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Authors: Jean Plaidy
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is no way in which to conduct a coronation. Let us ask the minstrels to sing.’
The coronation festivities continued. There was no more popular man in the city of London than the King. He was strong, said the people. He would not be a man to be ruled by his wife; nor was she a woman to seek to rule.
All knew that the late King had been ruled by his wife and she had been the one they hated; though they despised the King. But this was a new era.
This King was just. The matter of the bridge confirmed their belief in him.
A party of London citizens had asked leave to see the King during that period of coronation celebrations and he, knowing full well the importance of his capital, agreed to receive their leaders and hear what they had to say.
The head of the party bowed low before the King and when asked what troubled him he explained that it was the state of London Bridge.
‘My lord King,’ said the man, ‘it has fallen into such a state of decay that it is scarcely safe.’
‘Then this must be rectified without delay,’ cried the King. ‘Why has it not been done?’
‘My lord, repairs are made from the revenue received from the custody of the bridge and have previously been done regularly that the bridge may be kept in good order.’
‘Then why has it not been done now?’
There was silence and the King urged them to continue.
‘My lord, the King your father gave the custody of the bridge to the Queen your mother that she might enjoy the revenues therefrom. Since then the lady Queen has collected the dues and careth nothing for the state of the bridge.’
Edward felt a surge of anger against his mother. He knew that he need not verify the statement. Was this not exactly what his mother had been doing since she had come to the country? Was this not the reason for her unpopularity and that of his father and would she never understand that it was deeds such as this which had brought them within sight of losing their crowns.
He restrained the outburst which rose to his lips and replied, ‘My friends, you may leave this matter to me. I can tell you this. The bridge shall be repaired and its upkeep shall in future be looked after from the dues received.’
Exultant by his quick grasp of the situation and believing in his promise, for he was already gaining a reputation of being a man of his word, the deputation left and among their friends sang the praise of the new King who would undoubtedly bring a return of just rule to the country.
The Queen Mother was with her daughter and she had just heard the joyous news from Beatrice that she was pregnant again.
As Edward entered she cried, ‘Dear Edward, do come and join us. I have such good news.’
Edward found it difficult to curb his temper. He had a share of that defect of the Plantagenets, but he had told himself that he must learn to keep it under control. It needed all his willpower to do this now.
‘Your sister Beatrice is going to have another child.’
He took Beatrice’s hand and kissed it. ‘Congratulations, sister,’ he said. ‘I’ll warrant John is pleased.’
‘Oh yes, but he always gets anxious. He says we have five and should be content.’
The Queen Mother laughed indulgently. Nothing pleased her more than to hear of the devotion of her daughter’s husband.
‘I wish I could keep you here, Beatrice, until the child is born.’
She looked at Margaret and they smiled, recalling the time when they had deluded the Scottish nobles and Margaret had stayed in England to be with her mother when her daughter was born.
‘If it is a girl,’ said Beatrice, ‘I shall call her Eleanor after you, dearest Mother.’
The Queen Mother laughed. ‘Not another Eleanor in the family! My dearest love, it is confusing enough now.’
‘Still, there is no one whose name I would rather my child had than yours.’
‘It was a good thing I named my girl Margaret,’ said the Queen of Scotland. ‘But I threaten that if I should ever have another
The coronation festivities continued. There was no more popular man in the city of London than the King. He was strong, said the people. He would not be a man to be ruled by his wife; nor was she a woman to seek to rule.
All knew that the late King had been ruled by his wife and she had been the one they hated; though they despised the King. But this was a new era.
This King was just. The matter of the bridge confirmed their belief in him.
A party of London citizens had asked leave to see the King during that period of coronation celebrations and he, knowing full well the importance of his capital, agreed to receive their leaders and hear what they had to say.
The head of the party bowed low before the King and when asked what troubled him he explained that it was the state of London Bridge.
‘My lord King,’ said the man, ‘it has fallen into such a state of decay that it is scarcely safe.’
‘Then this must be rectified without delay,’ cried the King. ‘Why has it not been done?’
‘My lord, repairs are made from the revenue received from the custody of the bridge and have previously been done regularly that the bridge may be kept in good order.’
‘Then why has it not been done now?’
There was silence and the King urged them to continue.
‘My lord, the King your father gave the custody of the bridge to the Queen your mother that she might enjoy the revenues therefrom. Since then the lady Queen has collected the dues and careth nothing for the state of the bridge.’
Edward felt a surge of anger against his mother. He knew that he need not verify the statement. Was this not exactly what his mother had been doing since she had come to the country? Was this not the reason for her unpopularity and that of his father and would she never understand that it was deeds such as this which had brought them within sight of losing their crowns.
He restrained the outburst which rose to his lips and replied, ‘My friends, you may leave this matter to me. I can tell you this. The bridge shall be repaired and its upkeep shall in future be looked after from the dues received.’
Exultant by his quick grasp of the situation and believing in his promise, for he was already gaining a reputation of being a man of his word, the deputation left and among their friends sang the praise of the new King who would undoubtedly bring a return of just rule to the country.
The Queen Mother was with her daughter and she had just heard the joyous news from Beatrice that she was pregnant again.
As Edward entered she cried, ‘Dear Edward, do come and join us. I have such good news.’
Edward found it difficult to curb his temper. He had a share of that defect of the Plantagenets, but he had told himself that he must learn to keep it under control. It needed all his willpower to do this now.
‘Your sister Beatrice is going to have another child.’
He took Beatrice’s hand and kissed it. ‘Congratulations, sister,’ he said. ‘I’ll warrant John is pleased.’
‘Oh yes, but he always gets anxious. He says we have five and should be content.’
The Queen Mother laughed indulgently. Nothing pleased her more than to hear of the devotion of her daughter’s husband.
‘I wish I could keep you here, Beatrice, until the child is born.’
She looked at Margaret and they smiled, recalling the time when they had deluded the Scottish nobles and Margaret had stayed in England to be with her mother when her daughter was born.
‘If it is a girl,’ said Beatrice, ‘I shall call her Eleanor after you, dearest Mother.’
The Queen Mother laughed. ‘Not another Eleanor in the family! My dearest love, it is confusing enough now.’
‘Still, there is no one whose name I would rather my child had than yours.’
‘It was a good thing I named my girl Margaret,’ said the Queen of Scotland. ‘But I threaten that if I should ever have another
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