Checkmate - Dorothy Dunnett [258]
The second deposition was clear and brief also:… informee des grans fraiz et impenses cy davant employees … a la protection, tuition et deffence du royaume d’Escosse … contre les Angloys … tellement que la conservation en est entierement deue aux Roys de France …
‘And that’s another bloody lie!’ said Jerott squeaking. ‘We don’t need a parcel of scented Frenchmen to show us how to push the English back over the Borders. Anyway, what expenses?’
‘Shut up, Jerott,’ said Adam.
… Pour ces causes … ayant pris le conseil de ses meilleurs et plus singulliers amys, mesmement de Monseigneur le reverendissime et illustrissime Cardinal de Lorraine et de Monseigneur le Duc de Guyse, ses oncles …
‘The de Guise!’ said Richard, his gaze jerked upwards to Lymond.
‘By the advice of Messeigneurs mes oncles. Who else?’ said Francis Crawford. ‘Read on.’
‘… Icelle Dame … ordonne … that is she dies childless … the King of France, present or future, should have and enjoy the Kingdom of Scotland, its fruits, revenues and emoluments, and retain them in full possession until the payment … God’s bones!’ Richard said. ‘… Until the payment and full reimbursement of a million pounds in gold …’
‘From a nation of half a million people to a nation of fifteen million. It’s an impossible condition,’ Adam said. His mouth was sour.
‘Presumably, it is meant to be an impossible condition,’ said Richard dryly. He went on reading. ‘… And until this condition is complied with, she cedes to the King and his successors the Kingdom of Scotland, to enjoy as heretofore stated, without hindrance by any other person whatsoever. Which is accepted by the King through Monseigneur the Cardinal de Sens, Keeper of the Seals of France, and by us, the undersigned, notaries and secretaries of the Crown of France at the request of this lady, who to show her entire approval of this content, has wished to sign with her own hand …’
‘Read the third and last paper,’ Lymond said, ‘before you comment.’
‘Oh Christ,’ Jerott said. ‘What more can there be?’
‘… Marie, Reine d’Escosse, considerant l’ancienne ligue, alliance parfaite et perpetuelle union d’entre les Rois et Roiaumes de France et d’Escosse … above all things wishes to bind, join, annexe and unite the Kingdom of Scotland to the Crown of France … and to this end, should she die childless, has made certain dispositions to the profit of the Kings of France …’
‘In the previous two documents,’ Adam said.
‘Yes. Then she says …’ Richard stopped. Jerott, leaning over his shoulder, drew a sudden breath. And Lymond, his voice calm behind them, read, and translated as he read, the third and last document.
‘Toutes fois est de nouvel avertie … The Queen is again made aware, by the articles and instructions brought her by the Commission from Scotland, that on the secret cognizance of certain persons, it is intended that her kingdom should pass, should she have no heirs, to certain lords of the country, depriving her, the true Queen, by this means of all liberty of disposing of her own crown, to her great sorrow and prejudice.
‘Which for the present she has no means of openly preventing, since she is distant from her kingdom, far from her subjects and not in complete possession of the strongholds of her country. If such things were at present to be openly debated, they could create great disturbances and a revolt which might lead to the ruin of her kingdom.
‘For these reasons, she now puts on record an affirmation that whatever consent or ratification she has given or will give to the articles and instructions sent by the Estates of her Kingdom, to do with the future of Scotland should she die childless, she intends that the dispositions here made by her to the profit of the Kings of France should remain intact and should be fully implemented, having no regard to any other dispositions to which she may give her consent, either in connection with the aforesaid articles and instructions or anything else, which should be regarded as agreements to which she has been constrained entirely against her wish, will and intention …