The King had written the letter himself; the handwriting was unmistakable, elegant and clear. ‘We want this tiresome disturbance in your part of the country obliterated; not one spark left to light another conflagration. To achieve this, we must get Mortimer to speak. We want you to persuade him to reveal the names of his fellow conspirators. We order you to proceed to our Tower in London and try to reason with him. So far, under the gentler tortures he has said nothing. When we proceed to the worst, he might weaken. His wife is with him in the Tower. If you think it necessary, take her with you when you go to see him. Her presence might just achieve the desired effect. Nothing can save him from eventual execution, but should he co-operate with us, we could release him from the full rigours of a traitor’s death. When you’ve extracted the vital information, come to see us at Hampton Court on the way home. We are looking forward to a period of relaxation in the country when we come to visit your house in the very near future.
