THE LAST WHITE ROSE - EPISODE FIVE: "TRAITOR'S TRUCE"

One page synopsis of Episode Five of "The Last White Rose": "Traitor's Truce" As Lord Stanley's Lancastrian troops and Sir William Henry's enemy flanks move closer as the dawn nears on Ambion Hill, Merlin asks King Richard III, "see ye your future or your past?" Richard responds "both" and this conflict of conscience plays on his fears. The doubts are the atrophy as Merlin concedes, "because afflicted enough it can be the Achilles heel of a man's soul." In order to assuage those qualms, Richard must turn again to that time following Anne's rescue and put to rest the reasons why they continued to be separated in their prime. The treachery of Richard's middle brother George of Clarence, has been exposed and yet he is still able to wield enough power to force a hearing with the King over who has guardianship of Anne. George has something on the King or Edward would not be so willing to cooperate. These are the warnings of Richard's most trusted and older friend Sir John Howard of Essex who assures the love-struck Richard that Clarence has no legal basis to pursue his agenda of keeping Anne from Richard. John also warns of another in the north, the Earl of Northumberland Henry Percy, who will indeed become a thorn in Richard's side. We turn now to Christmastide and Richard's visit to Anne at the Monk's Cell in Collegiate Church. There, following her confession to Friar Michael Lynn, she awaits with baited breath her love. He brings her a present from their days at Middleham: her lute from Warwick to cheer her up. But Richard must wage his case for her and that will take months. It is not until April that news arrives that Richard has conceded much in property and titles to Clarence to wed his one true love. Amidst great pomp and ceremony Richard and Anne are married in Westminster Cathedral on April 28, 1472 by Anne's uncle the Archbishop of York George Neville. There is sincerity in many guests, spitefulness and pomposity in others including Clarence and the Woodville Queen who cannot mask her hatred for Anne. Yet this cannot spoil their day as they retire to Baynard Castle for their wedding night where Richard's mother proud Cis has given them run of the palace while she's away at Fotheringhay. This night of bliss is most fruitful as we see six months later at their home at Middleham Castle. Anne is well along in pregnancy, cared for by her serving maid Phillippa Gatling, while Richard continues construction on the Prince's Tower. The child, Ned, arrives on January 20 amidst much labor by Anne, assisted by Phillippa and Jane Stepford as midwives while Richard prays feverishly in the chapel. Their prayers are heard and a few weeks later Ned is baptized by Friar Lynn with great pomp and ceremony celebrated by all of Yorkshire, which tires Anne out with all the visitors. Two who seem to grate on her are Sir Thomas Stanley and his brother Sir William Stanley who ply her with pithy platitudes. Just when Richard is enjoying fatherhood, King Edward decides to unite England behind the banner of St. George and invade France. A year of married bliss is interrupted when Richard is called to lead the north army, landing in Calais where Richard and Edward find Charles of Burgundy indifferent and lax. They cannot count on him as they march on to St. Quentin then toward Amiens. Edward shows a penchant for trusting in astrology while Richard beseeches him to trust in God's providence. This will be part of Edward's downfall as they continue onward, following the plundering path King Louis has left in his wake. The summer sun grows hotter, the troops weaker, softer; so much so that all, but Richard and a few fall prey to the wiles of the Spider King's offer outside Amiens. Louis plies them with women and wine, softening any resistance and Clarence, the Stanley brothers, and Henry Percy all cajole Edward to accept Louis' bribe: 75,000 Crowns and 50,000 Crowns a year for the next seven years and the promise of his daughter Elizabeth of York in marriage to Charles, the Dauphin of France when they come of age. Despite Sir John Howard and Richard's objections that England is selling out and that the troops will have been betrayed after the long campaign through France under great hardship, greed wins out. Richard returns home to Middleham the end of September, disillusioned with the royal brother he had previously looked up to. He knows that the Treaty of Picquigny, also called the Trader's Truce will become forever known as the Traitor's Truce. The Sun in Splendor begins to dim.