Of Pride and Power - 17. Chapter 17: “Keep your hands clean.”

Two years of preparation were not wasted, whether it was the fifteen thousand troops that we had trained and marshaled across western England or the stockpiles of weapons and munitions manufactured at Cadbury Hill. However, nothing could have prepared everyone for the events that led to July 6th, 1553. That was the historical date of Edward VI’s death, the start of a short nine-day reign of Jane Grey as Queen of England with John Dudley serving as her regent before Mary would rally her forces to remove Jane and John from power. That was how history had originally fated everyone’s roles, but various changes had altered things dramatically, such as the inclusion of Streptomycin by me when Edward began to show early signs of Tuberculosis in April.

Throughout the last two years, I have made many trips to London to visit Edward. We had become close, like real siblings in spirit as well as blood. Knowing I could at least spare him a death by illness, I thought I could manage to keep him alive in the power struggle that was sure to come. Edward could not maintain his rule, but I could persuade him to step down and name me his heir. Doing that would allow me to engage in an open three-way battle for the throne with Mary and John Dudley’s forces. I was naïve to think history could be controlled like that.

John Dudley had rebuilt and enlarged his army, around 30,000 men overall from various nobles through King Edward VI’s nominal control. He tightened his hold on power through the privy council. He sent spies to every corner of England and Wales, including my domain. However, he was using antiquated techniques and systems against both me and Mary, who were operating with advanced knowledge of his conspiracy to take the throne. I think even in history, his schemes were just too transparent to ever succeed. For my party, Francis had found his spies in Somerset, but like Mary’s network, we allowed them to operate in non-critical areas and noble households. His military may be large and his noble backers were more numerous, but his powerbase was due to the Privy Council, not his own. After the compromises he made after Robert Kett’s rebellion had drained his forces, his power was flimsy.

Of more concern, Mary had vast military and intelligence forces. Despite Mary’s cordial appearance to Edward and me, I knew from informants and Francis’ ability through John Dudley’s dead spies that she was marshaling her army with Spanish support. Through Frances’ handler at Hatch Beauchamp Manor, we identified every spy from Cornwall to Wales on the west coast.

As for Mary’s military forces, unlike the forces of Robert Kett, these soldiers were dedicated English Catholic expatriates, who were trained in Spain with the latest tactics and weapons available. With breach-loaded rifles and howitzers, they would be a more formidable adversary in open battlefields due to light population density. Additionally, reports of horseless metal carriages being sent to Catholic Scotland from John Knox’s messengers and English regions loyal to Mary were growing. The tanks did not run on modern tracks, instead, they had inflated tires. The use of tires meant her tanks were unable to mount an array of heavy weapons or armor, limiting them to being light tanks or armored vehicles. While potent against infantry, such vehicles can be destroyed by well-aimed mortar fire as they were in World War I and II. Along with the limited supply of gasoline and other refined chemical fuels, Mary could only use her armor advantage during her opening moves to take the throne as it would cost too much to ship fuel over and it would take decades before large-scale drilling and refineries could be built. As such, she and I would be at parity when it came to actual military capabilities.

At the start of June 1553, I thought we had everything under control. However, something odd occurred when Jane Dudley, his mother, summoned Robert back to their Northumberland estate due to her suffering from a sweating disease. We both knew there were several outbreaks, including one outbreak in 1551, when Ambrose fell ill and Robert had to go off with some natural antibiotics to assist. Neither of us thought much of it and he went off to visit Jane Dudley.

Several days later, a messenger pigeon came from Lord Ashley to Hatch Beauchamp Manor which changed all our calculations. The pigeon carried a letter with the Latin words “Tres verba praeter” (Skip three words), and the Greek words “παράλειψον μίαν γραμμήν” (Skip one line). A week later a messenger from Lord Ashley came to the manor delivering a long letter describing an elaborate birthday party that he wanted to throw me in September. I gave the letter to Francis, who had a better grasp of ciphers and intelligence analysis than anyone alive.

The letter warned of two armies on the move. One will be landing near the city of Exeter in southeastern Devonshire, threatening to flank me. This army was likely the more modern military force, trained in Spain and possessed more artillery pieces. Mary would likely lead this force herself. The other army had already moved southward from Scotland, having seized the city of York. In addition, the powerful Percy family, whose lands were situated in Northumberland, had attacked John Dudley’s vassals throughout Northumberland. While those vassals should have been receiving aid from John Dudley’s garrisons, the garrisons were not answering calls for aid. Jane Dudley, who had relocated there, had sent orders to all garrisons to remain within fortified towns with her husband's seal of office. John Dudley could not send messengers north to counter his wife’s orders as his messengers were being killed by troops loyal to Mary. Thus, John Dudley had only 10,000 men at his command in London with the majority of the national gunpowder stores and arsenal, but his weapons would be ineffective compared to the modern arms at Mary’s disposal. He also had Edward sequestered in Whitehall.

Hearing this horrible news, I tried to recall Robert, but it was already too late. If Robert had been recalled to London, I would have sent everything I had to retrieve him, because John Dudley’s historic decision to send his sons to attack Mary’s forces would be suicide under the current circumstances. However, Jane Dudley was a different can of worms. While my historical knowledge does not explicitly reveal her allegiances, she was close to the Spanish royal court and various notable Catholic luminaries during Mary I's reign. It would not be a stretch to assume she aided Mary and the Catholic factions of England in the ensuing power struggle against her husband. Additionally, I knew Jane Dudley would be instrumental in protecting Ambrose and Robert, using much of their family fortune to bribe Spanish ambassador Don Diego de Acevedo after failing to save Guilford from execution. For all her husband’s faults, history did indicate that she was a devoted mother to her children with pure intentions to them, if not toward others, including my historical counterpart. I can only hope that she was gathering her children to her side for their protection in this power-play by Mary. If she could successfully recall Ambrose, it would mean one less head on the chopping block. Guildford was Jane’s husband, and both resided with John Dudley in London, so it was unlikely that a summons would be effective.

Francis, the triplets, and Puck escorted me to Bristol Castle, where a war council was held to prepare for the oncoming storm. We had enough weapons and troops to blunt Mary’s forces across England, but Robert was important to the manufacturing of explosive shells and other chemical components as we did not have heavy industry operating. Prefabricated building materials and machinery were ready to be used for that purpose, but I wanted to save that for multi-stage industrialization.

Amid our discussions, Francis interrupted everyone, “Barnaby Fitzpatrick was just murdered.”

Barnaby was Edward’s carver and boyfriend, who had helped smuggle in the Streptomycin for Edward’s treatment. He trusted me to have Edward's best interest at heart and I personally liked the guy as he reminded me of Robert. His murder despite being one of Edward’s personal servants and male favorites meant that something was happening within Whitehall Palace.

“Do you know who killed Barnaby?” I asked Francis.

“No, I can only perceive that he died quickly after drinking a cup of bitter-tasting tea. My best guess is that it was poison,” Francis answered pointedly.

Puck stood up in shock, then exclaimed, “Francis, it’s impossible. There are simply too many people, both loyal to the former King Henry and Lord John Dudley for an assassin to poison Barnaby. If they could kill him…” he did not finish his speech as we all knew that King Edward was likely on a short list of targets.

Oberon being the eldest amongst us cleared his voice, “Should we discuss using the Golden Fleece plan?”

Francis dismissed the idea immediately, “No, it would require the use of all available informants and agents in Eastern England to execute. We’re reserving that for the future.”

I chimed in, “Perhaps we could…”

Francis flatly answered, “No, Duke Eli, the plan was designed, and materials were designed by me and Lord Robert. We will not use those resources, not even for King Edward.”

Puck countered, “Francis, be reasonable, King Edward is a decent ruler and it would improve Duke Eli’s legitimacy if he were to make Duke Eli, his legal heir. That was the Coven’s succession peaceful plans, then we could clear up the forces of John Dudley and Mary in a series of decisive battles in Wales and England, while Mr. Knox raised a rebellion in Scotland to hold off the Catholic forces in the north.”

The original plan was to pin down the Scottish House of Stuart and Catholic-aligned support forces in the North through civil uprisings, while my main force engaged John Dudley and Mary’s forces in England akin to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Despite the modern forces that Mary held, the same issue of resource limitations applied to her as it does to me, so when she moved to attack John Dudley’s armies in London and Northumberland, I could launch my surprise attack after Mary had defeated John Dudley, just as King Harold Goodwinson defeated King Harold Hardrada at the Battle of Stanford Bridge. His exhausted forces lost to Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. History may not repeat itself, but rhyming is common. A military victory with Edward VI abdicating and granting me legitimacy as heir would have cleared the air and removed the five years of Mary’s bloody reign. Too bad, the plan created by Francis, Puck, and the Coven’s leadership could never happen.

Sighing and accepting fate, I pointed out the variations to Puck, “The Coven’s plan never anticipated a second army to appear near our flanks. You also did not anticipate that Northumberland would be ensnared by internal betrayal so quickly. With the Stuarts’ Scottish army already in York and the Percy family sieging the garrisons of Northumberland, along with Mrs. Jane Dudley likely giving out false or misleading orders to her husband's forces, Mary’s northern contingent has already exceeded the best estimate in the early analysis.”

Francis, Oberon, Puck, and the rest of the Coven’s leadership bowed their heads at my words, then jointly mumbled, “I’m sorry my Duke.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. We knew about the Scottish build-up, and so did Edward and John Dudley. We didn’t know the Percy family would have acted in concert with Mary. Jane Dudley was never explicitly shown in history to be a co-conspirator in the ascendancy of Mary I, but I should have made the logical leap due to her favorability in court and Spain. There is nothing to apologize for, we couldn’t have known,” I told everyone with as much calmness as I could in that situation.

Puck turned towards me pleading, “My Duke, what can we do?”

I chose the option that would allow my forces to retain their nominal strength, “I’ll lead a force of knights and retainers to Exeter to greet Mary’s army. We will bring several carts of food, arrows, and low-grade gunpowder for her army. None of our main forces will be sent in the ensuing battles, nor should any of you join my side with revolvers or modern weapons.”

Puck frowned, “We’re joining forces with the devil herself. You know she’s probably behind the assassin, right.”

Francis nodded in agreement with Puck, “Mary has the motive and motivation to send an assassin into the Palace. You are also in line to the throne as well Duke Eli.”

I stared at both of them, “Look, I know it's dangerous and I am counting on you two to counter every poisonous object and assassin trying to get close to me. I know she wants me dead, along with the entire cabal of time travelers behind the church. I am technically still someone who could take the throne. With the appearance of my infertility, they will not kill me immediately. Showing I am helpless and weaker than Mary will help our cause.”

My normal group followed me to Hatch Beauchamp Manor, my official residence, where I summoned all the nobles in my territories to muster their men. Most of them were probably hearing rumors of trouble in the north, so it should not come as a surprise that I would muster them. However, I was surprised by a visitor to my work study, the fourteen-year-old Frances Howard and thirteen-year-old Edward Seymore. At nineteen, I was their surrogate older sibling more than a father figure, so I usually kept an open-door policy for them to come to me with issues. Despite the enormity of the crises that were affecting the kingdom, I could not find it in my heart to kick these kids out of my makeshift office.

Edward bowed, then formally asked, “My Duke Eli, Lady Frances Howard has a revelation and indictment to make about one of your servants at Hatch Beauchamp Manor. I can verify her claims as I overheard the conversation and will vouch on my honor to its veracity.”

Francis stopped writing with his ink pen, then stared at Frances and asked the question, “What do you wish to reveal and who are you indicting in this household?”

Frances stood firm and answered, “I wish to reveal that Princess Mary is behind the disturbances in the north. She also has an army of 20,000 arriving soon near Exeter in Devon. Mary will personally lead her army from Exeter to London, to take the throne. I know this information because I was one of her spies and I have been working with Lady Carlisle to deliver knowledge of Duke Eli’s activity to the Princess. I wish to lay indictments on me and Lady Carlisle.”

I had known that Lady Carlisle was her handler and had Francis keep a close eye on her, along with associates around the household. We had already marked twenty-seven servants for dismissal. Frances turning from her prior mistress to me was expected at some point. Francis had reported that Frances had been giving vague and limited reports about my whereabouts and activities for the last two years. She did not mention the scandalous three-way sexual intercourse that was going on between me, Robert, and Francis, unlike other servants. I also gave her freedom to do things that most ladies were not permitted to do, such as making a suit of leather armor for her, along with a wooden sword and shield. In contrast to Edward, who enjoyed discussing history, music, and art, Frances enjoyed giving noble boys black eyes and scraping her knees in the mud. She was growing taller and stronger as puberty hit.

I nodded, then asked her with my emotions hidden, “Why did you betray me, Frances? Have I been a bad guardian? Did I mistreat you in any way?”

Tears began to stream down Frances’ face, “No…No, you have been the best master, better than any man or woman. I was afraid after Princess Mary saved me from…My father was imprisoned for his views and my family had lost its position. As I was in the palace serving Princess Mary, my status was reduced to a lowly servant and other nobles treated me…badly. If I had met you earlier, I would have followed you with all my heart. You did more than save me from torment, only to feast on scraps. You gave me liberties that I never thought I could have. You showed me that I need not be bound by my station or role as a lady. I cannot stand by in silence and watch as you fall into a trap laid by Princess Mary.”

I stood, walked over to her, and hugged her. She’s a good girl and if she were born five hundred years later, I think a great example of female potential. I didn’t win her over by offering gold, perfumes, or promises of marriage like some dollar-store medieval romance novel that I had Jack read to me out of curiosity. What I did in the last two years was offer her freedom to be herself, freedom to leave the confines of her gender role. Not all women have the potential to be strong warriors like Frances, but some do. In my world, men with such ability and women without such ability castigate girls like Frances for being “weird”. There’s nothing weird about wanting to surpass your male counterparts, nothing weird about wanting to sweat and play aggressively with boys. I showed her that her desires mattered, something no one else had done for her.

As her sobbing ceased, I heard Edward’s familiar voice, “Duke Eli, I beg you to spare Lady Frances Howard. She was misguided and fearful. While I could have revealed all of this to you myself, I knew her character was not malign. I spent the night convincing her this was the right course.”

Edward had grown up a lot, he was a better speaker, negotiator, and developing gentleman. While he could have taken all the glory of telling me everything, he heard from me or Francis, he chose the harder path of convincing a friend to be honest. It was still dangerous and shortsighted, if Frances was more dedicated or if Lady Carlisle also knew he overheard them, his body would like to be found in the River Cam. As an ambassador, I knew he would be my best ally, but his personality meant he would take a lot more risk than I would like.

I hugged Edward as well, which he shied away from initially, but he grudgingly accepted when I said, “Yes, I forgive her and you as well. It would be best if you were not handling skullduggery like this Edward. If Frances were less benign, you may have perished.”

After a week of gathering forces and material offerings for Princess Mary’s army, we set off for Exeter. I had a group of 5,000 troops from various nobles across my territory. Some may have heard about my formidable forces, but none had seen them. When I arrived outside the city, I noticed a large group of tents surrounding the city, along with metal ships far off the shore. As we approached the center of the camp, many of the nobles around me shook with fear at the sight of howitzers, armored vehicles, and machine gun posts. Mary soldiers in contrast laughed as we rode past them with our horse and oxen-drawn carts full of food, metal, and bags of gunpowder. I dismounted off my horse at the tent of Princess Mary and asked to join my sister.

A dour-looking man dressed in the attire of a Roman Catholic priest greeted us, “Duke Eli, we did not expect you to arrive so soon with so many gifts. How did you hear of Her Majesty’s plan to defend the kingdom?”

Knowing that I needed to offer her a sign of my surrender, I showed her the secret letter sent by Lord Ashley, “I received this cipher and message from Lord Ashley, who entreated me to bring my force to stop my sister. As I know the strength of the Church is that of God’s own, I cannot comply. The will of god cannot be denied.”

I was throwing Lord Ashley under the bus on this intelligence, but I had no way of countering Mary’s forces, nor can Lord Ashley hope for assistance with diminished means at his disposal. However, by obscuring my second intelligence source from Frances, I kept a double agent in play. I told Frances to remain nominally loyal to Princess Mary, so we could use her to disseminate counter-intelligence information while gathering important details about Mary’s spies and military assets. British MI5 was created centuries later, but the lessons of spy-craft were learned during this era of chaos.

The priest saw the cipher and translated the letter, then smiled, “Very well, Duke Eli, you may enter the tent alone to visit Princess Mary.”

Francis, Puck, and the triplets frowned as I left their protection to enter the dimly lit tent. Princess Mary sat on an elevated chair surrounded by men with what appeared to be Walther P-38 8-round pistols, which were comparable to the Enfield No. 2 6-round revolvers that my main forces were using. While I did not show it, I was impressed by her authoritative presence.

In front of Mary, I knelt on one knee and proclaimed, “Long Live Queen Mary Tudor!”

The history books remember this as my lowest point, but don’t let official history fool you. While she may have had more forces than me at the time on the battlefield, our 15,000 strong army was capable of stopping both their forces at this point, at least until the Spanish and Papal involvement. What I saw in London a few weeks later was my true lowest point and gave me real doubts.