Part 11 (1/2)

”What dost thou say? Shall we sound Lord Hastings, and have the benefit of his opinion before Lord Rivers doth proceed too far with his preparations?”

The Queen, suspecting nothing, walked into this trap, set with such cunning by the Duke (for well he knew the view that Hastings would take of such a measure) and consented to this course

So soon as Gloucester had left the Queen he despatched two s

When these noblemen arrived they were conducted into the presence of the Protector ”Well, reeted theained a land She now intends to do it through her son, the young Edward, as she hath heretofore done through her husband, the older one”

”What dost thou h an honest man, yet disliked the Queen, or rather, was jealous of her power

Then Gloucester told thee she had sent to Lord Rivers

When he had finished speaking, Buckingham broke out:--”By Heaven!” said he, ”if her Majesty has Rivers hold of a band of outlaws, he shall beto Lord Hastings, he said, whilst he pointed to Richard:--”Here sits the Lord Protector, which was appointed the guardian of the King by the boy's late lamented father; and the Queen and her brother take it upon themselves to assu of an are; 'tis s?

Should they not be made to answer for this insult to our Royal Protector?”

Then Richard put in a cunning word for hiot By Saint Paul, I have no love for the office; but sith it was put upon me, by my dear dead brother, I do consider it my duty to fulfill the trust he then reposed in s to their side ”By the light of Heaven!” cried he, ”unless this order be counteroverndoovernment led by the Queen and her upstart kinsmen”

”Then, my friends, ye think it best for me to inform the Queen that we do not consider it a wise step on her part to thus make show of force, which the people of the City would consider a slur upon their loyalty,”

said Richard, in his softest tones

”Indeed, entle ters?

Were it not better that we tell the Queen and her following, in no fixed, courteous phrases, that we--the ancient nobility of England--will not put up with such treatment at their hands?”

To this the Chancellor replied in the affirmative; so Richardher the result of his conversation with Hastings (he having taken care not to ht have the honor to take to the Chancellor

Nohilst Gloucester had been consulting with Buckinghas (which conversation I have just put down, and which I had froe, which had been concealed in the roo with her son, the Marquis of Dorset, and was therefore resolved to hold firs that I will not countermand the order I have sent unto my brother”

”But, madam, he threatens to return to Calais unless this be done”

”What! doth he threaten? Let hiland can e without him better than can he without her;” and the Queen, as she said these words, arose and looked like a defiant lioness defending her cub

”It isaa s that your Majesty hath fully made up your mind to not withdraw the order”

Hazel, as present during this interview, told entle that it ell nigh impossible for her to believe what I had told her of his cruelty

This wrangling went on for a whole week

Gloucester was always careful to not bring himself into any of these disputes; but to place hier froth one day Gloucester brought word to the Queen that Hastings had decided to himself take up ar King to London, with an army

This was the final blow The poor Queen could resist no longer; so she consented to write to her brother and instruct hinity of the King, as to be brought unto Westminster Palace, where the Queen would be ere her little son did there arrive

Harleston was chosen as her er; so that was how it came about that he followed me to Ludlow