The Accursed Kings 03: The Poisoned Crown by Maurice Druon

Author:Maurice Druon
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780007491308
Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons
Published: 1957-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Two days before Christmas, in the largest room in the Manor of Vincennes, transformed for the occasion into a hall of justice, the principal lords of the kingdom and a great number of lawyers were awaiting the King.

A delegation of barons from Artois, at their head Gerard Kierez and Jean de Fiennes, as well as the inseparable Souastre and Caumont, had arrived that morning. It seemed as if a solution had been found. The King's emissaries had worked well, finding points of agreement between the two sides; the Count of Poitiers had inspired much wise compromise - and had counselled his mother-in-law to yield on a number of points in order to restore peace in her territories and, when all was said and done, to remain mistress of them.

Obeying the King's instructions which, though somewhat vague in form, were clear in intention `I want no more blood spilt; I no longer want people to be held in prison unjustly; I want everyone to have his rights, and that peace and friendship should reign everywhere,' the Chancellor, Etienne de Mornay, had drawn up a, long document of which The Hutin, when it was shown to him, had felt extremely proud, as if he had dictated all its articles himself.

At the same time Louis X had freed Raoul de Presles and the six other ministers of his father who had been languishing in prison since April. As he now seemed unable to desist from his new policy of mercy, he had even, in spite of Charles of Valois's opposition, freed the wife and son of Enguerrand de Marigny, who had also been held in jail.

Such a change of attitude surprised the court and no one could discover a reason for it. The King had even gone so far as to receive Louis de Marigny in audience, embracing him in the presence of the Queen and several dignitaries and saying, `Godson, the past is forgiven.'

The Hutin now used this particular formula on every possible occasion, as if he wished to persuade himself and others that a new phase of his reign had begun.

His conscience felt particularly good that morning, while they put on his crown and draped about his shoulders the great robe decorated with lilies.

`My sceptre ! My sceptre!' he said. `Have they unpacked my sceptre?'

`It's the hand of justice you need today, Sire,' replied Mathieu de Trye, his first Chamberlain, handing him the great golden hand with the two raised fingers.

`How heavy it is,' said Louis. `It seemed lighter on the day of my coronation.'

`Your barons are ready, Sire,' went on the Chamberlain. `Will you first give audience to Master Martin, who has just arrived from Paris, or will you see him after the Council?'

`Is Master Martin here?' cried Louis. `I'll see him at once. And leave me alone with him.'

The personage who then appeared was a man of some fifty years, rather corpulent, dark of complexion; and with dreamy eyes. Though he was extremely simply dressed, almost as a monk

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