London - Edward Rutherfurd [382]
At first Julius stumbled a little with his words as he tried to explain his idea for the royal loan. But gradually he began to gain confidence; and this was helped by the king. If, for instance, Julius through nervousness failed to make a point clearly, King Charles would gently say: “Forgive me, Master Ducket, I have not quite understood . . .” Julius also noticed that the king himself had a slight stammer, which was rather reassuring.
What impressed Julius most was something he could not pin down: there was in this small, scrupulously polite, rather shy man, an almost magical quality that set him apart. It was the royal Stuart charm. And by the time he was finished he found himself thinking: this man truly is not like other men; he is touched, with royalty, by God. Even if he be wrong, he is indisputably my royal and anointed king, and I will follow him.
King Charles, having heard him out carefully, seemed interested. He agreed that he should maintain good relations with the city, and was intrigued by this novel way of encouraging Londoners to lend. “This shall be discussed further,” he promised Julius. “Such new methods may have much to recommend them. We do not fear innovation. Though of course,” he added with a smile to Henry, “We must also consider what already lies within our prerogative.”
It had been, both the brothers felt, a very satisfactory day.
So Julius was a little surprised that autumn when, having heard nothing more of his proposals, he learned that the king had sent to London and the major ports for Ship Money. This contribution of the sea towns towards the cost of the fleet was an ancient and perfectly legal tax, but unpopular. Before Christmas however, King Charles had levied it on all the inland towns as well. “Which is unheard of,” Henry admitted. “Though the king claims it’s within his prerogative.” And then at the start of 1635, King Charles through the royal court of Star Chamber, charged the city of London with mismanagement of its Ulster plantation. “He has confiscated everything,” Henry announced, “and fined the city seventy thousand pounds. It is,” he remarked wryly, “one way to raise money.”
Within weeks, the king’s commissioners were asking how much the city would pay to secure a pardon. The city erupted. “It’s certainly cunning,” Henry said. “The king is still within his prerogative.”
But poor Julius remained mystified. How was it possible, after listening so carefully to his proposal, and after agreeing upon the importance of London’s good will, for this mild, sweet-mannered king to do such a thing? Half the merchants in the city were now swearing they would never lend to him again. And even Julius had to remind himself more than once:
“He is still my anointed king.”
How fortunate she was, Martha thought, to have the respectable Mrs Wheeler to keep an eye on her husband while they were apart. It was Dogget who had first introduced them years before, when they had met her in Cheapside. “This lady comes from Virginia, Martha,” he had explained. She learned that Mrs Wheeler had taken pleasant lodgings in Blackfriars; and a few days later she noticed Meredith politely bow as she passed which, little as she liked Meredith, indicated that the lady must be respectable.
Mrs Wheeler was a good listener. If she did speak, it was always sensible and to the point. Martha had only once known her sound frivolous: one day, after she had been explaining to Mrs Wheeler the evils of the theatre, Martha had shortly afterwards come upon her and Dogget laughing together; but when Martha had asked why, after a moment’s hesitation she had told her a story that seemed hardly funny at all. Martha supposed that Mrs Wheeler had no great sense of humour.
Mrs Wheeler had become a friend of the whole family. When Dogget’s younger son became sick, it was she who came to help Martha sit through the night with him. When Martha’s own daughter wanted to become a sempstress, it was Mrs Wheeler, showing an unexpected skill, who taught her most of what she needed. Once, when she asked her if she ever thought