That was Clarence's case against her. He ordered the jury to find her guilty and they did.
'This woman deserves a fearful death,' said Clarence, 'but we will be merciful and let her die by hanging.'
Ankarette protested her innocence. She was still bewildered by the suddenness of this accusation. Two days ago she had been in her own home entertaining her daughter and son-in-law, and now here she was face to face with death.
There was no point in delay, Clarence said. Let the hanging take place at once. Everything was in readiness. They would leave the hall and the deed should be done.
They took her out. She stood for a few moments looking up at the blue April sky. Suddenly she heard the song of a chaffinch and the realization came to her that she would never hear that again.
One of the jury who had condemned her was standing close by looking at her.
'Forgive me/ he said.
She bowed her head; she was amazed that the anguished look in his eyes could touch her at such a moment.
He went on: 'You are innocent. It is wicked. I dared not say so. I despise myself. But I was afraid of the might of the Duke of Clarence. He wanted this verdict and we had to give it.'
'I understand,' she said.
A man was at her side. 'They are waiting,' he said. And he led her to the hangman.
It was impossible for Edward not to hear of what had happened to Elizabeth's one-time serving woman Ankarette Twynhoe.
He did not discuss the matter with Elizabeth although he knew that this was meant to be a blow at her because she had actually recommended Ankarette to the Duchess of Clarence. He did however speak to Hastings about it for it was very much on his mind.
'What do you think of my brother's latest exploit?' he asked his friend.
'He has usurped your powers in arresting that woman and in hanging her immediately after the trial.'
'And we know the trial was no real one. The jury are saying that they believed the woman innocent and were forced to bring in a verdict of guilty because my brother demanded it.'
'There will be trouble with Clarence, Edward.'
'There has always been trouble with Clarence. But this is a
flagrant abuse of rights. To kill the woman for no reason but. . . but what, William? What motive had he for this foolish and wicked act?'
To discredit the Queen and perhaps yourself.'
Edward nodded. 'How long can it go on?'
'As long as you allow it.'
'He is my brother. I have forgiven him again and again, but William, the time has come when I can endure no more. I have begun to think that he would plot against my life.'
'Only just begun to, my lord? Don't forget he sided with Warwick and fought against you when he believed there was a chance of displacing you and taking the crown for himself. He would do so again . . . given the chance.'
'And this is the brother I have favoured! I have forgiven him time and time again; and all the hme he seeks to stab me in the back.'
'At least you now realize it.'
'Always knew it but wouldn't face it. You know my nature. I want to think well of everyone.'
'Even when they prove themselves to be your enemy? I know you well, Edward. You doubted me once ... I who have ever been your faithful friend. It would be well now to direct a little more watchfulness towards the Duke of Clarence, for I have a notion, my lord, that we must be careful indeed.'
Edward nodded. Hastings was right.
Clarence rarely came to Court. He wanted to give the impression that since his wife and child had been poisoned on the instigation of the Woodvilles they might well turn their attention to him.
He made a rule of never eating while at Court. He would make such elaborate excuses which said as clearly as though he had uttered the words: 'I fear that I may be poisoned.'
Edward was losing patience with him; moreover people were talking about the end of Ankarette; the fact that she was so hastily despatched and several members of the jury had declared that they deeply repented having pronounced her guilty, for guilty she was most certainly not and they had given their verdict out of fear of the Duke of Clarence.
Rivers was very watchful of Clarence. Edward could understand that. Who could know what wild plots were even at this time forming in Clarence's mind? The case of Ankarette Twynhoe
was an indication of what great lengths he would go to—however absurd—to point a finger at his enemies. Clarence was a fool, thought Edward, but fools could make a great deal of trouble, and he could never be sure what Clarence was plotting and what turn such plots would take. Of one thing he was sure: Clarence had always wanted the throne and had resented Edward's being the elder, and whichever way he looked he must see Clarence as a menace.
He should have taken some action over the case of Ankarette, for it was so clear that the woman had been completely innocent and the case against her had been trumped up by Clarence. If he could behave as he had, wreaking vengeance on an innocent woman just to prove that the Queen was really the guilty party, he would be guilty of any folly. Elizabeth said little as was her wont but she had been greatly disturbed over Ankarette's death and understandably so.
Hastings learned from one of the women with whom he consorted that certain soothsayers and necromancers were drawing up horoscopes of the King and the Prince of Wales, to try to discover how long they had to live. Hastings thought it wise to report this to Edward, because when soothsayers and such like acted so it was usually at the request of someone who was interested in the death of a certain person.
Hastings had traced the horoscopes to a Dr John Stacey of Merton College, Oxford, and he suggested that the King look into the matter and discover why this man was casting these horoscopes and at whose instigation.
A law had been made forbidding that anyone set up horoscopes of any members of the royal family without first asking the King's permission, and Dr John Stacey was arrested for having done this and he was conducted to the Tower.
The King gave orders that he was to be questioned and if he refused to betray his clients he should be requested to do so with a lack of gentleness. Edward awaited the outcome with a great longing in his heart that nothing should be proved against his brother.
However the rigorous questioning brought forth an interesting piece of information. Stacey had been asked for the horoscopes by a certain Thomas Burdett, and Thomas Burdett happened to be a member of Clarence's household.
So the King had discovered what he had suspected and hoped
not to find. Clarence was eagerly awaiting his death and he knew his brother too well not to guess that if it did not come quickly he would grow so impatient that he would attempt to assist nature.
Edward was in a dilemma. He must show Clarence where this foolish careless plotting was leading him. He had overlooked the Ankarette Twynhoe affair although he knew that he should not have done so. He longed for Clarence to act in a brotherly way towards him, to be like Richard, to help him, not to threaten him as he was constantly doing.
Elizabeth was very uneasy. Edward had come back from France with Louis' pension and what pleased Elizabeth more than anything, the promise of the Dauphin for her eldest daughter. Making grand marriages for her family had always been her delight, now with the daughter of a King there was no end to her ambitions. She had announced that in future young Elizabeth should be known as Madame La Dauphine. But the death of Ankarette Twynhoe had upset her a great deal. Not only because she had known and liked the woman but because of what it meant. Clarence was her enemy and, because of his rank, a deadly one. He was a fool, she knew, but he was powerful; and men such as he was would always find those to follow him.