9.3 More ê 空嘴哺舌 kap 乾柴生火

9.3 More ê khang-chhùi pō͘ chi̍h kap ta chhâ seⁿ hóe

[Grant:] “Hmh, án-ne chiâⁿ hó, chiâⁿ chheng-chhó. Siōng chheng-chhó ê sī, chiū sî-kan kap kī-lī lâi khó-lī, hit-ê sîn-sèng More só͘ kóng ê: Richard siá-phe hō͘ Ông-hiō, tiⁿ-giân bi̍t-gí, khǹg yi kan-ta phài sió-tūi hō͘-ōe sàng gín-á tō hó, che kin-pún o͘-pe̍h kóng.”

“Ōe hó͘-lān lah.”

“Khak-si̍t, Richard ê só͘-chò oân-choân ha̍h chêng-lí. I tiāⁿ-tio̍h chai-iáⁿ Edward ûi-chiok ê lāi-iông. I ê hêng-tōng só͘ piáu-hiān ê, tú-hó tō sī ta̍k-ê liāu-sióng i ē chò ê hit-ê khoán: i kò-jîn ê ai-siong í-ki̍p tùi hit-ê gín-á ê koan-hoâi. Kí-pān an-hûn mî-sat koh soan-sè hāu-tiong.

“Tio̍h.”

“Hit-khoán chiàⁿ-thóng bô͘-sek tī tó-ūi chiah tn̄g-khì? Góa sī kóng Richard ê hêng-ûi.”

“Oh, kòe chi̍t-tōaⁿ tn̂g sî-kan iáu bô. Tán i kàu London, hoat-hiān Ông-hiō, sè-hàn ông-chú, chiòng kong-chú, í-ki̍p ông-hiō chêng-ang ê hāu-seⁿ Dorset, lóng bih ji̍p-khì Westminster pī-lān-só͘. Tān che lia̍h-gōa, it-chhè ká-ná lóng chin chèng-siông.”

“I ū kā gín-á chhōa khì London Thah bô?” Carradine hian i ê pit-kì. “Góa bē-kì-tit ah. Hoān-sè góa bô kì tio̍h hit pō͘-hūn. Góa kan-ta sī... Oh, ū lah, tī chia. Bô, i kā gín-á chhōa khì St Paul Tōa-kàu-tn̂g Hn̂g-khu lāi-bīn ê Chú-kàu Kiong, á i ka-tī cháu khì Baynard Siâⁿ-pó kap lāu-bú tòa chò-hóe. Lí kám chai he sī tī tó-ūi? Góa m̄-chai.” 

“Góa chai. He sī York ka-cho̍k ê chū-the̍h. Khiā tī hô-piⁿ, tī St Paul Tōa-kàu-tn̂g se-pêng bô kài hn̄g.

“Oh. I tī hia tòa kàu 6 goe̍h chhe 5, tán in khan-chhiú ùi Pak-pêng lâi kàu-ūi, in chiah poaⁿ khì tòa tī chi̍t-tòng kiò-chò Crosby Place ê chhù.”

“He taⁿ iáu-sī kiò-chò Crosby Place. I í-keng hông sóa khì Chelsea, Richard só͘ chng ê thang-á khó-lêng í-keng bô tī-leh ah – góa chòe-kīn bô khì khòaⁿ kòe – tān kiàn-bu̍t iáu tī-leh.”

“Án-ne oh?” Carradine kóng, kám-kak hoaⁿ-hí. “Góa boeh chek-sî lăi khòaⁿ. Lí siūⁿ khòaⁿ-māi, che chin-chiàⁿ sī chi̍t-ê ū ka-têng khì-bī ê kò͘-sū, kám m̄-sī? Khan-chhiú ji̍p-siâⁿ chìn-chêng, i it-ti̍t kap lāu-bú tòa, jiân-āu chiah poaⁿ chhut-khì kap khan-chhiú tòa chò-hóe. Crosby Place hit-sî kám sī in ê?”

“Góa siūⁿ sī Richard kō͘ sòe ê. He sī London chi̍t-ê Chhī-chèng Koaⁿ ê. Só͘-tì, tī i kàu-ūi London ê sî, oân-choân khòaⁿ bē-chhut ū-lâng hoán-tùi i ê Hō͘-kok Kong sin-hūn, a̍h-sī kái-piàn kè-ōe ê chêng-hêng.”

“Oh, bô. I bōe-kàu London chìn-chêng, lâng lóng í-keng chai i ê Hō͘-kok Kong sin-hūn ah.”

“Lí ná-ē chai he?”

“Tī ‘Choan-lī Koàn-chong’ lāi-bīn, ū 2-pái chheng-ho͘ i Hō͘-kok Kong – góa khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē – 4 goe̍h 21 (Edward sí āu bōe 2 lé-pài) kap 5 goe̍h chhe 2 (I kàu London 2-kang chêng).”

“Chiâⁿ hó; góa sìn-ho̍k ah. Só͘-í bô hoán-hōa, bô jiá mâ-hoân ê iáⁿ-jiah?” 

“Chiū góa só͘ chhâ-tio̍h ê, bô. 6 goeh chhe 5, i pan-pò͘ iú-koan gín-á boeh tī 6 goe̍h 22 ka-bián ê siông-sè bēng-lēng. I sīm-chì siá-phe tiàu-chi̍p hit 40-ūi chiong pī hong chò Bath Khî-sū ê sū-chiông. Khòaⁿ khí-lâi, he sī chi̍t-ê hong-sio̍k, Kok-ông chóng-sī tī ka-bián lé chhek-hong khî-sū.” 

“Chhe 5,” Grant kóng, ná teh tîm-su. “Á i kā ka-bián lé tēng tī 22 hit-kang. I bô lâu hō͘ ka-tī gōa-chē sî-kan khì chhiâu-chhe̍k neh.” 

“Bô neh. Sīm-chì ū chi̍t-tiâu ūi gín-á ka-bián lé-ho̍k ê tēng-hòe kì-lo̍k.” 

“Jiân-āu án-chóaⁿ ah?”

“Hmh,” Carradine kóng, pháiⁿ-sè pháiⁿ-sè, “góa bo̍k-chêng kan-ta chhâ kàu chia. Tī chi̍t-kái Gī-chèng Hōe ni̍h hoat-seng kóa tāi-chì – góa siūⁿ he sī tī 6 goe̍h chhe 8 – m̄-koh sū-kiāⁿ ê thâu-bóe sī kì-chài tī ‘Philippe de Comines ê Hôe-ek Lo̍k,’ góa bo̍k-chêng iáu-bōe the̍h kàu chhiú. Tān, ū-lâng tah-èng bîn-á-chài hō͘ góa khòaⁿ Mandrot 1901 nî ìn ê pán-pún. Khòaⁿ sī, Bath Chú-kàu ū tī 6 goe̍h chhe 8 ê Gī-chèng Hōe pàng-chhut chi̍t-kóa siau-sit. Lí chai hit-ê Bath Chú-kàu bô? I hō-chò Stillington.”

“M̄-bat thiaⁿ-kòe.”

“I sī Bān-lêng Ha̍k-īⁿ (All Souls) Īⁿ-sū, koán he sī siáⁿ ha̍k-īⁿ, mā sī York Tōa-kàu-tn̂g Chham-gī, koán he sī siáⁿ chit-ūi.”

“Khòaⁿ khí-lâi, sī chi̍t-ê ū ha̍k-būn koh siū chun-kèng ê lâng.” 

“Hmh, kàu-sî lán tō chai lah.”

“Tî-liáu Comines, lí kám ū hian-tio̍h kî-thaⁿ kāng sî-tāi ê le̍k-sú ha̍k-ka?” 

“Kàu bo̍k-chêng ûi-chí, iáu bô chhōe-tio̍h jīm-hô tī Richard sí chìn-chêng tāng-pit ê lâng. Comines sui-bóng phian Franse, tān bô phian Tudor, só͘-tì i pí hiah-ê tī Tudor thóng-tī hā siá Richard ê England lâng koh-khah khó-khò. Put-jî-kò, góa ū chi̍t-ê kài chán ê àn-lē, ē-sái hō͘ lí chai-iáⁿ le̍k-sú sī án-chóaⁿ chè-chō chhut-lâi ê. Sī góa teh chhōe hit sî-tāi chok-ka ê sî hoat-hiān ê. Lí chai, in thê-khí ê chi̍t-kóa iú-koan Richard ê tāi-chì, kî-tiong chi̍t-hāng sī, tī Tewkesbury chiàn-ia̍h liáu-āu, i léng-khok sat-hāi Henry VI ê ko͘-kiáⁿ? Hmh, m̄-koán lí sìn a̍h m̄-sìn, hit-ê kò͘-sū choân-jiân sī pian chhut-lâi ê. Lí ē-sái ùi i tē-it pái pian chhut-lâi ê sî-kan tiám chi̍t-lō͘ tui-chong lo̍h-lâi. Tùi hiah-ê kóng ‘bô hóe bē khí ian’ ê lâng lâi-kóng, che sī siōng oân-bí ê hoán-chèng. Siong-sìn góa, hit-ê ian sī kō͘ nn̄g-ki ta-chhâ ngē bôa chhut-lâi ê.”

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9.3 More ê 空嘴哺舌 kap 乾柴生火

[Grant:] “Hmh, án-ne 誠好, 誠清楚. 上清楚 ê 是, 就時間 kap 距離 來考慮, 彼个神聖 More 所講 ê: Richard 寫批 hō͘ 王后, 甜言蜜語, 勸她 干焦派 小隊護衛 送囡仔 tō 好, che 根本烏白講.”

“畫虎膦 lah.”

“確實, Richard ê 所做 完全 合情理. 伊定著 知影 Edward 遺囑 ê 內容. 伊 ê 行動 所表現 ê, 拄好 tō 是 逐个料想 伊會做 ê 彼个款: 伊個人 ê 哀傷 以及 對 彼个囡仔 ê 關懷. 舉辦 安魂 mî-sat koh 宣誓效忠.

“著.”

“彼款 正統模式 tī 佗位 才斷去? 我是講 Richard ê 行為.”

“Oh, 過一段 長時間 猶無. 等 伊到 London, 發現 王后, 細漢王子, 眾公主, 以及 王后前翁 ê 後生 Dorset, lóng 覕入去 Westminster 避難所. 但 che 掠外, 一切 ká-ná lóng 真正常.”

“伊有 kā 囡仔 𤆬去 London 塔 無?”

Carradine 掀 伊 ê 筆記. “我袂記得 ah. 凡勢 我無記著 hit 部份. 我干焦是... Oh, 有 lah, tī chia. 無, 伊 kā 囡仔 𤆬去 St Paul 大教堂園區 內面 ê 主教宮, á 伊 ka-tī 走去 Baynard 城堡 kap 老母 蹛做伙. 你敢知 he 是 tī 佗位? 我毋知.”

“我知. He 是 York 家族 ê 住宅. 徛 tī 河邊, tī St Paul 大教堂 西爿 無 kài 遠.

“Oh. 伊 tī hia 蹛到 6 月初 5, 等 in 牽手 ùi 北爿來到位, in 才搬去 蹛 tī 一棟 叫做 Crosby Place ê 厝.”

“He 今猶是 叫做 Crosby Place. 伊已經 hông 徙去 Chelsea, Richard 所裝 ê 窗仔 可能已經 無 tī-leh ah - 我最近 無去 看過 - 但 建物 猶 tī-leh.”

“Án-ne oh?” Carradine 講, 感覺歡喜. “我欲 即時 lăi 看. 你想看覓, che 真正是 一个 有家庭氣味 ê 故事, 敢毋是? 牽手入城進前, 伊一直 kap 老母蹛, 然後 才搬出去 kap 牽手 蹛做伙. Crosby Place 彼時 敢是 in ê?”

“我想 是 Richard kō͘ 稅 ê. He 是 London 一个 市政官 ê. 所致, tī 伊到位 London ê 時, 完全看袂出 有人反對 伊 ê 護國公身份, 抑是 改變計畫 ê 情形.”

“Oh, 無. 伊未到 London 進前, 人 lóng 已經知 伊 ê 護國公身份 ah.”

“你那會知 he?”

“Tī ‘專利卷宗’ 內面, 有 2 擺 稱呼伊 護國公 - 我看一下 - 4 月 21 (Edward 死後 未 2 禮拜) kap 5 月初 2 (伊到 London 2 工前).”

“誠好; 我信服 ah. 所以 無反嘩, 無惹麻煩 ê 影跡?”

“就我所查著 ê, 無. 6 月初 5, 伊頒布 有關囡仔 欲 tī 6 月 22 加冕 ê 詳細命令. 伊甚至 寫批召集 hit 40 位 將被 封做 Bath 騎士 ê 侍從. 看起來, he 是 一个風俗, 國王總是 tī 加冕禮 冊封騎士.”

“初 5,” Grant 講, ná teh 沉思. “Á伊 kā 加冕禮 定 tī 22 彼工. 伊無留 hō͘ ka-tī 偌濟時間 去撨摵 neh.”

“無 neh. 甚至 有一條 為囡仔 加冕禮服 ê 訂貨記錄.”

“然後按怎 ah?”

“Hmh,” Carradine 講, 歹勢歹勢, “我目前 干焦 查到 chia. Tī 一改議政會 ni̍h 發生寡代誌 - 我想 he 是 tī 6 月初 8 - 毋過 事件 ê 頭尾 是記載 tī ‘Philippe de Comines ê 回憶錄,’ 我目前 猶未 提到手. 但, 有人答應 明仔載 hō͘ 我看 Mandrot 1901年 印 ê 版本. 看是, Bath 主教 有 tī 6 月初 8 ê 議政會 放出 一寡消息. 你知彼个 Bath 主教 無? 伊號做 Stillington.”

“毋捌聽過.”

“伊是 萬靈學院 (All Souls) 院士, 管 he 是啥學院, mā 是 York 大教堂參議, 管 he 是啥職位.”

“看起來, 是一个 有學問 koh 受尊敬 ê 人.”

“Hmh, 到時 咱 tō 知 lah.”

“除了 Comines, 你敢有 掀著 其他 仝時代 ê 歷史學家?”

“到目前為止, 猶無揣著 任何 tī Richard 死進前 動筆 ê 人. Comines 雖罔偏 Franse, 但 無偏 Tudor, 所致 伊 比 hiah-ê tī Tudor 統治下 寫 Richard ê England 人 閣較可靠. 不而過, 我有一个 kài 讚 ê 案例, 會使 hō͘ 你知影 歷史是 按怎 製造出來 ê. 是我 teh 揣 彼時代 作家 ê 時 發現 ê. 你知, in 提起 ê 一寡有關 Richard ê 代誌, 其中一項 是, tī Tewkesbury 戰役了後, 伊冷酷殺害 Henry VI ê 孤囝? Hmh, 毋管 你信 a̍h 毋信, 彼个故事 全然是 編出來 ê. 你會使 ùi 伊第一擺 編出來 ê 時間點 一路追蹤 落來. 對 hiah-ê 講 ‘無火 袂起煙’ ê 人 來講, 這是 上完美 ê 反證. 相信我, 彼个煙 是 kō͘ 兩支焦柴 硬磨出來 ê.”

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9.3

‘Well, that is very nice and clear. And what is clearest of all is that, considering time and distances, the sainted More’s account of his writing sweet letters to the Queen to induce her to send only a small escort for the boy, is nonsense.’

‘Bunk.’

‘Indeed, Richard did just what one would expect him to do. He must of course have known the provisions of Edward’s will. What his actions suggest is just what one would expect them to suggest; his own sorrow and his care for the boy. A requiem mass and an oath of allegiance.’

‘Yes.’

[Pg 124]‘Where does the break in this orthodox pattern come? I mean: in Richard’s behaviour.’

‘Oh, not for a long time. When he arrived in London he found that the Queen, the younger boy, the daughters, and her first-marriage son, Dorset, had all bolted into sanctuary at Westminster. But apart from that things seem to have been normal.’

‘Did he take the boy to the Tower?’

Carradine riffled through his notes. ‘I don’t remember. Perhaps I didn’t get that. I was only—Oh, yes, here it is. No, he took the boy to the Bishop’s Palace in St Paul’s Churchyard, and he himself went to stay with his mother at Baynard’s Castle. Do you know where that was? I don’t.’

‘Yes. It was the Yorks’ town house. It stood on the bank of the river just a little way west of St Paul’s.’

‘Oh. Well, he stayed there until June the 5th, when his wife arrived from the North and they went to stay in a house called Crosby Place.’

‘It is still called Crosby Place. It has been moved to Chelsea, and the window Richard put into it may not still be there—I haven’t seen it lately—but the building is there.’

‘It is?’ Carradine said, delighted. ‘I’ll go and see it right away. It’s a very domestic tale when you think of it, isn’t it. Staying with his mother until his wife gets to town, and then moving in with her. Was Crosby Place theirs, then?’

‘Richard had leased it, I think. It belonged to one of the Aldermen of London. So there is no suggestion of opposition to his Protectorship, or of change of plans, when he arrived in London.’

[Pg 125]‘Oh, no. He was acknowledged Protector before he ever arrived in London.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘In the Patent Rolls he is called Protector on two occasions—let me see—April 21st (that’s less than a fortnight after Edward’s death) and May the 2nd (that’s two days before he arrived in London at all.)’

‘All right; I’m sold. And no fuss? No hint of trouble?’

‘Not that I can find. On the 5th of June he gave detailed orders for the boy’s coronation on the 22nd. He even had letters of summons sent out to the forty squires who would be made knights of the Bath. It seems it was the custom for the King to knight them on the occasion of his coronation.’

‘The 5th,’ Grant said musingly. ‘And he fixed the coronation for the 22nd. He wasn’t leaving himself much time for a switch-over.’

‘No. There’s even a record of the order for the boy’s coronation clothes.’

‘And then what?’

‘Well,’ Carradine said, apologetic, ‘that’s as far as I’ve got. Something happened at a Council—on the 8th of June, I think—but the contemporary account is in the Mémoires of Philippe de Comines and I haven’t been able to get hold of a copy so far. But someone has promised to let me see a copy of Mandrot’s 1901 printing of it tomorrow. It seems that the Bishop of Bath broke some news to the Council on June the 8th. Do you know the Bishop of Bath? His name was Stillington.’

‘Never heard of him.’

‘He was a Fellow of All Souls, whatever that is, and a Canon of York, whatever that may be.’

[Pg 126]‘Both learned and respectable, it appears.’

‘Well, we’ll see.’

‘Have you turned up any contemporary historians—other than Comines?’

‘Not any, so far, who wrote before Richard’s death. Comines has a French bias but not a Tudor one, so he’s more trustworthy than an Englishman writing about Richard under the Tudors would be. But I’ve got a lovely sample for you of how history is made. I found it when I was looking up the contemporary writers. You know that one of the things they tell about Richard III is that he killed Henry VI’s only son in cold blood after the battle of Tewkesbury? Well, believe it or not, that story is made up out of whole cloth. You can trace it from the very time it was first told. It’s the perfect answer to people who say there’s no smoke without fire. Believe me this smoke was made by rubbing two pieces of dry stick together.’

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