13.4 Liâm thix ê pōe-poān-chiá lō͘-sòaⁿ
[Carradine:] “Tī Richard ka-bián chêng, i tō sī im-bô͘ boeh bô͘-sat Richard ê he̍k-sim, Richard ka-bián āu, i koh-khah sī hit-tiûⁿ chō-hoán pōe-āu ê o͘-chhiú. I tô-lān khì Europa ê lō͘-sòaⁿ, bē-suu lō͘-lê pê-kòe kāng-khoán seⁿ-liâm, lâu-lo̍h chok-loān ê hûn-jiah.”
“Hmmh, lō͘-lê hit-ê pō͘-hūn chí-sī thui-lūn neh, tī hoat-têng khiā bē-tiâu. Tān, tī i kòe-khì hái-kiap í-āu ê oa̍h-tāng, he tō chin bêng-khak ah. I choân-sim tâu-ji̍p tian-hok ê khang-khòe. I kap chi̍t-ê kiò Christopher Urswick ê hó hiaⁿ-tī, ūi Henry VII ê lī-ek ná hái-thoah án-ne piàⁿ-miā kang-chok; in hiòng England ‘kià su-bi̍t ê phe, phài am-khàm sin-hūn ê chhe-sài,’ sì-kè siàn-tōng tùi Richard ê hoán-kám.”
“Sī oh? Góa bô lí hiah liáu-kái, siáⁿ tī hoat-têng khiā ē-tiâu, siáⁿ khiā bē-tiâu. M̄-koh, chāi góa khòaⁿ, hit-tiâu lō͘-lê ê liâm-thi lō͘ sī kài ha̍p-lí ê thui-lūn – ká-sú lí chún góa án-ne kóng. Góa bô jīn-ûi, Morton ē tán kàu chhut-kok liáu-āu chiah khai-sí i ê phò-hoāi hêng-tōng.”
“Bē. Bē, tong-jiân bē. Richard ê lo̍h-tâi tùi Morton lâi kóng sī seⁿ-kap-sí ê tōa tāi-chì. Tî-hui Richard lo̍h-tâi, Morton ê sū-gia̍p tō nŏ͘-sut. I tō o͘-iú ah. He m̄-nā sī i bô hoat-tō͘ koh seng-koaⁿ. I ê it-chhè lóng kiat-sok. I chiong sit-khì bû-sò͘ ê chit-ūi kap siu-ji̍p, pak kah chhun chi̍t-niá pêng-hoân ê ka-se. Sī i lah, John Morton. I chha chi̍t-tiám-á tō chiâⁿ-chò Tōa Chú-kàu neh. Tān-sī, ká-sú i ē-tàng hia̍p-chō͘ Henry Tudor teng-chiūⁿ Ông-ūi, i tō m̄-nā ē-tit chiâⁿ-chò Canterbury Tōa Chú-kàu, koh ē-tàng chò Âng-saⁿ Chú-kàu. Oh, sī lah; tùi Morton siōng iàu-kín, chòex tiōng-iàu ê tāi-chì, tō sī bē-sái hō͘ Richard kè-sio̍k thóng-tī England.”
“Hmh,” Brent kóng, “I khak-si̍t sī chò phò-hoāi khang-khòe ê ko-chhiú. Góa bô jīn-ûi i ē lâu āu-chhiú. Chhin-chhiūⁿ ‘thâi gín-á’ chit-chióng sío liû-giân, tùi i lâi kóng, put-kò sī gín-á teh chò-sńg.”
“Tong-jiân, mā ū sióx ê khó-lêng, i siong-sìn he sī chin ê,” Grant kóng, i chún-chat chèng-kì ê choan-gia̍p si̍p-koàn, sīm-chì ah-kòe i tùi Morton ê thó-ià.
“Siong-sìn hit nn̄g-ê cha-po͘ gín-á hông bô͘-sat?”
“Sī. He ū khó-lêng sī pa̍t-lâng seⁿ chhut-lâi ê. Pit-kèng, hit-sî choân-kok tiāⁿ-tio̍h chhiong-móa Lancaster ka-cho̍k pian ê kò͘-sū, ū-ê chhut-chū ok-ì, ū-ê sī chèng-tī soan-thoân. I khó-lêng kan-ta sī sūn-chhiú thui-sak chòe-sin ê pán-pún.”
“Huh! Góa khòaⁿ, i sīm-chì sī teh pho͘-lō͘ chò in bī-lâi ê bô͘-sat neh,” Brent hùn-khài kóng.
Grant chhiò chhut-lâi. “Góa mā kám-kak, i siáⁿ to káⁿ,” i kóng. “Lēng-gōa, lí ùi Croyland hit-ê tō-sū hia, koh tit-tio̍h siáⁿ-hòe?”
“Mā tit-tio̍h chi̍t-ê sióx ê an-ùi. Phah hit-thong hong-kông tiān-pò hō͘ lí liáu, góa hoat-hiān i ê ōe bē-tàng choân sìn. I chí put-kò sī kā gōa-ūi lâi ê êng-á-ōe kì lo̍h-lâi. Kí-lē kóng, i kóng Richard tī York kí-hêng tē-jī kái ê ka-bián lé; he hián-jiân m̄-sī sū-si̍t. Nā liân ka-bián lé chit-chióng thong-lâng chai ê tōa tāi-chì, i to ē hut m̄-tio̍h khì, i ê pò-tō tong-jiân mā ta̍t-tit hoâi-gî. M̄-koh, sūn-sòa kóng chi̍t-ē, i khak-si̍t chai-iáⁿ ‘Ông-khoân Hoat-àn.’ i kì-lo̍k choân-àn ê iàu-tiám, pau-koat Eleanor Hj hit pō͘-hūn.”
“Chiâⁿ chhù-bī neh. Liân tī Croyland siu-tō ê lâng to thiaⁿ-kòe Edward goân-pún kiat-hun ê tùi-siōng eng-kai sī siáng.”
“Tio̍h. Sîn-sèng More tek-khak sī āu-lâi chiah bîn-bāng tio̍h Elizabeth Lucy chit-ê miâ.”
“Koh-khah bián kóng hit-ê bē-kiàn-siàu ê kò͘-sū, kóng Richard kō͘ phì-siùⁿ lāu-bú chò-ûi tit ông-ūi ê ki-chhó͘.”
“Siáⁿ-hòe?”
“More kóng, Richard phài lâng tī káng-tō ê sî soan-pò, kóng, Edward kap George sī in lāu-bú kap pa̍t-ê cha-po͘ lâng thau-seⁿ ê, á i Richard chiah-sī ûi-it ê hun-seng-chú, só͘-tì sī ûi-it ê ha̍p-hoat kè-sêng-jîn.”
“Sîn-sèng More, siōng-bô mā pian chi̍t-ê khah ē-tit soeh-ho̍k lâng ê kò͘-sū mah,” Carradine khau-sé kóng.
“Sī ah. Iû-kî chit-ê húi-pòng ê hit tong-sî, Richard tòa tī lāu-bú ê chhù-lāi neh!”
“Sī án-ne hoⁿh. Góa soah bē-kì-tit. Góa bô kéng-chhat ê hit-chióng thâu-náu. Lí kóng Morton sī liû-giân tài-goân-chiá, che kóng liáu chiâⁿ hó. M̄-koh, ká-sú chit-ê liû-giân āu-lâi koh tī pa̍t-ūi chhut-hiān neh?”
“He tong-jiân ū khó-lêng. M̄-koh góa goān-ì kō͘ 50 pí 1 kap lí tó͘, choa̍t-tùi bē án-ne. Góa chi̍t-sut-á to bô siong-sìn, hit tong-sî ū iú-koan gín-á sit-chong ê phó͘-phiàn liû-giân.”
“Sī án-chóaⁿ bô siong-sìn?”
“In-ūi ū chi̍t-ê góa jīn-ûi bô-tè piān-pok ê lí-iû. Jû-kó hit-sî ū jīm-hô phó͘-phiàn ê put-an, jīm-hô bêng-hián ê tian-hok liû-giân a̍h hêng-tōng, Richard it-tēng ē chek-sî chhái-chhú hêng-tōng lâi hoán-chè. Āu-lâi, ū liû-giân teh thoân, kóng i phah-sǹg boeh chhōa ti̍t-lú Elizabeth (its cha-po͘ gín-á ê tōa-chí) ê sî, i tō ná lāi-hio̍h sûi chhut-chhiú. I m̄-nā siá-phe hō͘ kok siâⁿ-tìn, kian-koat hóⁿ-jīn liû-giân, koh khì kah boeh sí (hián-jiân i jīn-ûi chin iàu-kín, bē-sái pī tiòng-siong) tō tiàu-chi̍p London ê tōa jîn-bu̍t, lâi i chhōe ē-tio̍h ê siōng-tōa lé-tn̂g (hó-thang chi̍t-pái kā lâng chū-chi̍p chò-hóe), tng-bīn kā in kóng, i tùi chit-kiāⁿ tāi-chì ê khòaⁿ-hoat.”
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13.4 黏 thix ê 背叛者 路線
[Carradine:] “Tī Richard 加冕前, 伊 tō 是 陰謀 欲謀殺 Richard ê 核心, Richard 加冕後, 伊 閣較是 彼場 造反 背後 ê 烏手. 伊逃難 去 Europa ê 路線, 袂輸 露螺爬過 仝款 生黏, 留落 作亂 ê 痕跡.”
“Hmmh, 露螺 彼个部份 只是 推論 neh, tī 法庭 徛袂牢. 但, tī 伊過去 海峽 以後 ê 活動, he tō 真明確 ah. 伊 全心投入 顛覆 ê 工課. 伊 kap 一个叫 Christopher Urswick ê 好兄弟, 為 Henry VII ê 利益 ná 海獺 án-ne 拚命 工作; in 向 England ‘寄 私密 ê 批, 派 掩崁 身份 ê 差使,’ 四界 煽動 對 Richard ê 反感.”
“是 oh? 我 無你 hiah 了解, 啥 tī 法庭 徛會牢, 啥 徛袂牢. 毋過, 在我看, hit 條 露螺 ê 黏黐路 是 kài 合理 ê 推論 - 假使 你 准 我 án-ne 講. 我無認為, Morton 會等到 出國了後 才開始 伊 ê 破壞行動.”
“袂. 袂, 當然袂. Richard ê 落台 對 Morton 來講 是 生 kap 死 ê 大代誌. 除非 Richard 落台, Morton ê 事業 tō nŏ͘-sut. 伊 tō 烏有 ah. He 毋但 是 伊無法度 koh 升官. 伊 ê 一切 lóng 結束. 伊將 失去 無數 ê 職位 kap 收入, 剝 kah 賰一領 平凡 ê 袈裟. 是 伊 lah, John Morton. 伊 差一點仔 tō 成做 大主教 neh. 但是, 假使 伊 會當 協助 Henry Tudor 登上王位, 伊 tō 毋但 會得 成做 Canterbury 大主教, koh 會當做 紅衫主教. Oh, 是 lah; 對 Morton 上要緊, chòex 重要 ê 代誌, tō 是袂使 hō͘ Richard 繼續統治 England.”
“Hmh,” Brent 講, “伊確實是 做破壞 工課 ê 高手. 我無認為 伊會 留後手. 親像 ‘刣囡仔’ 這種 小流言, 對伊來講, 不過是 囡仔 teh 做耍.”
“當然, mā 有 sióx ê 可能, 伊相信 he 是真 ê,” Grant 講, 伊 撙節 證據 ê 專業習慣, 甚至 壓過 伊對 Morton ê 討厭.
“相信 hit 兩个 查埔囡仔 hông 謀殺?”
“是. He 有可能 是 別人 生出來 ê. 畢竟, 彼時 全國 定著 充滿 Lancaster 家族 編 ê 故事, 有 ê 出自惡意, 有 ê 是 政治宣傳. 伊可能 干焦是 順手 推捒 最新 ê 版本.”
“Huh! 我看, 伊 甚至是 teh 鋪路 做 in 未來 ê 謀殺 neh,” Brent 憤慨講.
Grant 笑出來. “我 mā 感覺, 伊 啥 to 敢,” 伊講. “另外, 你 ùi Croyland 彼个道士 hia, koh 得著 啥貨?”
“Mā 得著 一个 sióx ê 安慰. 拍 hit 通 慌狂 電報 hō͘ 你了, 我發現 伊 ê 話 袂當 全信. 伊 只不過 是 kā 外位 來 ê 閒仔話 記落來. 舉例講, 伊講 Richard tī York 舉行 第二改 ê 加冕禮; he 顯然 毋是事實. 若 連 加冕禮 這種 通人知 ê 大代誌, 伊 to 會 hut 毋著去, 伊 ê 報導 當然 mā 值得懷疑. 毋過, 順紲 講一下, 伊 確實知影 ‘王權法案.’ 伊記錄 全案 ê 要點, 包括 Eleanor Hj hit 部份.”
“誠趣味 neh. 連 tī Croyland 修道 ê 人 to 聽過 Edward 原本 結婚 ê 對象 應該是 siáng.”
“著. 神聖 More 的確是 後來才 眠夢著 Elizabeth Lucy 這个名.”
“閣較免講 彼个 袂見笑 ê 故事, 講 Richard kō͘ 譬相 老母 做為 得王位 ê 基礎.”
“啥貨?”
“More 講, Richard 派人 tī 講道 ê 時 宣布, 講, Edward kap George 是 in 老母 kap 別个 查埔人 偷生 ê, á 伊 Richard 才是 唯一 ê 婚生子, 所致 是 唯一 ê 合法 繼承人.”
“神聖 More, 上無 mā 編一个 較會得 說服人 ê 故事 mah,” Carradine 剾洗講.
“是 ah. 尤其 這个誹謗 ê 彼當時, Richard 蹛 tī 老母 ê 厝內 neh!”
“是 án-ne hoⁿh. 我 soah 袂記得. 我無 警察 ê 彼種 頭腦. 你講 Morton 是 流言 帶原者, che 講了 誠好. 毋過, 假使 這个流言 後來 koh tī 別位 出現 neh?”
“He 當然 有可能. 毋過 我願意 kō͘ 50 比 1 kap 你 賭, 絕對袂 án-ne. 我 一屑仔 to 無相信, 彼當時 有 有關 囡仔失蹤 ê 普遍流言.”
“是按怎 無相信?”
“因為 有一个 我認為 無地辯駁 ê 理由. 如果 彼時 有任何 普遍 ê 不安, 任何 明顯 ê 顛覆 流言 a̍h 行動, Richard 一定會 即時 採取行動 來反制. 後來, 有流言 teh 傳, 講伊 拍算 欲娶 姪女 Elizabeth (its 查埔囡仔 ê 大姊) ê 時, 伊 tō ná 鶆鴞 隨出手. 伊毋但 寫批 hō͘ 各城鎮, 堅決 否認 流言, koh 氣 kah 欲死 (顯然 伊認為 真要緊, 袂使 被中傷) tō 召集 London ê 大人物, 來 伊 揣會著 ê 上大禮堂 (hó-thang 一擺 kā 人 聚集做伙), 當面 kā in 講, 伊對 這件代誌 ê 看法.”
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13.4
‘He was the heart of that conspiracy to murder Richard before he could be crowned, he was in back of the rebellion against Richard once he was crowned, and his trail to the Continent is sticky as a snail’s with—with subversion.’
‘We-ll, the snail part is mere deduction. It wouldn’t stand up in court. But there’s no peradventure about his activities once he was across the channel. He settled down to a whole-time job of subversion. He and a buddy of his called Christopher Urswick worked like beavers in Henry’s interest; “sending preuie letters and cloked messengers” to England to stir up hostility to Richard.’
‘Yes? I don’t know as much as you about what stands up in court and what won’t, but it seems to me that that snail’s trail is a very allowable deduction—if you’ll allow me. I don’t suppose Morton waited till he was overseas before beginning his undermining.’
‘No. No, of course he didn’t. It was life and death to Morton that Richard should go. Unless Richard went, John Morton’s career was over. He was finished. It[Pg 171] wasn’t even that there would be no preferment for him now. There would be nothing. He would be stripped of his numerous livings and be reduced to his plain priest’s frock. He, John Morton. Who had been within touching distance of an archbishopric. But if he could help Henry Tudor to a throne then he might still become not only Archbishop of Canterbury but a Cardinal besides. Oh, yes; it was desperately, overwhelmingly important to Morton that Richard should not have the governing of England.’
‘Well,’ said Brent, ‘he was the right man for a job of subversion. I don’t suppose he knew what a scruple was. A little rumour like infanticide must have been child’s play to him.’
‘There’s always the odd chance that he believed it, of course,’ Grant said, his habit of weighing evidence overcoming even his dislike of Morton.
‘Believed that the boys were murdered?’
‘Yes. It may have been someone else’s invention. After all, the country must have been swarming with Lancastrian tales, part mere ill-will, part propaganda. He may have been merely passing on the latest sample.’
‘Huh! I wouldn’t put it past him to be paving the way for their future murder,’ Brent said tartly.
Grant laughed. ‘I wouldn’t, at that,’ he said. ‘What else did you get from your monk at Croyland?’
‘A little comfort, too. I found after I had written that panic wire to you that he wasn’t at all to be taken as gospel. He just put down what gossip came his way from the outer world. He says, for instance, that Richard had a second coronation, at York; and that of course just isn’t true. If he can be wrong about a big, known, fact[Pg 172] like a coronation, then he’s not to be trusted as a reporter. But he did know about Titulus Regius, by the way. He recorded the whole tenor of it, including Lady Eleanor.’
‘That’s interesting. Even a monk at Croyland had heard who Edward was supposed to have been married to.’
‘Yes. The sainted More must have dreamed up Elizabeth Lucy a good deal later.’
‘To say nothing of the unspeakable story that Richard based his claim on his mother’s shame.’
‘What?’
‘He says that Richard caused a sermon to be preached claiming that Edward and George were his mother’s sons by some other father, and that he, Richard, was the only legitimate son and therefore the only true heir.’
‘The sainted More might have thought up a more convincing one,’ young Carradine said dryly.
‘Yes. Especially when Richard was living in his mother’s house at the time of the libel!’
‘So he was. I’d forgotten that. I don’t have a proper police brain. That’s very neat, what you say about Morton being the carrier of the rumour. But suppose the rumour turns up somewhere else, even yet.’
‘It’s possible, of course. But I’m willing to lay you fifties to any amount that it won’t. I don’t for one moment believe that there was any general rumour that the boys were missing.’
‘Why not?’
‘For a reason that I hold to be unanswerable. If there had been any general uneasiness, any obviously subversive rumours or action, Richard would have taken immediate steps to checkmate them. When the rumour went round,[Pg 173] later, that he was proposing to marry his niece Elizabeth—the boys’ eldest sister—he was on to it like a hawk. He not only sent letters to the various towns denying the rumour in no uncertain terms, he was so furious (and evidently thought it of such importance that he should not be traduced) that he summoned the “heid yins” of London to the biggest hall he could find (so that he could get them all in at one time) and told them face to face what he thought about the affair.’
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