The Sun in Splendour

This was the plot into which Morton hoped to lure Buckingham but he could see that the noble Duke had ideas of his own.

He would have to go carefully, but he did not anticipate a great deal of trouble from the emotional Duke. His support would be the greatest help. The whole country would be aghast if Buckingham, who had done so much to put Richard on the throne, were openly to turn against him.

Tt would seem,' went on Morton, 'that my lord has regrets at the turn of events.'

'I begin to think the country has acted with some haste in offering Richard the crown.'

The country! Morton was secretly amused. Wasn't it Buckingham who had done that? But for that meering in the Guildhall and the applause of his men which they had clearly been ordered to give, would Richard have taken the crown?

Tt is only when a man comes to power that he emerges as himself.'

' 'Tis true, my lord. But you had a foresight, eh, at the Tower that day.'

'I did my lord. When Hastings, his friend, lost his head . . . without trial . . . .'

Tt was shameful. And Rivers and Grey.'

'He is a tyrant.'

'I agree.'

'My lord, could something be done about it?'

Buckingham's eyes gleamed. 'There are others with equal claims to the throne.'

He was preening himself. Already trying on the crown. This would need care, thought Morton.

He wanted Buckingham's help to further Henry Tudor but how could he get that when the conceited Duke saw himself as a contender for the throne?

'You know of my royal descent?' said the Duke.

Tdo, my lord.'

'The Woodville children are disqualified on account of their bastardy. If Richard were dethroned . . . well then.'

He was smiling and Morton smiled too.

God forbid, he thought, but he pretended to be excited and he allowed a new but subtle deference to creep into his manner when he looked at and spoke to the Duke.

Of course it would take a little time. He would go along with Buckingham; and when he judged the moment ripe he would show him how impossible it was for him to reach for the crown.

They had many discussions. Subtly the Bishop sowed the seeds of doubt in Buckingham's mind.

'If there was no truth in this Eleanor Butler story,' the Bishop pointed out, 'Richard would be exposed as an usurper.'

'Then the people would claim young Edward as their King.'

'And,' the Bishop pointed out, 'they would accept no other.'

They looked at each other intently. Inwardly they decided that

the illegitimacy of the late King's children must be adhered to otherwise there would be too many to come before the next King. Myself, thought Buckingham. Henry Tudor, thought Morton.

'There is Stillington,' said the Bishop. 'He will cling to the story. It must be true. Stillington would not have lied about such a matter. He places himself in great danger by doing so. Moreover he is a man of the Church.'

That made Buckingham smirk but he hid his cynicism because he wanted to remain on good terms with the Bishop.

There is no doubt that Edward went through that marriage with Eleanor Butler,' he said.

They talked of possibilities but whichever way they looked Richard was the true King and the only way to depose him would be to murder him.

They spent days in discussion. Buckingham could not tear himself away from his fascinating companion. Morton had ideas there was no doubt of that. He played on Buckingham's feelings to such an extent that within a week, the Duke's hatred of Richard had so increased that to destroy him became an even greater obsession than to seize the crown for himself.

'We need an army to oppose him,' said Morton slyly.

'I could raise men.'

'Enough?'

Buckingham considered.

'Henry Tudor is working in Brittany. He could do a great deal. He would have the Welsh with him.'

Buckingham was silent. Henry Tudor was a claimant to the throne.

'It is a pity that you are married, my lord,' said the Bishop.

'Aye. Married to a Woodville . . . forced into it when I was a child. 1 have never forgiven the Woodvilles for that.'

'Nay. That is one thing we shall have to be careful of. We don't want the Woodvilles back in power. I was going to say that if you were not married and could marry the late King's daughter . . . that would please a great number of people. There are still some who crave for the old days and even if he did foist his bastards on the nation people still admire King Edward the Fourth.'

'You mean that if I were unmarried and married Elizabeth of York it would be a sop to the Yorkists?'

'I mean that exactly, my lord.'

There was silence and after a few moments, speaking slowly

and carefully, Morton said: 'Henry Tudor plans to marry Elizabeth of York.'

Buckingham was thoughtful.

After a while the idea began to take form. It was true that his claim to the throne was slight. He could not really see himself being accepted. But this Henry Tudor . . . //he married Elizabeth of York then he would unite the houses of York and Lancaster. That was something which would win the applause of the people. They would see in such a marriage a real end to the Wars of the Roses for although there had been no battles for a number of years the rival factions were shll there. There would always be Lancastrians ready to stand against Yorkists until the houses were united.

Buckingham began to see a great deal of hope in the plan. It would ruin Richard and that was what he wanted.

He wanted Richard deposed and dead; and he began to see that the best hope of bringing that about was to support the Tudor.

Very soon his enthusiasms were won over. It was a superb piece of diplomacy on Morton's part. He could be thankful for his imprisonment which had brought him to Brecknock. This was the beginning of his power. He was going to put Henry Tudor on the throne and win his eternal gratitude.

Ambition had brought him to the Church not religion, for the Church offered opportunities to a man who had great ability and few influential relatives.

And now he had been given this great opportunity. He arranged a meeting between Buckingham and Margaret Beaufort who was delighted to have Buckingham on their side. This was a great breakthrough and Buckingham's help could be decisive. She told him that her son was lying in wait until the moment was ripe. He was leading a very precarious existence on the Continent. Francis Duke of Brittany had been his friend but Francis was now in his dotage and was eager to be on good terms with Richard the Third.

'Francis would have given up my son had Richard sent his men to take him, but good Bishop Morton warned him in time and Henry escaped with his uncle Jasper who has been his constant companion for so many years. He brought him up. We could never have survived without Jasper. But my son Henry is coming back and he will rule this land, I promise you. It will not be long . . . .'

'Amen/ said Buckingham, now one of Henry Tudor's fiercest supporters.

'We have good friends/ said Margaret, 'and Bishop Morton is one of the chief among them. He has brought us you, my lord, and now that you are with us that brings victory very close.'

Buckingham was flattered and eager. He wanted to go into action. There should be no delay.

There were more talks with Morton.

One day Buckingham said: 'Henry Tudor when he has defeated Richard of Gloucester in battle will marry Elizabeth of York. Will it be meet and fitting for a King of England to marry a proclaimed bastard?'

'No,' said Morton. 'It will not.'

'In that case if Elizabeth is not a bastard then neither are her brothers.'

'You speak truth,' said Morton, and hesitated wondering whether to tell the Duke the plan which had been forming in his mind for some time.