Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the MarchesHolt, Emily Sarah
General
Under One Sceptre, or Mortimer's Mission: The Story of the Lord of the Marches
Holt, Emily Sarah
Historical fiction; Mortimer, Roger de, Earl of March, 1328-1360 -- Fiction
Having finished their work, the Lords Appellants now thought it time to
distribute their rewards. The heaviest prize fell to Gloucester’s
share, for he granted himself—of course in the King’s name—all the lands
of the Duke of Ireland, about the second man in England as to wealth,
and the smaller property of the Earl of Suffolk. He also appropriated
to himself the office of Justice of Chester, which the conspirators had
showed such indignation that Ireland should possess. To Arundel was
granted the marriage of the young Lord Poynings. To Edward of York was
given the earldom of Rutland, with lands in the county, and a hundred
marks in money. The Bishop of Ely received the archbishopric of York.
Derby was more easily satisfied: he coveted only the breastplate of Sir
John Beauchamp, one of the murdered Lollards. He was, in truth, not
anxious to show too distinctly his status as one of the conspirators.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was made happy by a proclamation that
"whosoever should be found to possess any books, pamphlets, or
handbills, of Master John Wycliffe and others, deceased, in English or
in Latin, should be arrested and put under penalty by the Council."
Norfolk and Warwick it was not thought necessary to notice in the
general distribution: but, perhaps to blind the eyes of the public,
perhaps to keep the King content in the menial position which they had
assigned to him, that suppressed gentleman was allowed to make a few
insignificant grants to his own friends. He was graciously permitted to
restore a single manor to Lady Poynings, their own inheritances to Emma
Tresilian, and Idonia Brembre, and her wardrobe to Joan Salesbury,
widows of his murdered councillors.[#] He was also allowed to grant to
his younger brother the castles of Berkhamsted and Tintagel, and to the
elder the constableship of the Tower, and the marriage of Roger, Earl of
March.
[#] The widows of Tresilian and Brembre, the two members of the
attainted group who alone were not Lollards, received by far the best
treatment of any.
"’Tis an ill wind blows nobody good," said Mistress Grenestede when this
last piece of news was published.
"Ah, my dear master! is it good it has blown you?" was the silent
response of Lawrence Madison in his inmost heart.
Whatever were Lawrence’s doubts, none oppressed Roger. He arrayed
himself for his bridal without a shadow of apprehension of any sort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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