To Hold the Crown: The Story of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York by Jean Plaidy Page B

not succeed. Imagine if they did. This baker’s son would be set up as the King . . . oh, only a figurehead of course . . . but Lincoln would be there to govern the country . . . and you can imagine Margaret of Burgundy dictating what should be done. Men like Lovell will support them. No, my lady Mother, it is nonsense. I grant you, and I shall overcome it, but in the meantime I like it not.”
    “Who does like these disturbances? I hear it is an unknown priest who has started all this—a certain Richard Simon.”
    “It is. But I daresay it is taken out of his hands now. They have dared crown this Lambert Simnel in Dublin.”
    “That is impossible.”
    “Alas, not so. They have support from Margaret of Burgundy and two thousand German troops with them. The Germans are good fighters.”
    “And what do they propose to do?”
    “You can imagine. They will land here and we shall have to do battle. I thought the Wars of the Roses were at an end.”
    “They are at an end. They must be at an end. You and Elizabeth have joined up York and Lancaster. There shall be no more wars.”
    “That is my fervent hope. But we must always be wary of troublemakers like this upstart priest.”
    “Richard Simon . . . why he came here once!”
    “Came here!”
    “Why yes, to see the Dowager Queen.”
    Mother and son looked at each other intently.
    “So Elizabeth Woodville is concerned in this,” muttered Henry. “The Queen’s mother! It seems incredible.”
    “I would believe anything of that woman. You have given her so much but she is quite ungrateful. I am sure she tries to manage everything here in the Queen’s household and because she cannot, will turn the Queen against you.”
    “I have no fear that I shall not be able to influence the Queen.”
    “Elizabeth is a good creature, I grant you. I have no complaint of her. She will be a docile wife and she admires you and is of course grateful because of what you have brought her. But I have never liked Elizabeth Woodville, an upstart from the beginning. I should like to see her removed from Court.”
    “If she is involved in the slightest way with this affair of the baker’s son then she shall most certainly be removed from Court.”
    “My son, leave this to me. I shall discover and when I do I shall ask for the privilege of dealing with the woman. You know you can trust me.”
    “I never was more certain of anything,” answered the King. “I leave the matter of the Dowager Queen in your hands.”

    The Countess found the Dowager Queen in her apartments surrounded by her women. One of them was reading while the rest of them worked on a piece of tapestry.
    The Countess said: “I wish to speak with the Queen Dowager alone.”
    The women immediately arose and, bowing, began to retire.
    “Wait,” said Elizabeth in her most imperious manner. “I feel sure that what the Countess has to say to me can be said before you.”
    “I do not think you would relish that, my lady,” said the Countess grimly, and Elizabeth felt a shiver of apprehension. She knew that preparations were going ahead on the Continent, that Lambert Simnel had been crowned in Dublin, that Margaret of Burgundy had decided to support the boy whom she called the son of her beloved brother Clarence, and that Lincoln had succeeded in getting an army of Germans together to fight the Tudor. It was satisfactory progress, but all the same she hoped that Henry had not discovered too much for he might resort to all kinds of drastic conduct if he knew how far this plot had gone against him.
    She did not stop the women’s leaving and when they had gone she said with a strong resentment in her voice: “Countess, it is my place to give orders to my servants.”
    “I am of the opinion that they might not be your servants much longer.”
    “I do not understand. Are you suggesting that you will choose my attendants for me?”
    “I am suggesting that you may not be here at Court much longer.”
    Elizabeth laughed.