CHAPTER LV
SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS
All now went well with King Henry and with England under the auspices ofthe old Earl of Pembroke, and the Christmas of 1217 was celebrated withgladness and festive mirth alike in court and city, in castle and incottage, and people breathed more freely than they had done for years,and thanked God and the saints that the country was free from theterrible mercenaries whom Prince Louis had brought to conquer them. Theprotector administered affairs so wisely and vigorously that generalsatisfaction was felt throughout the country, so lately torn by civilwar and ravaged by foreign foes. No man was treated with harshness onaccount of the part he had taken in the struggle, and when the baronswho had adhered to Prince Louis appeared at court, they were sograciously received that they did what they could by their influence andexample to aid Pembroke in the patriotic course of policy which he waspursuing. Even the King of Scots and the Prince of Wales perceived thenecessity of making peace with the government. Accordingly, Alexandercame southward and did homage to Henry at Northampton. Llewellyn, aftercompromising with his savage pride by indulging in a little delay,condescended to go through the same ceremony at Worcester.
Meanwhile the protector laboured earnestly to execute the treaty towhich the king had sworn, and on all points scrupulously maintainedfaith with those who had been his adversaries. Having restored castlesand manors to the barons who had returned to their allegiance, he tookmeasures for securing the observance of the Great Charter, as revised,and modified, and confirmed. Not content with issuing orders to all thesheriffs to do their duty as regarded the Charter, he no sooner foundthat these orders had not the effects he intended than he intrusted thebusiness to justices-itinerant, and sent them into the various countiesof England, with instructions and power to hear complaints and redressgrievances. His determination to redeem all his pledges was evident, andnobody capable of forming an opinion could entertain any doubt of hissincerity.
In fact, the conciliatory spirit, good faith, and moderation displayedby Pembroke wrought marvels; and the course of policy he pursued did somuch to popularise the monarchy which he had rescued from destructionthat ere long young Henry reigned over a loyal people, “the evil willborne to King John seeming to die with him, and to be buried with him inthe same grave,” and there was every prospect of England enjoying a longseason of peace and prosperity. But unfortunately a change was at hand,and a change for the worse. Almost as Henry’s throne appeared to befirmly established, there occurred an event which opened up a new scene,and which was destined to lead to fresh troubles.
Pembroke, as has been mentioned, was an old man at the time when he, inthe autumn of 1216, applied himself to the terrible task of saving hiscountry from foreign dominion, and, while occupied with the good work ofhealing his country’s wounds, his days were “dwindling to the shortestspan.” Perhaps the protector’s great exertions hastened his end. At allevents, in May, 1219, he breathed his last at his manor of Caversham,and his body, having been carried to the abbey of Reading, where masswas solemnly celebrated, and afterwards conveyed to Westminster Abbey,where mass was again solemnly celebrated, was finally borne with allhonour along the Strand, and laid in the Temple Church on AscensionDay.
Naturally the great protector’s death was much bewailed by the nation,and patriotic Englishmen mourned as if each of them had lost a near anddear friend. Nor was it possible for reflecting men to speculate on thefuture without feeling uneasy as to what might be the consequences ofthe sudden removal of a ruler of patriotic spirit, and firm heart, andstrong hand. For a time, however, the inspiration of his example wasstrong enough to influence his successors in the government, Peter,Bishop of Winchester, enacting the part of regent, and Hubert de Burgh,who had won so high a reputation by his defence of Dover and his navalvictory over Eustace the Monk, holding the high office of justiciary.Moreover, peace was rendered more sure on the side of Scotland by themarriage of Alexander, King of Scots, with Joan, Henry’s sister, and bythe marriage of Hubert de Burgh and Margaret, one of the sisters of theScottish monarch, and at first matters went on satisfactorily. As timepassed over, however, a reaction in public opinion took place, and thevoice of discontent was again heard; and, to make matters worse, theBishop of Winchester and Hubert de Burgh, at a crisis when union was sonecessary, began to quarrel, and to struggle desperately for themastery.
Most unfortunate for the king and country was this contention under thecircumstances, and the evil effects soon became visible. Men who were atdaggers drawn were not likely to be very happy in their efforts atgoverning a nation of all others most difficult to govern, and theLondoners began to show their old spirit of insubordination, and toshout loudly against everything bearing the semblance of a grievance. Asusually happens in such circumstances, persons of restless spirit andviolent ambition were not wanting to fan the flame; and in the city ofLondon there was one person, at least, who was too vigilant not torecognise the opportunity for mischief, and too earnest in hisdiscontent not to seize the occasion and turn it to account. This manwas Constantine Fitzarnulph.
And so the sunshine departed from around Henry’s throne, and cloudsbegan to gather over the boy-king’s head.