'My lord, it will be an honour. I will have them sent to Crosby Place. I doubt not the Lady Anne will like them.'
'Thankyou. Bishop.'
Stanley, Rotherham and Hastings had arrived. They all looked relaxed. It was clear that they had no notion yet as to what was about to take place.
Richard veiled the distaste he felt on beholding Hastings. He must have come straight from Jane Shore. He looked jaunty, younger than of late. He was clearly enjoying the company of the late King's favourite mistress.
The council meeting proceeded and after a while Richard said:
'My lords, will you continue without me for a while. There is something to which I have to attend. I shall be with you ere long.'
That was the first intimation the members of the Council had that morning that something strange might be afoot. That Richard should suddenly leave them in this way was unusual. It was almost as though he were preparing himself for some ordeal and wished to steel himself before attempting it.
Hastings was thinking that although Richard appeared to be cool he had seemed a little preoccupied. For instance he had not glanced Hastings' way since he had appeared. But there was all that chat about Morton's strawberries. That was natural enough. Hastings thought: I imagined this. It is because of Jane. She was worried because he was getting very deeply involved in the conspiracy with the Queen.
Richard had come back. He looked quite different from the man who had left the council chamber. His face was white; there was a look of bitter determination in his eyes.
He spoke quietly but firmly. 'My lords, you know well who it was whom my brother set up as guardian of his son, do you not?'
'Indeed yes, my lord. It was you ... his brother.'
'That is true. But there are traitors who would deprive me of my rights . . . who would destroy me. What punishment would they deserve who are guilty of this?'
No one spoke. They were all so astonished, taken off their guard as they were.
'You do not answer me. My Lord Hastings, what think you?'
'Well, my lord, if any have done this they deserve to be punished.'
'Whoever they be, my lord Hastings, whoever they be? I will tell you who have sought to do this to me. I will name these traitors. They have plotted against me .... The Queen is one . . . and Jane Shore, my brother's mistress, is another. These two have worked together . . . against me.'
Hastings felt Hmp with fear at the mention of Jane's name. He knew what was coming. He knew her visits to the Sanctuary had been remarked on. Gloucester/cneu' ....
It had happened too suddenly for him to think clearly. He could only stare at the fierce eyes of the Protector glowing in his pale face.
'Now, if these women have conspired against me then they are traitors .... What should be the fate of traitors?' There was
silence round the table. Everyone's eyes were on Gloucester. He had turned to Hastings.
'You are silent, my lord. Tell us what should be the fate of these . . . traitors.'
Hastings forced himself to speak. 'If they have done these things and if they can be proved against them . . .'he began.
Richard turned to him. 'You answer me with your ifs and your ands. I tell you this, they have done it. And you have been with them in this treachery!'. He struck his fist on the table with such violence that all those watching drew back in their seats. 'I will make good on your body, my lord Hastings.'
There was a moment of silence. For half a second Richard wavered. He looked at Hastings. He had been fond of this man who had been Edward's greatest friend. Edward had found great pleasure in his company. But that made the remedy ever more necessary. Hastings had known that Edward had appointed him; and yet he was ready to play the traitor not only to Richard but to Edward.
There must be no softening; he must be strong. Everything depended on how he acted at this time.
He looked steadily at Hastings.
'I swear I will not dine until your head is severed from your body. You are a traitor, Hastings, and the reward of traitors should be death.'
He rapped on the table. It was the sign he had told the guards to wait for. They came in shouting: 'Treason.'
Richard looked at the guards and the ashen faces of the men about the table.
'Arrest these men,' cried Richard, indicahng Rotherham, Morton and Stanley. 'Take them away. But not my lord Hastings. No . . . not my lord Hastings. You, traitor, shall die now.'
It was the signal. The guards seized the four men. Rotherham and Morton were taken to lodgings in the Tower; Stanley went to his home under guard; but Hastings was conducted at once to the Green and a priest was found for him so that he could hastily be shriven.
Hastings, bewildered still, stood on the Green. It was so sudden. This morning he had said adieu to Jane, now his loving mistress, just as he had always wanted her to be—telling her he would soon be with her.
He had been happy. He was dabbling with conspiracy it was
true but that added a certain zest to his life. He had been reckless; he had been foolish; he had never liked the Woodvilles. He saw how foolish he had been to think of throwing in his lot with them. Gloucester was a strong man. Edward had seen that when he had named him as Protector.
And now, this was the reward of his folly. This was the end.
There was no executioner's block but men had been working at the Tower and they found a piece of wood which would serve.
The soft and balmy air caressed his face as Hashngs laid his head on the hastily improvised block and died.
The cries of Treason had been heard in the city and the apprentices had come running into the streets brandishing any weapon they could lay their hands on, while the merchants were prepared to protect their shops, and the mayor was ready to marshal his forces. If there was treason in the air, if there were to be battles then London must protect itself.
Richard immediately sent a herald into the streets who rode along sounding his trumpet and asking the people to listen to what he had to tell them. There was no cause for alarm. All that had happened was that a conspiracy had been discovered and those responsible had received their just rewards. Lord Hastings had plotted to destroy the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham and had himself been beheaded. All knew that Hastings had lured the late King to live licentiously and Hastings was at this time the lover of the late King's mistress Jane Shore—a whore and a witch; he had been with Jane Shore on the previous night and the woman was disclosed as one involved in the conspiracy.
Tut away your weapons, good citizens,' cried the herald. 'Danger has been averted by the prompt action of the Protector.'
The Londoners were delighted to do this. Trouble they did not want. But the crowds stayed in the streets to ask themselves what would happen next. It was an uneasy situation. A King who was a minor was always a source of trouble. The Queen was in Sanctuary and the Woodvilles in decline. That was good. The Londoners had never liked the rapacious Woodvilles. There was the Lord Protector who had proved himself a worthy ruler in the North to look after the country.
Tf the Lord Protector took the crown,' said some, 'it would not be a bad thing.'
There is the little King,' replied some of the women.
'Little Kings cause trouble,' was the answer.
But they were all delighted that there was to be no fighting in the streets.
Richard immediately called a meeting of the Council to explain the reason for his prompt action. It was always dangerous to execute men without trial.
There was not a man among them who did not realize the need for prompt action. Many of them knew that Hastings had deviated from his loyalty to Richard; they knew too of his association with Jane Shore and it was a fact that the goldsmith's wife visited the King and the Queen. It was all very plausible. Gloucester had done what any strong man would.