The death of little Margaret had upset him. He hated anyone to mention the child, which was characteristic of him. Edward wanted only to think of what was pleasant. She was grateful again to Jacquetta who had taught her the wisdom of understanding what would please and what would depress him and making sure that no unpleasantness marred the hours they spent together.
She bore her child without a great deal of discomfort and to her great delight it was a boy. Moreover a healthy child; she had been a little nervous after what had happened to Margaret.
Edward came to her bedside, knelt and kissed her hands. He was gracious, grateful, loving and tender. She wondered how long it was since he had been with Mistress Shore.
‘What do you wish the boy to be called?’ she asked.
‘Richard,’ he replied promptly, ‘after my brother who has always been a good friend to me. He will appreciate the honour.’
‘He named his son after you, Edward,’ she said, ‘so it is only right and fitting that yours should be named after him.’
So the child became Richard and Elizabeth promised herself that she would keep him close to her for a year or so.
Elizabeth loved her children dearly and she did not forget the two she had before her marriage to Edward and although she could not do as much for them as she would have liked, she was determined that they should share in her good fortune. A landed endowment had already been provided for them and Thomas was doing well; he was a favourite with the King and often joined him and Hastings in their adventures, for Thomas was only some ten years or so younger than the King and as the time passed he was becoming more and more of a companion to him. Thomas showed the same tendencies she feared. She had no doubt that her son, like Hastings – or so she had heard – had cast lascivious eyes on the desirable goldsmith’s wife.
It had been a wrench for her to allow her little son Edward to be taken to Ludlow Castle and put into the charge of his chamberlain, Thomas Vaughan. The boy was so young – only three years old – but she had arranged that members of her family be appointed to the important posts of his household. Her brothers Edward and Richard were his councillors; and she had found a place there for her younger son by her first marriage. Richard Grey was Comptroller of the Prince’s household. His governor, however, was her brother Anthony, for close as the bond was which bound the whole family together it was at its strongest between her and Anthony.
Her little son Edward would be brought up to be a good Woodville. There was no doubt of that; and if Edward knew this he raised no objection.
It was at this time that the King began to think of settling affairs in France. England had enjoyed a few years of prosperity but with a little prompting from the Duke of Burgundy, Edward was of the opinion that an invasion of France providing it were successful would inspire the people to greater enthusiasm for him. The people liked their kings to be warlike; Edward Longshanks, Edward the Third and Henry the Fifth had all waged war satisfactorily. He could see no reason why the same should not apply to Edward the Fourth.
To raise an army he needed money and that must come from the people – every man and woman in the land. Taxation was never popular and it had laid the seeds of downfall for several of his predecessors. But Edward believed it would be different with him.
For one thing he was built in the mould of the great conquerors. He was meant to ride through the streets – acclaimed as the hero returning from his conquests. The situation in France had been such a humiliation when people remembered the glorious days of Henry the Fifth, and they looked to him to bring back glory to England.
But money! Where to find the money? Perhaps he should collect it himself for he was sure people would give more willingly to him than to some tax levied on them by the Parliament. Suppose he make a progress through the country explaining to the people what he needed the money for. Would they not then give willingly?
He sent for Richard to come down from the North. The reunion was affectionate in the extreme. Richard had the same admiration as ever for his splendid brother; and Edward made it clear that he was grateful to Richard who had kept good order in the North so that for the first time Edward had had no need to worry about what was happening up there.
Richard talked of his pleasant life at Middleham, of his wonderful son Edward. The only thing that marred his happiness was his concern about Anne’s health. Like her sister Isabel she suffered from a weakness of the lungs which on certain days made it difficult for her to get her breath. He had had the best doctors and they were sure the keen fresh northern air was good for her, so he was more hopeful now.
Edward took him to see the new baby Richard.
‘Your namesake, brother,’ he said. Richard admired the baby and as he had visited the young Prince of Wales at Ludlow on his way down was able to assure the Queen that her son was in the best possible health.
When Edward talked to him of the proposed war he was less happy.
‘Think of the taxes you will have to raise to get an army which can do any good in France.’
‘I have already thought of it and how I will raise the money. Burgundy will be with us. We will give Louis a fight and it may well be that we shall regain all the territory we have lost in the last years.’
‘Are you sure that Burgundy does not want you to fight his battles for him?’
‘If he does,’ said Edward, ‘he will be disappointed. Come, Richard, prepare. Very soon I shall have Louis suing for peace.’
‘First you must raise the army.’
‘I intend to,’ replied Edward, ‘and such an army that Louis will tremble at the sight of it and mayhap we shall come to some terms – most advantageous to us – without much fighting. Battles do not always go to the best fighters, Richard. Strategy is more important than strength sometimes. Warwick taught me that ...’
Edward was silent suddenly thinking of Warwick ... Not a great warrior really, but a strategist of genius ... a man who could turn a defeat on the battlefield into a victory in diplomacy.
He was constantly remembering what Warwick had taught him, and there was always an element of sadness when he did. He had to stop thinking of Warwick the traitor and remember Warwick the teacher and all the golden rules he had taught his pupil.
Richard said nothing. He knew the trend of Edward’s thoughts.
Edward had meant what he said when he had declared he would collect the money himself and very soon was setting out on a tour of the country. In all the towns and villages, people flocked to hear him speak and they marvelled at his handsome looks.
A king to be proud of, they said. They decorated the market-squares with flags and prominent among these was the badge of the white rose in the heart of the blazing sun. The white rose at the very heart of the sun of York. But the King himself was more splendid than any device.
They rejoiced in him; in his excessive good looks, his affable manners, his smiles, his willingness to share a joke, his laughter which rang out wherever he was, his splendid garments all in exquisite taste, made of him a king to be proud of.
And if he wanted money in order to bring the French King to his knees, he should have it. If they had to give there was no one on whom they would rather bestow it.
He visited the houses; blatantly, but so charmingly, he asked for money – and he got it.
There was one case which people were to talk of for years to come because it was so typical of what happened on that progress through the country.
A widow of certain means was asked for twenty pounds which she graciously gave. She was not uncomely and to express his gratitude for her ready compliance with his request, the King kissed her, whereupon she was so overcome that she immediately said she would double her contribution: the first twenty pounds were for the war, the second for the handsomest man in England.