True, but the point stands.
Also speaking of which Henry VI himself never denied nor questioned paternity, so there’s sign Eddie was his, though for Henry VI that’s not saying much.
A Thorn In The Rose: A War Of The Roses TL
- Thread starter VVD0D95
- Start date
Quantum Immortal
Banned
You mean the point that Richard of Conisburgh might have been illegitimate? I guess.
Yeah...for Henry VI all that means is Margaret or Beaufort told him it was so, and so he believed it
If your going to called Eddie illegitimate I will call Conisburgh illegitimate
I suppose, but still it seems unlikely Edward of Westminster was illegitimate, most of those rumours were started by Yorkists.
Seems like something he'd do, lol. Never heard of it though, and knowing Henry I doubt he meant it to be interpreted the way it could/is interpreted.
I highly doubt Beaufort did that, though considering he did try to marry Catherine of Valois, I guess it's a possibility, though most of those rumours were Yorkist propaganda.
Chapter 136: Trial
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 136: Trial
June, 1461
June, 1461
The doors opened and Richard was led to a chair right in the middle of the great hall. He sat down, his chains rattling as he did so. Before him sat at the great table, were the King, dressed in red, the Chief Justice and the Bishop of Bangor. The three men who would judge him. Richard was entitled to a trial by his peers, but given the circumstances, it seemed the King and his advisors had gone for this.
The Chief Justice spoke then. “Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, heir to Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury you have been brought before this court today to answer a crime of High Treason. We shall ask you questions and you shall answer, do you understand?”
“I do.” Richard said.
The Chief Justice scowled at his lack of deference but continued. “Why did you side with Richard, Duke of York in his rebellion?”
“Because he is the rightful King.” Richard answered.
The Chief Justice snorted. “You lie convincingly, but you still lie.”
“I am not lying.” Richard replied. “By the laws of our Kingdom, the House of York has a superior claim to the throne.”
“Which laws would they be?” The Chief Justice asked.
“The laws which saw Henry Fitzempress ascend the throne over Stephen of Blois son. The laws which saw King Richard II refuse to name Henry Bolingbroke as his heir and instead confirmed the House of Mortimer as his heirs.” Richard said.
“Those laws were removed when Henry IV ascended the throne.” The Chief Justice said. “And you and your family acknowledged that when you swore allegiance, not only to King Henry IV, but to his son and to his grandson, the King. You have broken the law.”
“An oath made with a sword over your head is no oath.” Richard retorted.
“And who held the sword over your head, my lord?” The Bishop of Bangor asked.
Richard looked at the Bishop, noted how frail and decrepit he looked and said. “Not over my head, but my grandfather’s head.”
“And how did they do that?” The Bishop asked.
“Well the man was promised something and then threatened into supporting the Lancastrians when he realised that the man had lied.” Richard said. He noticed that the King wasn’t even responding to these things that he was saying. That was most odd.
“And yet, both yourself and your father held to these oaths.” The Bishop pointed out. “Oaths made before God. Why?”
Richard didn’t know how to answer that. The Bishop had a point. But at the same time, there was one argument he supposed he could make. “When a family’s life depends on a lie, it is easy to keep the lie going.”
“Is that what this was then?” The Bishop asked.
“Yes.” Richard said. “And as Your Grace knows, to lie is a sin.”
The Bishop smirked, but the Chief Justice spoke then, and he sounded furious. “Whether it was a lie or not, you held to this oath for decades until recently. Why?”
Richard grinned at the Chief Justice. “Because the rightful King decided to step out of the shadows.”
“The rightful King?” The Chief Justice asked. “The man whose father was illegitimate and a traitor.”
“And whose mother descends from an older son of Edward III.” Richard countered.
“And he is the one you want as King, is he?” The Chief Justice asked.
“Evidently.” Richard replied.
The Chief Justice exchanged a few words with the Bishop of Bangor. The King said nothing, indeed it did seem as though the King wasn’t actually present with them in the hall. After the Justice and the Bishop had finished talking, the Chief Justice nodded and Richard felt himself being hauled up and led out of the hall. He didn’t move back to his room, but was instead kept outside in the hallway.
He wondered what the sentence would be. Would they execute him? Or would they spare him? If he was the King, he would execute him. He was too dangerous to be left alive.
The doors opened and Richard was led back in, but this time he wasn’t forced to sit. He remained standing.
The Chief Justice looked at him and said. “Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the court has come to its judgement. We find you guilty of High Treason and as such we sentence you to death.”
Richard didn’t say anything, he merely snorted.
And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have a perfect example of a so-called bad idea. This can only ever lead to the war becoming much bloodier, and it also makes it harder to actually end it because there will be retaliations that lead to more retaliations. And then, of course, more retaliation until the only one left to take the throne is an Irish smallholder or the like.
