PETER

. Defeated in his attempt to seize power in Spain, Henry the Bastard attempts to get himself elected Holy Roman Emperor; he secures the support of three of the seven Electors, promising that Saxony will be the power behind his throne. But the other Electors, including the sickly Palsgrave, prefer the Duke of Savoy’s candidature, so the Bastard uses force: he defeats the opposing Electors in battle, imprisons two of them, and has himself crowned, then breaks his word and excludes Saxony from power. News of the ===== PAGE 311 ===== 1613 usurpation cures the Palsgrave, who prepares to mobilize an army. Spain is the theatre of war for their first confrontation. The Palsgrave is victorious, and the Bastard is captured, but rescued by Saxony. The warring potentates seek alliances against one another: the Palsgrave goes to England, the Bastard to France. The Palsgrave competes in an English tournament and is installed in the Order of the Garter. King John of France is reluctant to fight the English again (they have too good a track record of victory in France), and hopes to use diplomacy to secure Edward III’s neutrality. Refused the chance to conduct the mission, Saxony goes to England in disguise, but is identified by the Palsgrave, who dishonours him by pulling off a lock of his hair. Diplomacy fails, and Edward and the Palsgrave invade France, dispatching troops to free the imprisoned Electors. The Palsgrave defeats and kills Saxony in single combat. King John withdraws his support from the Bastard, and Savoy is formally crowned Emperor. In the sub-plot, Lord Fitzwaters is betrothed to Floramell, but discovers that she loves his son. He witnesses a secret assignation between the lovers in the garden of Lord Clinton, Floramell’s father. Clinton orders Young Fitzwaters off his land; Lord Fitzwaters goes further and banishes him from England. Floramell goes with him, leaving in her place a cross-dressed page, whom Lord Fitzwaters ‘marries’. The lovers are separated in a shipwreck: Floramell is washed up on the French coast and becomes a maid of honour at court; Young Fitzwaters is marooned on a barren rock and subsists on a fish diet until he is rescued by Saxony. King John is attracted to Floramell and offers to make way for her by having the Queen murdered. Floramell will not consent to adultery or murder, but agrees to give him a single kiss. Unfortunately this is witnessed by the Queen, who plans revenge and engages as her murderer an English newcomer to…