Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best inspirational books txt) 📕

is there any subject they did not seek to address7So much of it seems unnecessary to me Here it states that a widow shall not be compelled to marry again, provided she offers security that she'll not marry without the Kmg's consent I agree with the principle, Llewelyn, but it already is the practice Widows often petitioned my father for the right not to remarry, and he almost always allowed them to purchase that privilege "Yes, he did But that privilege depended upon the King's whim, >> convenienceNow it will depend upon the charter As a widow, lch would you rather rely upon, Joanna7"Joanna did not need to consider "The charter," she conceded "I e your pointYou're saying that the true significance of this charter is a it changes privileges into rights7"rath t'nat '* 8oes bey°nc' the rights of individual petitioners It's,2r *e a borough charter, one granting certain privileges to the cit-°* a particular town Except that this charter encompasses the en-

458tire realm. That is a novel concept. A pity it shall be as short-lived as the peace it warrants.""Are you so sure that the peace cannot last?""Read the last clause of the charter, Joanna. Then read the list of names affixed to the charter, the barons elected to the committee of twenty-five.And then tell me if you think John will ever accept their governance."Joanna did as he bade. "God's wrath, look at these names! Eustace de Vesci, Robert Fitz Walter, Saer de Quincy, the Earls of Hereford and ClareI count fully fourteen to be my father's sworn enemies, only two to be men he can trust. Llewelyn, they want war; it's as simple as that.""Nothing is ever that simple, love. I grant you that they mean to press their advantage to the utmost. They are not likely to keep faith with the charter.But I find it hard to fault them for that, for they know that John will not, either. He's bound to appeal to the Pope, and when he does, he will prevail.It cannot be otherwise, for his legal position is unassailable. Canon law holds that an oath given under duress is not binding. The Pope must annul the charter. John knows it, I know it, and I expect most of the barons know it, too."Llewelyn sat up, reached for the charter. "You asked what I see as the true significance of the Runnymede charter. For me, it lies in two brief provisions, breila. One compels John to make restitution of Welsh lands, liberties, and rights seized unjustly by the crown, recognizes the supremacy of Welsh law in Wales. And the other . . ." He did not bother to glance at the parchment, for he had long since committed the words to memory." 'We will restore at once the son of Llewelyn,'" he quoted, " 'and all the hostages from Wales and the charters delivered to us as security for peace.'That is the heart of John's great charter, Joanna. My son is coming home."IT was early morning; the July sun had not had time to assert dominion, and the air still held some of the dampness of night. Joanna's ladies were helping her to dress, and Llewelyn was about to submit himself to his barber's razor.It was then that the shouting began in the bailey, the sounds of celebration.TheThe scene that greeted Llewelyn was one of pandemonium, bailey was thronged with men and women, barking dogs, excited c dren. In the midst of all the uproar, Gruffydd was struggling to con his stallion. He'd obviously not expected so joyful a welcome, an smiled shyly at his well-wishers, acknowledging the greetings of to6 shoving to reach his side. He was wearing a finely woven new tunic/WBP^459it was streaked with dust and sweat, offering Llewelyn poignant testimony to the urgency of his son's journey.The crowd now took up Gruffydd's name, chanted it in triumphant unison.Gruffydd flushed under the acclaim, and then glanced up, saw Llewelyn standing on the stairs. As he slid from the saddle, the crowd hushed, parted before him. He moved toward the keep, stood looking up at his father."Gruffydd." Llewelyn's voice was suddenly husky. He came down the stairs, stopped when the space between them could be breached by an outstretched hand."It's really me, Papa." Gruffydd tugged self-consciously at his beard. "I must look like a right proper Norman. But they would not trust me with a razor, and once I was free, I was not willing to wait a moment longer than need be.""I do not think," Llewelyn said slowly, "that a single day has passed in these four years when I did not envision this moment, imagine what it would be like, what I'd say to you. I meant to tell you how much I've missed you, and how very proud I am of you. And now you're here, and that's not enough. Christ, it does not even begin to be enough."

"It is enough for me, Papa."Joanna had followed Llewelyn out onto the stairs. She stood very still, watching as her husband and his son embraced. She'd long had an unease of conscience where Gruffydd was concerned, for she remembered with uncomfortable clarity how she'd welcomed Gruffydd's banishment to the English court. It was a memory that often came back to haunt her in the months after Gruffydd's harrowing ordeal at Nottingham Castle, and she'd resolved that if the boy was ever given his freedom, she'd try to make peace with him. Not just forLlewelyn's sake. She owed it to Gruffydd. This was yet another of John's debts that she was somehow honor-bound to repay.But her good intentions faltered now at sight of Gruffydd. Her pity had blurred Gruffydd's memory, and she'd had almost three years to recast her recollections in a more sympathetic mold, to convince herself hat she could befriend Gruffydd if given a second chance. It was a shock, therefore, to confront reality, the flesh-and-blood man standing°n the stairs. With his bright beard, broad shoulders, and