During these preparations Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, had a stroke. He was unable to speak. It was said of him that this was God's punishment for having tied up the word of God in the mouths of preachers.
'Poor old man,' said Henry. 'He will not be sorry to go.'
But he had no time to grieve for his Archbishop. His thoughts were with his army. Henry Chicheley was appointed in Arundel's place and Henry was pleased with his new Archbishop for he was a man who gave whole-hearted support to the prosecution of the war.
Henry, determined to make sure that no important detail should be missed, himself proceeded to Southampton to watch the loading of stores.
The expedition was ready to leave within a few days when a plot was revealed to him. It was the intention of the plotters to take over the country while he was away and set up in his place the Earl of March—whom many people believed to be the true heir to the throne.
One of the servants of Richard Earl of Cambridge was discovered with letters from his master to Lord Henry Scrope of Mersham.
When the King read these letters he was filled not only with rage but with horror because Henry Scrope had been one of his closest companions since his accession to the throne. He had trusted him with missions abroad; only recently he had travelled with Henry Chicheley before the latter had become Archbishop, on a very confidential mission to the Duke of Burgundy.
'Whom can one trust!' cried Henry. And to discover such duplicity just as he was about to set out for France was unnerving. Who will betray me next? he wondered. Is it safe to leave my kingdom when those I believed to be my truest friends are in truth my enemies?
This was the shadow which had pursued his father. Always he had feared that someone would try to set up the Earl of March in his place or discover that Richard still lived. He himself would refuse to be haunted by such fears. He would soon add the crown of France to that of England and no one was going to deny his rights.
He could see how Scrope had been drawn into this—Scrope and Cambridge! Scrope had married Cambridge's stepmother as his second wife; and Cambridge was married to the sister of the Earl of March. Cambridge, himself royal being the second son of Edmund Langley who was a son of Edward the Third, would reckon his son to be in line for the throne. These marriages ... these royal lines ... they gave people ideas I
Prompt action was needed to deal with the matter. Conspiracies were always dangerous but one could not have come at a worse time than this.
He sent for Scrope. Good honest Scrope; so he had thought —and all the time a traitor to him!
*Ah, Henry,' he said. 1 am glad you came so promptly.*
*My lord, I am always at your service.'
'Except,' replied the King, 'when you serve my enemies.'
He was watching his one-time friend closely, hoping to detect in his face a sign of innocence.
But Scrope had flushed scarlet and Henry saw the fear leap into his eyes.
'Charming letters your friend Cambridge writes to you,' said Henry.
1 understand you not, my lord.'
'Enough, traitor. I have read the correspondence between you two. So you would put March on the throne, eh? But first you must rid yourselves of me. Who was to be the assassin? You, mayhap. You have gained yourself easy access to me with your false protestations of friendship.'
Scrope was silent.
'Tell me the truth,' thundered the King, 'for by God's own truth I swear I will have it from you.'
'There is a conspiracy, my lord.'
'That is already clear to me. And you are involved in it.'
'For the purpose of discovering when the conspirators meant to strike.'
'Oh come, Scrope, you will have to do better than that. My
kinsman Cambridge, eh? He wants his wife's brother on the throne. And if he should die, well then Anne of Cambridge has a son who could well take the crown, is that it? Is Cambridge's plan to set up March and then have another little conspiracy; remove Alarch and set up Cambridge's boy in his place?'
'My lord, the plan was to make the Earl of March the King. Though there are some ^vho say that Richard still lives.'
'Not that old story again!'
Tew believe it.' Scrope seemed anxious to talk as though by so doing he could convince the King that he had joined the conspiracy only to betray it in due course.
Henry listened with scornful lips and a sadness in his heart. It hurt him to see Scrope flounder, betraying his fellow traitors in an attempt to save himself.
He called to his guards and cried: 'Take him away. Keep him your prisoner. If he escapes you will answer to me.'
Scrope was dragged away still protesting his innocence.
His brothers came to him for they had heard that Scrope was arrested. He told them what he had discovered. They were horrified.
*I shall act promptly,' said Henry. 'This is no time for delay. They shall have a trial today and if they are found guilty shall be despatched immediately.'
'They should be made an example of. The traitor's death should be accorded them.'
'I want them out of my way,' said the King. 'That will be enough. God is on our side for had this not been discovered now we could have lost our throne.'
The facts were soon brought to light. The plan was to assert the claims of York against those of Lancaster. Henry was to be assassinated and the the Earl of March set on the throne. A man had appeared in Scotland calling himself Thomas of Trumpyngton who declared he was in fact King Richard who had escaped from Pontefract. It seemed pretty clear that he was a madman who was not the first to be obsessed by this idea but the conspirators promised to test his claim. Anvthing which would help in the fight to rid the country of Henry would be considered. But the main idea was to put the Earl of March on the throne. They planned to conduct the Earl to the Welsh border, where they could be sure of support,
and proclaim him King. The Percys could be relied on to hold the north against Henry.
It was indeed a well laid plot; and, said Henry, there was only one way to act.
He was convinced that his cousin the Earl of March was innocent. He was merely to be used as the figurehead but there was no doubt whatever of the guilt of Cambridge, Scrope and Thomas Grey of Heton.
They were condemned and deprived of their heads without delay.
The conspiracy had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
Now for France.
On a hot August day Henry set out for France with six thousand men at arms and twenty-four thousand archers. They travelled in fifteen hundred vessels.
He immediately attacked Harfleur. The town was ill equipped to stand out against him; and the governor in desperation sent messengers to the King of France telling him that unless he sent relief within a month he would have no alternative but to surrender.
No help came and Harfleur, to Henry's jubilation, fell into English hands.
*This is a good beginning,' cried Henry, *an omen. I shall fortify this town and make it into another Calais. Then we shall have two ports of entrance to France.'
He set about consolidating his position. He wanted the inhabitants of Harfleur to leave the town to his men and he ordered them to take as much baggage as they could carry after they had sworn on God's name that they would not take part in the war, and surrender themselves to the governor of Calais.
'My lord, do you think they will obey that order?' asked his brother Bedford.
It matters little if they do not, brother. I wish to be rid of them and populate this town with English men and women.'
It was a resounding initial success, but alas it was soon seen to be less glorious than had at first been believed for an epidemic of dysentery soon appeared among the soldiers and within a matter of days two thousand of them were dead. That was