The Tudor Saga Series: Books 1-3 by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2022-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Thomas was standing on the northern ridge of the valley designated for the formal meeting, looking anxiously at the expressionless face of Henry as he gazed across at the massed plumes, pennants, coursers and shining armour of the French contingent. His attention was distracted by the blowing of heraldic trumpets, and the scurrying through the English party of men-at-arms bearing the order that everyone bar the King was to remain rigidly still, with weapons sheathed, on pain of death, while the King descended slowly on horseback down the slope into the valley, which looked to all intents and purposes like a ploughed field following the levelling that had taken place during the course of the past few days.

The two monarchs sidled their massive war horses alongside each other, and reached out in a firm embrace. Then they dismounted, and each unbuckled his sword and handed it to his noble equerry before they embraced more bodily, and gave every appearance of being pleased to meet at long last. Thomas heaved a sigh of relief, and once the order had been passed down the line that the English were free to move again he climbed back onto his mount and headed back the few miles to the English camp, in order to reassure himself that all was in place for what promised to be the diplomatic extravagance of the decade.

The sight that met his eyes was unrivalled anywhere in the known world, and most closely resembled a massive Crusader camp established with all the wealth that resided in the world. In what had once been two and a half acres of dull, flat land of no great agricultural value had been created a veritable city of marquees and lesser tents. In its centre was a grand pavilion constructed partly of stone for many courses, above which had been erected wooden frames on which had been stretched hundreds of yards of ‘cloth of gold’, a heavy but luxurious fabric woven with silver and gold thread. Above that rose a further thirty feet of artfully crafted wooden frames that had been painted to resemble the stones of a great cathedral. Across the top of the entire edifice had been stretched specially oiled cloth painted a leaden hue in order to resemble roof slates, into which glass panels had been expertly inserted in order that those within might feel themselves to be in the open air.

This virtual palace was arranged in four blocks, each over three hundred feet in length, in the centre of which was an impressive courtyard. In all, the English palace occupied an area of twelve thousand square yards, and before it were three fountains that spouted red wine, fresh water or spiced claret. There was a ‘chapel’ that resembled a cathedral with its ornate hangings and saintly statues, but which had a gallery to one side that was well appointed enough to host a banquet of its very own. Even the lesser ranks below the royal party — the pick of

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