In the Wars of the Roses | Page 2

trail of war. Her two first-born sons,
the younger of whom was twenty-two, had long been very finished
young gallants, trained to every military enterprise, and eager to
unsheathe their swords whenever rumour told of slight to King Henry
or his haughty queen from the proud Protector, who for a time had held

the reins of government, though exercising his powers in the name of
the afflicted king.
But Paul was still a child, not yet quite eight years old; and of the five
fair children born to her between him and his brothers, not one had
lived to complete his or her third year, so that the mother's heart twined
itself the more firmly about this last brave boy, and in the frequent
absences of husband and sons upon matters of business or pleasure, the
companionship between the pair was almost unbroken, and they loved
each other with a devotion that may easily be understood. Paul felt no
awe of his gentle mother, but rather looked upon himself as her
champion and defender in his father's absence. It was no new thing for
him to long for manhood and its privileges; for would not these make
him all the stouter protector to his mother?
But she was wont when he spoke such words to check him by gentle
counsel and motherly sympathy, and now she took his hand in hers and
patted it smilingly as she replied:
"Ah, my little Paul, time flies fast, and you will be a man before very
long now; but be content for these next days to be yet a child.
Perchance the little prince will pay more heed to such as are of his age.
"You may chance to win a smile from him, even if the nobles and
gentlemen regard not children."
Paul's face brightened instantly.
"O mother, yes; I had not thought of that. But I do so long to see the
little prince. Oh, if he were to notice me--to speak to me--how happy I
should be! We were born on the same day, were we not, dear
mother--on the thirteenth of October? But I am older, am I not?"
"Yes, my child; by two years. You will be eight upon your next
birthday, and he six. But I hear he is such a forward, kingly, noble child,
that both in appearance and discretion he is far in advance of his actual
age. Those who are brought up with royalty early learn the lessons
which to others come but with advancing years."
"I love the little prince, our good king's son," cried Paul with kindling
eyes; "I would that I had been called Edward, too. Mother, why was I
not given his name, as I was born on his day, and that of the good St.
Edward too?"
The mother fondly caressed the golden curls of the beautiful child as
she answered:

"Ah, my son, we knew not till long afterward that our gracious queen
had borne a little son on thy natal day. Paul is a name which many of
our race have borne before, and so we called our child by it. It is the
man that makes the name, not the name the man."
"I know that, mother; yet I would fain have borne the name of the little
prince. But hark! I hear the sounds of the horses' feet. They are
bringing them round to the door. Sweet mother, lose no time. Let us
mount and depart. I would fain have been in the gallant band of
gentlemen who rode out this morning at dawn to welcome and escort
the king and queen; as my father and brothers were. But let us not delay.
I should be sorely grieved were we to miss seeing the entry into the
city."
Lady Stukely smiled at the impatience of the child, knowing well that
many hours must elapse before the royal party would reach the city
walls; but she was willing to gratify the ardent desires of her little son,
and as she was already dressed for the saddle, she rose and took him by
the hand and led him out to the courtyard, where some half dozen of the
good knight's retainers were awaiting their lady and her son.
Stukely Hall was no very large or pretentious place, but it was built in
that quadrangular form so common to that age, and accommodated
within its walls the dependents and retainers that every man of rank had
about him under the old feudal system, which obliged him to bring to
his lord's service on demand a certain following of armed and trained
soldiers.
In those days, when every article of common consumption was made at
home, the household of even a knight or gentleman of no great wealth
or note was