The Shadow of the Pomegranate (4 page)

Darkness came early in February, and the Court had left the tiltyard for the Whitehall of Westminster. This did not mean that the festivities were over. They would go on far into the night, for the King never tired and, until he declared the ball closed, it must go on.

He had scored great success in the tiltyard to the delight of the people. But none was more delighted than Henry. Yet now that the party had entered the Palace he had disappeared from Katharine’s side.

This could only mean one thing. Some pageant or masque was being planned in which he would play a major part. Several of his friends had crept away with him, and Katharine, talking to those who remained about her, tried to compose her features, tried to display great expectation while she hoped that she would be able to register that blank surprise when she was confronted with some denouement which she had guessed even before the play had begun.

One must remember, she reminded herself, that he has been brought up in a most parsimonious fashion. She knew that his father had ordered that his doublets must be worn as long as they held together and then turned if possible; he and the members of his household had been fed on the simplest foods and had even had to save candle ends. All this had been
intended to teach him the ways of thrift. The result? He had rebelled against thrift. He was ready to dip into his father’s coffers to escape from the parsimony, which had been anathema to him, in order to satisfy his extravagance. His nature was such that he must passionately long for all that was denied him – so for him the scarlet and gold, the velvet and brocade; for him the rich banquets, the pomp and the glory. It was fortunate that the thrift of Henry VII had made it possible for Henry VIII to indulge his pleasure without resorting to the unpopular methods which his father had used to amass his wealth.

Katharine looked about the hall, which had been so lavishly decorated, and tried to calculate the cost to the exchequer. The English love of pageantry was unquestionable. What great pains had been taken to turn this hall into a forest. There were artificial hawthorns, maples and hazels, all so finely wrought that they looked real enough. There were the animals, a lion, an antelope, and an elephant all cleverly made. She did not know the price of the commodities necessary to make these things but she guessed it was high, for clearly no expense had been spared. There were beautiful ladies to roam the mock forest and they, with the wood-woos, who were wild men of the forest, had to be specially apparelled. The maids of the forest wore yellow damask, and the wood-woos russet sarcenet; she knew the high cost of these materials.

Should she remonstrate with the King? Should she point out that such pageants were well enough when there was some great event to celebrate – as there was at this time the birth of their son – but this was one among many. Since Henry had come to the throne feasting had followed feasting, and pageant, pageant.

She imagined herself saying: ‘Henry, I am older than you . . . and I had the advantage of spending my early years with my mother who was one of the wisest women in the world. Should you not curb these extravagances?’

What would be his response? She pictured the brows being drawn together over those brilliant blue eyes, the pout of a spoiled boy.

Yet was it not her duty?

One of the courtiers was at her elbow. ‘Your Grace?’

‘You would speak with me?’

‘Your Grace, I know of an arbour of gold, and in this arbour are ladies who would show you their pastime in the hope that they might please Your Grace. Would you wish to see this arbour?’

‘I greatly desire to see it.’

The courtier bowed, and then, drawing himself to his full height, he declaimed: ‘Her Grace Queen Katharine wishes to see the arbour of gold.’

A curtain which had been drawn across one end of the hall was then pulled back to disclose a pavilion in the form of an arbour. This was composed of pillars about which artificial flowers made of silk and satin climbed naturalistically. There were roses, hawthorn and eglantine, and the pillars had been decorated with ornaments of pure gold.

This arbour was carried by stout bearers and placed close to the Queen’s throne. She saw that in it were six of the most lovely girls, and that their dresses were of white and green satin which appeared to be covered with gold embroidery; but as they came closer she realised that what she had thought was embroidery were two letters entwined – the familiar H and K. She stared in admiration, for it was indeed a pretty sight, and
as she did so six men dressed in purple satin which, like the gowns of the girls, was adorned with the entwined letters, sprang forth to stand three on either side of the arbour.

Each of these knights had his name on his doublet in letters of real gold; and there was one among them who stood out, distinguished by his height and golden beauty; and across his doublet were written the words Sir Loyal Heart.

The ordinary people who revelled in these antics of the Court had pressed into the hall and now cheered loudly, calling ‘God bless His Grace! God bless the Queen!’

Henry stood before her, his face expressing his complete joy.

Katharine applauded with her ladies, and the King clapped his hands – a signal for the ladies to step from the arbour.

Each of the six ladies was taken as a partner by one of the six men.

‘Make a space for us to dance!’ commanded Sir Loyal Heart. And the bearers wheeled the arbour back through the forest to the end of the hall where the people who had crowded into the Palace from the streets stood agog watching all this splendour.

‘Come,’ cried the King to the musicians, and the music began.

Henry danced as he loved to dance. He must leap higher than any; he must cavort with greater verve. Katharine watching him thought: He seems even younger now than he did the day we married.

‘Faster! Faster!’ he commanded. ‘Who tires? What you, Knevet?’ The glance he threw at Sir Thomas Knevet was scornful. ‘Again, again,’ he commanded the musicians, and the dance continued.

So intent were all on the dancing of the gay young King that
they did not notice what was happening at the other end of the hall.

One man, a shipmaster whose trade had brought him to the port of London, murmured: ‘But look at the trimmings on this arbour. These ornaments are real gold!’

He put up his hand to touch one, but another hand had reached it before him. A gold ornament was taken from the arbour, and several crowded round to look at it.

In a few moments many of the spectators had plucked a gold ornament from the arbour; and those at the back, who saw what was happening, determined not to be left out, pressed forward and in the space of a few minutes that arbour was denuded of all the gold ornaments which had made it such a thing of beauty.

Meanwhile the King danced on, smiling at the ladies, now and then glancing in the Queen’s direction. Was she watching? Was she marvelling?

Katharine was ready every time his eyes met hers; and she had managed to infuse that look of wonder into her expression which he constantly demanded.

At last the music stopped, and Henry stood smiling benignly at the company.

‘You see,’ he announced, ‘that the dresses of the performers are covered in gold letters. These form my own initial and that of the one who is most dear to me. I now invite the ladies to come and help themselves to these entwined letters and I trust they will treasure them and when their time comes to marry they will endeavour to live in perfect harmony and follow the example set by their Queen and . . . Sir Loyal Heart.’

The ladies rushed forward. There were many, Katharine noticed, to gaze coquettishly at the King, and then she was
grateful to him for his loyalty and ashamed of her criticisms. He is but a boy, she told herself; a boy who wishes to be good.

There was a sudden shout from the back of the hall, where the once golden arbour had been transformed into a few sticks of wood. The populace who, as custom demanded, were permitted to see their King at his meals, at his dancing and games, rushed forward.

The ladies had been invited to strip the King of his ornaments; well, so they should; and the men would help them in the game.

There was a startled cry of surprise from the dancers as they found themselves surrounded. The King himself was in the hands of half a dozen laughing men and women, but in their eyes there was something more than laughter. They had looked on at the luxury of Westminster and had compared it with their own homes; they had seen men and women whose garments were covered in glittering jewels and gold ornaments, one of which would keep them in luxury for a very long time.

This was their King and their beloved King, but the mob stood together against its rulers and when the call came it was invariably ready. But this was merely a masque; and the people had caught the spirit of the masque. They would not have harmed their handsome King; but they wanted his jewels.

Listening to the cries of protest of his friends, being aware of the people – who smelt none too fresh – pressing close to him, Henry ceased to be a pleasure-loving boy. He was a man at once – shrewd and cunning. He knew no fear; he had always felt himself to be capable of dealing with any situation and, because it had been his pleasure to go among his people as often as possible, he was able to understand them; and of all the
noblemen and women in that hall there was none more calm, more wise than the King.

There was no sign of anger in those blue eyes which could so easily grow stormy at a courtier’s careless word. They were purposely full of laughter. He had played his own game; now he must play the people’s game; but he did not forget that he was still the central player.

He smiled into the eyes of a pretty young seamstress who had snatched a gold button from his doublet.

‘May it continue to make your pretty eyes shine,’ he said.

She was startled, flushed scarlet, then she turned and ran.

They had stripped him of all his jewels; they had torn his cloak from his shoulders so that he was wearing nothing but his doublet and his drawers. He laughed aloud being aware that his courtiers were being more roughly handled than he was himself while they were being stripped of their valuables. Moreover he saw too that the guards had rushed into the hall, halberds raised, and were doing their duty. They had taken several of the people and were hustling them into a corner of the hall, from where they were loudly abusing the guards.

Henry glancing quickly round the company saw that the dishevelled ladies looked bewildered and that Sir Thomas Knevet who had climbed up one of the pillars was clinging there stark naked. Sir Thomas had protested so vigorously that the mob had denuded him not only of his jewels but of all his clothes.

Looking at Knevet clinging to the pillar Henry burst into sudden loud laughter; it was the signal. Clearly the King intended to treat the affair as part of the masque and everyone was expected to do the same. Those of the people who had been muttering now joined in the laughter. ‘God Save the
King!’ they cried, and they meant it. He had not disappointed them. He was a true sportsman and they had nothing to fear from such a king.

He was shouting to his courtiers: ‘Why do you look so glum? My people have helped themselves to largesse. Let us leave the matter at that, for I confess to a hunger which must be appeased, and I am thirsty too.’

The people were not loth to be hustled from the hall grasping the spoils they had snatched. The sound of their laughter came floating back to the hall. They were delighted. They loved their King. Now when he rode through the streets they would cheer him more loudly than ever.

Katharine, who had watched the incident with rising horror, had been much astonished by the attitude of the King. She had expected him to roar his anger, to summon the guard, to have the people punished; yet she, whose eyes had not left him, had seen no sign of anger in the bright flushed face.

He was not merely a boy, she realised now. He was a King. And his crown was more dear to him than all the jewels in the world; he was more than a feckless boy, because he knew that he kept that crown by the will of the people. He would rage against his courtiers; he would without hesitation send them to the block; but when he came face to face with the mob he would have nothing for them but smiling tolerance.

Then she did not know this man she had married as she had believed she did, and the knowledge that this was so filled her with faint misgivings.

He was at her side, mischievous in his doublet and drawers.

‘Come, Kate,’ he said. ‘I starve. Let us lead the way to the banquet that awaits us.’

He took her hand and led her into his own chamber where
the feast awaited them; and seated at the place of honour at that table with Katharine on his right hand, he was very merry as he surveyed his courtiers in their tattered garments; nor would he allow any to leave the banquet except Sir Thomas Knevet who, he said, for dear decency’s sake must find himself some garments.

‘My friends,’ said Henry, ‘your losses are largesse to the commonalty. That is an end of the matter. Now to work!’