Margaret of Anjou, naturally offended, and never politic, had sent
her a message, that her attendance was no longer required. So here
she was going out of her way to make a casual inquiry, from the Court
at Winchester, whether that very unimportant article, her only
daughter, were dead or alive.
The Earl absolutely prohibited all conversation on affairs in debate
during the supper which was spread in the hall, with quite as much
state as, and even greater profusion and splendour, than was to be
found at Windsor, Winchester, or Westminster. All the high born sat
on the dais, raised on two steps with gorgeous tapestry behind, and a
canopy overhead; the Earl and Countess on chairs in the centre of the
long narrow table. Lady Whitburn sat beside the Earl, Sir William
Copeland by the Countess, watching with pleasure how deftly his son
ran about among the pages, carrying the trenchers of food, and the
cups. He entered on a conversation with the Countess, telling her of
the King's interest and delight in his beautiful freshly-founded
Colleges at Eton and Cambridge, how the King rode down whenever he
could to see the boys, listen to them at their tasks in the
cloisters, watch them at their sports in the playing fields, and join
in their devotions in the Chapel--a most holy example for them.
"Ay, for such as seek to be monks and shavelings," broke in the North
Country voice sarcastically.
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