False Mistress by Amy Licence

Author:Amy Licence [Licence, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-07T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Queen Catherine’s chamber was brightly lit with candles, although there were still a few hours of daylight left. A table bore jugs of red and white wine, and dishes of spiced cakes and wafers. The chairs had been scattered with gold and purple cushions embroidered with the joint arms of England and Spain, a legacy from the happy days of the royal marriage.

Catherine had placed herself in a central chair, having changed into a blue and yellow dress with gold embroidery, her hair under a pearl headdress. Her emotions had been brought under control, and she offered the room an expression of queenly determination.

Thomasin, Ellen, Lady Mary and Maria Willoughby were placed behind her, standing to attend to her needs, but also because the chairs were taken by her visitors. Each had obeyed the queen’s summons, compelled by their loyalty.

Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor were by the hearth, with Lady Howard beside them, her face intent. Mountjoy stood by the doors, alert and ready to prevent any other admissions. Elsewhere, Bishop Mendoza and a group of other Spaniards were deep in conversation, whilst two new figures sat at the table: the white-haired Archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham, a trout-faced man well into his seventies, and the Bishop of London, Cuthbert Tunstall, a serious scholar in his fifties. Close by sat Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher, both well-known champions for the queen’s cause.

Catherine had already welcomed her guests and launched her appeal for their assistance.

“In addition to my letter from the emperor,” she was saying, “I have also heard from our good friend and scholar Juan Luis Vives, who is in Oxford, but considers my cause to be of the utmost urgency and will write to the king on my behalf.”

“I am in constant correspondence with the emperor,” said Mendoza, “and continue to press your case and beg for his Imperial assistance. He cannot allow this suffering to continue.”

“And I will write to Erasmus,” added More, “whom the king has long admired since childhood, and implore him to return to England, to guide him back to his senses.”

“At least Cardinal Campeggio is in England now,” Catherine continued. “Reports say that his progress is slow, and he suffers terribly from the gout and cannot put his feet in the stirrups or hold reins. Sir Francis Bryan is with him. A litter has been dispatched to carry him, and his arrival is anticipated shortly. It is slow, but it is progress, at least.”

“Now that the cardinal has finally arrived,” said Fisher, “it means that preparations can begin in earnest. No doubt Wolsey will keep the arrangements as secret as possible, but we must prepare ourselves to defend the royal marriage before the court — to build our arguments and write our speeches. Mine is almost complete. But we must go into this with hope, in the certainty that the queen’s cause is right and true. So much favours our cause.”

“We shall all be called as witnesses,” explained Tunstall, looking round at the room.

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