issue …’
Eleanor looked at him sharply. ‘You are afraid that she might be with Richard’s child.’
‘It is a possibility.’
Eleanor shook her head.
‘It is not so.’
‘But possible …’
‘Think you that this has not occurred to me? I have spoken with her. It is not possible.’
John was deeply relieved.
‘Then there is nothing to fear,’ he said, ‘but … Arthur.’
Bishop Hugh was growing increasingly apprehensive. He was of the opinion that Arthur would have been the better choice. True, he was Breton and had been brought up for some of hisformative years at the Court of France, but he was yet a boy who could be moulded. It might be that John as son of the late Henry II was closer to the late King Richard than Arthur – and yet John was an uneasy choice.
To consider his past record must make all churchmen shudder. Setting his exploits in Ireland, and his treachery to his father, on one side, there was still the life he led. The last King’s departure from the orthodox in sexual relations was deplorable, but it had not affected his rule; he had never had favourites who had influenced him.
Hugh was surprised that Queen Eleanor, who was a very wise woman, and William Marshal, who undoubtedly had the good of England at heart, could have let their choice rest on John. The line of succession was not so rigid that it could not be changed for expediency. A king’s son was his natural successor but if that son should show himself to be unworthy it was quite acceptable to select the next candidate. It was a moot point whether Henry II’s youngest son or the son of an older son was the heir to the throne. If Richard himself had had a son how different it would have been. What alarmed Hugh was that the Archbishop of Canterbury believed Arthur to have been the better choice and had been overruled by William Marshal.
Of course William Marshal was a man with a strong sense of duty and he was in close service with King Henry II. It could be that he remembered that it was his old master’s desire that John should be King and this was why he supported the claim of the younger son rather than that of the grandson.
In any case, it appeared that John was to be the next King and they must try to make the best of it.
He went to John’s apartments in the Castle Beaufort andthere found him with one or two of his companions – young men whose tastes were similar to his own.
The Bishop asked if he could speak to John alone. The young man regarded him rather insolently and John hesitated; he would have liked to tell the old prelate to go, but his common sense warned him that until that coronation ceremony he had better be a little careful.
He waved his hand and the young men sauntered out.
‘What is it?’ asked John somewhat testily.
‘Tomorrow is Easter Day,’ said the Bishop. ‘You will of course wish to take communion.’
‘Not I,’ cried John. ‘’Tis not to my taste.’
The Bishop was horrified, and John laughed at him. ‘My good Bishop, I have not communicated since I was able to make up my own mind on such matters and I have no intention of doing so now.’
‘You are now a king …’ The Bishop paused and added ominously: ‘Or hoping to become one. It is necessary for the people to see that you are worthy of the crown.’
‘What has communion to do with kingship?’
‘I think you know. If you are to govern well you will need the guidance of God.’
‘I have no qualms that I shall know how to govern.’
‘Others might have.’
John narrowed his eyes. The insolence of priests! Was he the King or wasn’t he? The answer to that was of course, no, not yet.
Not yet. That was what he must remember. He must get that ceremony performed.
He said: ‘I know I have lived a sinful life. I intend to reform now this great burden has been placed upon my shoulders, butif after all these years I communicate – and there are many who know that for years I have abstained – they will think
Eleanor looked at him sharply. ‘You are afraid that she might be with Richard’s child.’
‘It is a possibility.’
Eleanor shook her head.
‘It is not so.’
‘But possible …’
‘Think you that this has not occurred to me? I have spoken with her. It is not possible.’
John was deeply relieved.
‘Then there is nothing to fear,’ he said, ‘but … Arthur.’
Bishop Hugh was growing increasingly apprehensive. He was of the opinion that Arthur would have been the better choice. True, he was Breton and had been brought up for some of hisformative years at the Court of France, but he was yet a boy who could be moulded. It might be that John as son of the late Henry II was closer to the late King Richard than Arthur – and yet John was an uneasy choice.
To consider his past record must make all churchmen shudder. Setting his exploits in Ireland, and his treachery to his father, on one side, there was still the life he led. The last King’s departure from the orthodox in sexual relations was deplorable, but it had not affected his rule; he had never had favourites who had influenced him.
Hugh was surprised that Queen Eleanor, who was a very wise woman, and William Marshal, who undoubtedly had the good of England at heart, could have let their choice rest on John. The line of succession was not so rigid that it could not be changed for expediency. A king’s son was his natural successor but if that son should show himself to be unworthy it was quite acceptable to select the next candidate. It was a moot point whether Henry II’s youngest son or the son of an older son was the heir to the throne. If Richard himself had had a son how different it would have been. What alarmed Hugh was that the Archbishop of Canterbury believed Arthur to have been the better choice and had been overruled by William Marshal.
Of course William Marshal was a man with a strong sense of duty and he was in close service with King Henry II. It could be that he remembered that it was his old master’s desire that John should be King and this was why he supported the claim of the younger son rather than that of the grandson.
In any case, it appeared that John was to be the next King and they must try to make the best of it.
He went to John’s apartments in the Castle Beaufort andthere found him with one or two of his companions – young men whose tastes were similar to his own.
The Bishop asked if he could speak to John alone. The young man regarded him rather insolently and John hesitated; he would have liked to tell the old prelate to go, but his common sense warned him that until that coronation ceremony he had better be a little careful.
He waved his hand and the young men sauntered out.
‘What is it?’ asked John somewhat testily.
‘Tomorrow is Easter Day,’ said the Bishop. ‘You will of course wish to take communion.’
‘Not I,’ cried John. ‘’Tis not to my taste.’
The Bishop was horrified, and John laughed at him. ‘My good Bishop, I have not communicated since I was able to make up my own mind on such matters and I have no intention of doing so now.’
‘You are now a king …’ The Bishop paused and added ominously: ‘Or hoping to become one. It is necessary for the people to see that you are worthy of the crown.’
‘What has communion to do with kingship?’
‘I think you know. If you are to govern well you will need the guidance of God.’
‘I have no qualms that I shall know how to govern.’
‘Others might have.’
John narrowed his eyes. The insolence of priests! Was he the King or wasn’t he? The answer to that was of course, no, not yet.
Not yet. That was what he must remember. He must get that ceremony performed.
He said: ‘I know I have lived a sinful life. I intend to reform now this great burden has been placed upon my shoulders, butif after all these years I communicate – and there are many who know that for years I have abstained – they will think
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