, though Salisbury keeping his men around has made everyone very nervous, so I can see why Henry is himself somewhat unsure about the man.
Well, he feel to be in danger but would disband them if the King ordered him to do. I hope who he will have another attack before giving this orders or things will go much worse...
Chapter 47: Conundrum
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 47: Conundrum
February, 1456
February, 1456
Richard, Duke of York rubbed at his nose. It was damnably cold in Westminster today, but the King had insisted on having the meeting early, and so, Richard had dragged himself out of bed to be here. If he were being honest, he’d rather be somewhere else. Back at Ludlow with his wife and their children. Richard had loved being back home, spending time with Cecily and their children, watching them grow. He had missed out on so much and he didn’t wish to miss more, but unless the King decided to dismiss him from the Council, he got the feeling he’d be here forever.
It wasn’t that he did not want to serve his King and the Kingdom, it was more that he felt he’d given so much of his life to the King that he wanted some time to be elsewhere. He’d tasted power, and if he were being honest, he didn’t like it. But here he was, the snow was falling outside, it was damnably cold, and the man sat opposite him was his worst enemy.
“My lords.” The King said, drawing Richard’s attention to him. The King looked frail, the hair that poked out from underneath his hat looked thin, terribly thin, and his skin was pale. “Thank you all for coming so early. We know that there are many things to discuss, but the main issue we wish to discuss today involves two constituent parts of our Kingdom. Wales and Ireland.”
Richard leaned forward then, this should be interesting. Ireland was under his jurisdiction as its Lord Lieutenant, but he’d not made much headway there when he’d last visited, or rather he’d not been allowed to make much headway. He’d gotten the feeling that Suffolk and Somerset had worked with that fool Ormond to frustrate him.
“We shall start with Wales.” The King said. “For many years it has existed on the periphery of our thoughts and now we must bring it to the centre. France is gone, we accept that. But Wales, it must be brought firmly into line.” Richard wasn’t sure he liked where this was going. “Therefore, we have a plan for this. Lord Dorset and Lord Warwick will work together to bring the Welsh Lords closer together, removing their ability to protest our regulations bit by bit until they are left with nothing but complete subservience to us.”
Richard glanced at Warwick out the corner of his eye, the boy looked furious, and rightly so, working with Dorset was a terrible idea. “We know there will be challenges.” The King said. “But we are willing to give you our full support. Firstly, by ordering you to send the men you have kept raised, Lord Warwick, into Wales, and to meet with the men Lord Dorset is raising, and then to engage on a tour of the Principality, meeting with the Lords of Wales and aweing them. You are to represent England, and you will bring them to heel.”
The strategy sounded vague and likely to cause more trouble than it solved, Richard opened his mouth to say as much when the King continued. “Lord Somerset will help coordinate with you from here. He is our chief man for Wales.”
Richard’s eyes snapped to Somerset, who was sat opposite him and saw that the man was grinning, that infuriated him. The King continued. “Lord York.” Richard faced the King.
“Sire?” Richard replied, worry starting to gnaw at him.
“You are our Lord Lieutenant in Ireland and we understand that you have been previously frustrated in your efforts to change things there. Therefore, we are going to grant you a fiat to do as you see fit to bring Ireland to bear. You shall be allowed to employ any method you deem fit, and you are to be given control of the Irish treasury and men from England if you deem it necessary.” The King said.
This surprised Richard, he didn’t really know what the King wanted him to do, and therefore felt compelled to ask. “What is it you want me to achieve, Sire?”
The King smiled. “The complete subjugation of Ireland. We shall extend our control outside of Dublin into the regions and we shall ensure that for centuries afterwards Ireland is fully English.”
Has he gone mad? Richard found himself wondering, the things they would need to do to ensure that Ireland was completely subjugated they had not been able to do in France. France, where they shared more of a culture than they did with Ireland, especially with the Irish chieftains who still dominated in the periphery. “And does Your Grace wish for me to go to Ireland?” Richard asked, he might take that opportunity if it came, get away from court for a bit, take his wife and children there.
The King shook his head and Richard felt the worry start to uncoil, this was not going to end well. “No, you are to remain here, like Lord Somerset. You shall coordinate with a deputy, perhaps Lord Ormond or Lord Kildare, and only if things are deemed completely necessary are you to go.”
“Sire, I am not sure that will work. Ireland is not Wales; it is further away and requires a tougher hand.” Richard said drawing on his knowledge of the place.
“We also need you here.” The King said.
“Then how does Your Grace expect me to subjugate Ireland properly if I am here and not there?” Richard demanded. “One must be present in Ireland to ensure that the people there see me as a physical being not just an abstract concept.”
“And what of your duties here?” Somerset asked then something mocking in his tone.
“My duties here?” Richard asked looking at Somerset, worry turning to anger.
“Well why else are you on this council if you do not have duties here?” Somerset asked.
Richard grit his teeth and turned to the King, ignoring Somerset. “Sire, if you wish for Ireland to be properly subjugated then I will be needed there. I cannot do it properly from London. Dublin will need to be my base.”
The King looked as though he wanted to disagree, but then he sighed. “If that is what you wish then we shall not stand in your way, cousin.”
Richard bowed his head. “Thank you, Sire.” He knew that he might weaken his position here, temporarily, but if he could do well in Ireland then he would be able to work to bring down Somerset for good. He knew Warwick would not give the man an easy time in Wales.