For a united kingdom E-Book

Al Ponte'

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 375

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2026

Beschreibung

Charles the first of England enlists a boyhood friend to help him convince Scotland’s governing body the General Assembly to support a revised version of his father’s Book of Common Prayer. The go looking for a reserve Royal Treasury in Scotland to hire a local bodyguard to protect the King while he’s in Scotland. 

 They find that the treasury is no longer where it's supposed to be, and go searching for it, as it also holds the Titles and Land Deeds given to the Scottish Barons who had promised to support the King when they were given their Titles and Deeds. Meanwhile the Assembly that had already voted to not support the King has employed a group of Scottish Mercenaries who has just returned from fighting in the Thirty Years War in Europe. They are battle ready and have the horses and weapons needed for combat. Members in the Assembly are afraid if the King gets his hands on the Titles and Deeds that they will lose their Titles and the lands under their control

Leseprobe

For a united kingdom

Al Ponte’

The Bishops War 1637

Poem

A poem by William Blake (1757-1827) Milton; A Poem in Two Parts written in 1804 has become the de-facto, unofficial national anthem of England; This is written in the Preface of the Poem and sang mostly during football matches by the fans.

Jerusalem

“And did those feet in ancient time,

Walk upon England’s mountains green:

And was the holy Lamb of God,

On England’s pleasant pastures seen!

“And did the Countenance Divine,

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

“Bring me my Bow of burning gold:

Bring me my Arrows of desire:

Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:

Bring me my Chariot of fire!

“I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In England’s green & pleasant Land.”

William Blake, 1804

Acknowledgments

While this tale of a time of conflict and downfall of the Stuart Monarchs tries to follow the events and timeline of the true story, other parts have been dramatized to enclude Scottish and Irish ledgen; a work of fiction presented by the author. Based on a true story some parts of the actual timeline has been condensed to fit into the restraints of the fictional story line constructed by the author and so should be considered as a work of fiction rather than a true exposay of history.

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ISBN# 979-8-9937486-3-4 EBook Edition

ISBN# 979-8-9937486-2-7 Audio Book Edition

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All Rights Reserved by the Author

For a united kingdom is a Registard Business in Oregon, USA

A First Edition Printing 2026

Dedication

Dedicated to Dr. Gene Scott, PhD Stanford University California

He opened my eyes to a lost generation of my family who only knew that they had come from Ireland. And since the last two generations had red hair, they figured that they were, in fact, from Ireland. But when checking the surname, it wasn’t considered Irish at all; who would know?

Out of the blue Dr. Scott sent me a genealogy chart that showed a ancient family member that showed an Irish linage, and this was contrary t o what I had found out; how could this be? This started me to research and with the help of my cousin and started me on a quest to find out the truth.

Even though I had an ancient Irish relative, before my fore-father moved to America in 1715, he had been raised by his grand-parents who were Scottish in Ireland, but there was a Scottish lineage that had gone back over 500 years. His father had married the daughter of the burgess of Aberdeen. before moving to Ireland. His great-grandfather was not only crisened as a child, but would at the end of his life in 1657 would be inturned in the Kirk-yard of St.Nicholas Church in central Aberdeen.

For a united kingdom

In 1637 George Conn returns to England and travels up to Scotland with King Charles, and together they try to win the support of the Scots who are set on rebellion. What they don’t know is that the Scottish Assembly the equivalent of the Parliament in England has already voted to reject the King’s wishes. Before they know it they’re on the run and try to raise a local guard. King Charles calls on the Scottish Privy Council to answer to what has happened to a Royal reserve treasury which also contained the Deeds and Titles of the Scottish Earls and Land Barons. Because of their rejection, the King threatens to take their titles and lands back unless they show the support they promised when receiving their Titles. With the Titles and Deeds missing it’s a race on to find them. George though has his own agenda.

Steve Conn

Chief Editting Oficer

Cardinal Cona’eus - Counsel to Charles King of England, and The Bishop’s War; the prelude to The English Civil War.

For a united kingdom

by Al Ponte® is a registered Business in Oregon, U.S.A.

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All Rights Reserved and held by the Author; Al Ponte ©.2018

Prelude

Cardinal Cona’eus Counsel to the King

Cardinal Cona’eus born George Conn in 1585 just about three miles east of Turriff, Aberdeenshire Scotland, at the Castle of Auchry otherwise known as “Red Castle’ due to the reddish colored quarried stone it was built with. His father Patrick was the Lord of Auchry; Aurchy simply meant; ‘of the King’s land’ having been gifted by James IV. James V would later gift the nearby lands of Rothiebrisbane next to Fyvie Castle to George’s Great Grandfather William in 1541.

As a young man, George was sent to France to be educated at Scots College in Douai. His father Patrick, and his brother Patrick ‘the younger’ were both called to act as witnesses to the proclamation made by Mary Queen of Scots upon her return to Scotland in 1561. She was the patron of Scots College in France and would be George’s too.

George would be made a ward of Alexander Seton of Fyvie Castle before leaving for France. George would later pen the first biography of the Queen taken on firsthand accounts written in 1625. It was in 1623 while George was serving as papal nuncio to the French Court, George would see once again his fellow ward; Charles I on his way with the Duke of Buckingham heading towards Spain looking to marry. Then in 1625, George would attend the proxy marriage of Charles to Queen Mari de’ Medici’s youngest daughter of fifteen Henrietta Maria. But alas Henrietta would be Queen in name alone never to be crowned in an official ceremony, having to only look on as the King was coronated on February second, 1626. George had spent several years working in Rome as the secretary for Cardinal Archbishop, Ludovico Ludovici whose Uncle was Pope Alessandro Ludovici known as Pope Gregory XV, he was made Pope at the advanced age of 67 taking into his confidence his nephew making him the vice chancellor: the administrative authority of the Vatican. The Archbishop died at the age of 52 leaving George a vast estate. George then worked for the Cardinal Francesco Barberini a nephew to Pope Urban VIII; Maffeo Barberini from Florence; allies of the Medici who were twice made Pope.

Two powerful families who owned Palaces on the hills of Rome overlooking to the west the Vatican City, the Castle Saint Angelo, and the River Tiber. His work with Cardinal Barberini took him to France as a Papal Nuncio representative to the Court of Louie XIV King of France.

Due for a sabbatical, upon his return to Rome in 1637 George heads off to Spain where his Nephew is installed as Nuncio to the Court of Philip III King of Spain. Whether he visited England as a Bishop, or as just a close friend of Charles I and Henrietta can be debated; had he just arrived as a friend and then conveniently made a Bishop?

Was he then made a Bishop to be able to advance into the hierarchy of the Church? Upon his return; as he was only there for little over a year, he was immediately made a Cardinal and rector or cannon of San Lorenzo in Damasio, a minor Basilica Church, but the prerequisite to be vice chancellor the head administrator of the Vatican a step away from the election of Pope.

The current Pope: Maffeo Barberini and was elected to the papacy in August 1623 Coming from the city of Florence, the Barberini family made their wealth from the Tuscan countryside dealing in produce. They must have done well having large estates in both Florence and Rome to rival the Medici. The Medici were the Dukes of Tuscany feudal landowners who became bankers and then the sons of the later generation became Cardinals and Popes.

They were both also great patrons of the arts; coming out of medieval times into the Renaissance supporting such great artist of the times like Michelangelo, Leonardo de’ Vinci, Raphael, and Rubens, along with the great builder of the fountains of Rome and St. Peter’s Square, the great sculptor: Lorenzo Bernini. Bernini, who was known to work with white marble had done both Charles I and his young Queen Henrietta but also one of George too.

Introduction

To have you fully understand the depth of what has been taken to be seen as a destiy, we have to go back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and the patriarch Jacob, to whom God had given the name Israel.

The slab of rock that Jacob had used as his pillow was consecrated as the cornerstone of God’s house of worship. The Stone, also known as Jacob’s Pillow Stone, or the Stone of Destiny, and the Stone of Scone, in biblical times, had traveled throughout the desert as the center point of the Tabernacle, the portable tent used for worship. Later, the Stone would be set up as the altar stone in the Temple of Jerusalem by Solomon, the son whose namesake would follow Jacob as the House of David.

The attributes of the Stone, which we also find in the book of Genesis, describe it as somewhat of a portal between heaven and earth. Known as Jacob’s ladder, it’s described as having God’s angels ascending and descending a ladder rising back into the heavens. According to an old Irish legend, the Stone first made its way to Ireland’s shores shortly after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple, when the tribe of Israel were taken off in bondage as captives into Babylon.

The Stone had arrived in Ireland along with other holy relics and what would be called the Seed of David, King Hezekiah’s daughter. She had escaped with the help of the Holy Prophet Jeremiah; she survived and eluded capture, and with a small entourage, came to Ireland. The Irish High Kings could have also been considered as High Priests, continuing a tradition followed by the tribe of Israel. In the annals of ancient Ireland, we are told of a dynasty of High Kings who would eventually bring the Stone over to Scotland and then on to Scone Abbey.

In a Traditional Coronation ceremony with the Stone, the Scottish King John I would be the last true King to be crowned at Scone. Robert the Bruce, King John’s grandson, would eventually crown himself at Scone. By then, the Stone had already been carted away, stolen by Edward I of England, otherwise known as Edward Longshanks, Hammer of the Scots. Edward would subjugate control over the Scots by having them submit to being a Vassal to his English rule, and for Edward to be fully recognized as Scotland’s feudal Overlord.

When the Scots could not decide on a ruler of their own, Edward would support John I (Balliol). Then, after his coronation, he would take the Stone back with him to London and set it under a throne chair that he had built and put in Westminster Abbey. For centuries after, right up to the present day, this chair, now referred to as ‘King Edward’s chair’, someday will again take its place, front and center, at each and every subsequent coronation of England’s next monarch.

Scotland, though, for several times, as in the present, would go without having its own King. It would seem that to be a King of Scotland would almost ensure one, the promise of an early death. The fighting amongst the Scottish Lords at this time and the various claims to the Crown were constantly at hand. Around the time of the first millennium, the Scottish Kings had made it a habit of inviting English gentry to Scotland, giving them land and title in part to appease the English King.

In the first century of the new millennium, things got so bad that the Alban Lords, the founders of the Scottish nation, felt that something must be done to realign the culture and bring back the Scottish heritage to the Scottish people. King Fergus, who had first brought the Stone to Scotland, was from the family of the Irish High Kings. The Alban Lords would go back to Ireland to look again for a Royal family member to help. Their candidate would be the son of an Irish warlord, recently killed in the Western Isles, fending off a Norse invasion.

His son, at first being so distraught over the loss of his father in battle, was reluctant to return to Scotland. The Irish legend has it that when emissaries sent by the Alban Lords approached and made their offer, the son known as Somerled was fishing in the lake. So distraught he was and disinterested in returning to Scotland, he made a counter-offer based on chance; ‘said that if he caught a fish, he would return. The story goes that shortly thereafter, he landed a most wonderful and beautiful trout. And even though reluctant, he would return to Scotland and take up the task, much in part that his father had started. But of course, it would turn into much more than that and end with him leading a great army into Edinburgh to claim the Crown.

His endeavor, though, would not come to light; betrayed by a rival Irish cousin, one who had given his alliance to the present King. Only years later, Robert the Bruce, who himself was a descendant of those Norman English lords, who had been given lands and titles, and Kingdoms too, would hence turn the tide on English domination himself. If only his efforts could have restored Scottish cultural sovereignty in Scotland. It would seem that it was still a very dangerous job to be King.

Scotland would again go without a King, for a time. So, in place of the King, a panel of Lords would act as Regents. And Scotland still being a dangerous place; the Regents would act in secret chambers and take great efforts to hide their identity; in what might be considered as an act to preserve Scottish culture, the title of Protector: Defender of the Faith; Guardian of Scotland, would be somewhat arbitrarily handed out in the years without a ruler. Later, the King himself would hold the title of Defender of the Faith. Guardian?. . Protector?. . The Defender of the Faith?. Guardian of what?. . Defender of what Faith?. . If it was to guard Scottish sovereignty and culture, well, that had been lost before the first millennium, according to the Alban Lords.

A Defender of the Faith?. . . Was this the Faith that was in connection with the Stone, and perhaps the direct relationship with the God Almighty? Truly, by the time of John I; having a Scottish King of Norman descent, and the Stone being taken off to reside in England, perhaps the Faith was that God would still stand by his Chosen People. So, Scotland had no choice but to rule by a Regency of Lords. But for acts of State, they soon decided to elect a spokesperson; identifying him as the Steward of Scotland, and the main Regent, or otherwise the figurehead King of Scotland.

As it was the custom, the stewardship would be handed down, just as any other title. Steward quite quickly changed to depict a family name, that of Stewart. Robert the First, or ‘Robert the Stewart’, began the great dynasty of the Stuart monarchs. As the monarchs would continue to be Coronated at Scone, whereas the Stone itself would remain in England. The Stone, though, held a prophecy, written in Latin, that would later be translated by Sir Walter Scott; the famous Scottish author and poet: . . “Unless the fates be faulty grown, and the prophets voice be in vain, wherever it is found this sacred Stone, the Scottish race shall reign”.

Imagine all of the elation, jubilation and joyful celebration when, finally, King James, after almost three hundred years, is coronated King of England; the prophecy had finally been fulfilled! And could this be a part of a much older prophecy; the manifest destiny of Jeremiah’s commission?

Let’s take a step back; the Guardianship, some believe, goes back to Ireland; and the titles held in conjunction with the High Priest and King. Some believe that the Guardian was the High Priest and, because of his great position of authority, was given the additional title of King. So, what was he guarding?

We know that the High Priest would be in possession of certain relics, including the Stone, and others that were brought out from the East along with the Stone to Ireland. There was also given a “revelation to a dynasty” that is said to have happened as the king did a playful jig upon the Stone.

Such a revelation in connection to the Stone had not happened or been recorded since Jacob in the Holy Lands at Bethel. The name Bethel translates to House of God in Hebrew. Such a revelation, therefore, would’ve been held as a true treasure and confirmation of the covenant that Jeremiah had made with God. In Ireland, the keeper of the holy relics and any revelation conveyed, and knowledge of the covenant, be it High Priest or King, would have been naturally handed down through time. One theory concerning the monk Columba, who was of the Royal family and in line to be King, he had written down the dynasty that had been given by this earlier revelation on the inside cover of his Book of Kells.

The Book of Kells was thought to have been taken by the Norse invaders, who would often raid the East Coast of Scotland. It appears once again at the monastery in Kells, only to be missing its jewel-encrusted cover. Legends of the holy relics that were once kept in Ireland abound. St. Columba was the building founder of the church and monastery on the Isle of Iona, where a majority of the Scottish monarchs are buried. Some believe that the true Stone of Scone was moved to the Isle of Iona shortly before a copy of such was given to Edward I to take back with him to England.

Before Columba left Ireland, he founded the fortified city of Derry on the northern tip of Ireland, said to be the last standing fortified city in western Europe. The big question is, why a fortified city?

And why, if such a stronghold was in place, why move to the Isle of Iona? One more thought, on these holy relics believed to have come from the holy land with the Stone; going back to Somerled; might he have been given a relic that could have been used to raise the army of men that he would need? After failing to advance on Edinburgh and losing his command, Somerled’s vast army of men were all dispersed and told to go back to their homes.

It’s quite a coincidence that the next monarch in line appears to present a battle standard so similar, and resembling that of King David of Judah. A battle standard that his father, King Malcolm the Fourth had given him. And in fact, despite the time the monarch had spent in England, up to that time; William I or ‘William The Lion’; had the longest reign of any Scottish King. Could it be that the standard was recognized by the people, and that they knew what it was and what it represented? If it was recognized, that might explain why such an abrupt change in the longevity of the monarchy.

Interlude

A place in time; back to the beginning

My story begins with another Scottish King, that of James IV, and how he maneuvered his descendants’ destiny to coincide with the traditional King’s destiny of Scottish culture. True, it took a generation, but building that legacy began with James IV and his observance and respect for the traditions that had passed down through the generations in Scottish culture.

Like William St. Clair of Roslyn, James IV looked to honor God by constructing a Temple Church based upon the plans used by Solomon and the Temple in Jerusalem. Although Roslyn Temple would never be completed, James IV Chapel in the old King’s College in Aberdeen would be built under a Papal bull. Construction would begin and coincide with the day Solomon began the building of his Temple in Jerusalem, as noted by an inscription on the left of the North entrance to the Chapel.

It was also James IV, who would arrange his son’s marriage to the daughter of King Henry VIII, which would eventually lead to, at long last, the tradition of the Scottish destiny to be fulfilled by his grandson James VI: King James I of England. Try to imagine what elation and sense of fulfillment that King James must have felt in fulfilling the prophecy of the Stone of Scone. It had been over three hundred years since a King of Scotland was crowned using the Stone of Scone as part of the coronation ceremony.

This was a big deal; James was seen as a new messiah. Many of his Scottish advisors tried to convince him to celebrate the coronation ceremony at Scone, and that it would strengthen his support in Scotland. James thought quite differently, considering he had ruled Scotland from Holyrood, moving his throne to London is what he needed to gather up support there in England.

The Stone of Scone itself had a long and storied history. According to legend, it was the very stone upon which Jacob had rested his head in Bethel and was brought to Ireland by the prophet Jeremiah. It was then transported to Scotland by Fergus, the first King of the Scots, and has been used in the coronation of Scottish monarchs ever since.

James IV’s reign was marked by efforts to centralize power and assert the monarchy’s dominance over the fractious Scottish nobility. He was a patron of the arts and sciences, founding the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and supporting the University of St Andrews. He also built up the Scottish navy, commissioning the construction of the Great Michael, the largest ship in Europe at the time.

James IV’s marriage to Margaret Tudor was part of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace between Scotland and England, but the peace was short-lived. James IV was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, fighting against the English.

His death left Scotland in turmoil, with his infant son James V inheriting the throne. James V continued his father’s efforts to strengthen the monarchy, but his reignwas alsomarked by conflict with England. He married Mary of Guise, a member of the powerful French family, in an effort to secure an alliance with France against England. This alliance would later lead to the “Rough Wooing,” a series of wars between Scotland and England during the 1540s. James V died in 1542, leaving his six-day-old daughter Mary, Queen of Scots, as his heir.

Mary, Queen of Scots, faced numerous challenges during her reign, including conflicts with the Protestant Reformation and political intrigue. She was eventually forced to abdicate in favor of her son, James VI, who was raised in a Protestant court. James VI would go on to unite the crowns of Scotland and England in 1603, becoming James I of England and fulfilling the prophecy of the Stone of Scone.

The union of the crowns marked the beginning of a new era for Scotland and England. James I sought to create a united kingdom, though his efforts were met with resistance from both English and Scottish factions. He promoted religious tolerance and commissioned the King James Bible, which remains one of the most influential translations of the Bible to this day.

James I’s reign laid the groundwork for the eventual political union of Scotland and England in 1707, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain. The legacy of James I and the symbolism of the Stone of Scone continue to resonate in the history and culture of Scotland and the United Kingdom.

So elated was James that he wanted to share God’s word with his subjects, he had the Bible translated from Latin into English. But of course, by having Holy relics to show his subjects, James would try to further establish his legitimacy in ways not so uncommon with the rest of Europe at that time and to show that he was in God’s grace.

Even though it could be claimed he was already sitting on what could be considered the most important relic of all, that of the cornerstone of God’s Kingdom, Jacob’s pillow stone, the symbol of God’s house on earth. But there were other relics that came with the stone upon its arrival, long ago, to Ireland. And this is where we go back to the monk Saint Columba, who certainly must’ve known of the relics, and of the guardians that protected them.

In ancient Irish kingship, the High Priesthood and guardianship were all entwined. It wasn’t until the unrest in Ireland that Fergus thought it best to move the seat of power to Scotland, so that the roles of Guardian, High Priest, and King would be separated. And so, some of the relics would stay in Ireland under guardianship; only the King knew who in Ireland was considered to be the Guardian, who had the secret knowledge of where the relics were. Over time, all knowledge of who the Irish guardians were was lost or held tightly in Ireland.

King James had an early interest because of the years he had served as the Scottish King. He thought that it entitled him to be considered a guardian. Others thought differently, and that not having been coronated by the Stone, James did not have the proper access to approach the other guardians. Interestingly though, his dynasty would be written along with the Irish lords; shortly before he would become King.

As Elizabeth the First lay dying, an English envoy and close ally to the King, who would later claim to have helped directly in King James’s ascension to the throne, came to her with a plan to approach the stronghold of the Earls. Only then would James be able to deal directly with the Irish lords.

Still at war with France and Spain, but with the marriage of the French princess Henrietta Maria to the English Prince, son of James I, Charles Stuart, the political situation would dramatically start to change; probably too fast for the rest of the country. With the threat of French involvement as a French contingent was sent to see after the needs of the Queen, married at the age of fifteen, she had a full host of servants follow her over to England in 1625, including seven catholic priests.

This wouldn’t set well with many of those in Charles’ Court, and by 1628, most of all had returned to France; even the Queen’s main lady in waiting, Jeanne de Harlay, also known as Madame St. George. Charles even went as far as to jail one of the priests, Robert Phillips, worried that he might give away the true identity of his new stable master, whose family is well known in Scotland. Phillips, who was also from Scotland, thought that he might be recognized. It didn’t help that a large percentage of the King’s Privy Council were also from Scotland.

It wasn’t just the Scots who were seen invading British soil; the general populist would see a French Invasion, not realizing it was in support of the Queen. The French Court had given the young princess Mary Stewart the utmost reverence when it was ever in procession or ‘On Parade.” The future wife of the Dupain would always lead the procession, showing how much respect they had for the long-lasting Stewart Dynasty, or more importantly, their position with the Church in Rome.

Chapter 1

Gifts from across the sea

Late in May of 1636, a Portuguese cargo ship waits just outside the convergence of water that separates England and Ireland. Commonly known as the Irish Sea. Spring always brings up the weather and storms this time of year, and unexpected patches of fog along the coast can be extremely dangerous. Despite the danger, the ship has dropped its main sails as it is approaching a bank of fog, and on the ebb tide silently enters the white blanket of cover it provided; and comes almost to a stop.

The Captain had become quite good by now at using the fog and ebb tide to elude the Coastguard, running the blockade enacted by the English Parliament. They were trying to stop any sort of contraband arms and ammunition, a trade that is better known as gunrunning, from reaching Ireland, and fueling the revolt brewing there and in Scotland. The people were feeling increasingly ignored by their government officials in London. Unrest and riots have now fueled notions of a civil war happening, while the King was feeling more and more distrust in Parliament, which had formed a divide that would lead the King to dissolving Parliament in 1629.

Charles, not able to have Parliament’s ability to raise the money for his return to Scotland, had to rely on only what he received from the domestic taxes known as Ship’s Money; it first started as a remittance for shipbuilding and expanded to finance Naval bases and training. With the ever-growing need for more money, the Naval authority would eventually cover all of the existing coastline in England.

……And so, the ship sits in wait, ebbing in the tide, in and out of a great blanket of fog, and waits for an escort ship to appear. Having dropped its main sails, the ship sat vulnerable, and if it were spotted, it could easily be overtaken. Making matters worse was the fact that the ship itself was a liability, and identical to the most feared warship of its time, the Portuguese Man of War. The ship does its very best to stay hidden. For them to go any further, and enter the Irish Sea, would make them vulnerable and they could be shot at. It would be much safer to wait for their escort and only hope that they will not be spotted before their escort arrives.

Earlier that day, at Caernarvon Castle, on the southern tip of Wales, Charles I, King of England, looks out towards the straight that separates the mainland from Ireland. The King has a worried look, next to him stands one of his merchant fleet Admirals, who tries to assure the King that the mission is going on schedule. “Your Majesty, your flagship, and the escort frigate have only been gone now some forty minutes and should be nearly approaching our friends in wait.”

“I worry because I know that the Parliament’s Navy suspects my activity to involve Irish allies and is looking for anything to raise a contention with Parliament. I’ve gotten word that its cargo is coming my way, and I would hate to see it commandeered. They should be heading for the docks at Dublin, and I don’t want them stopped and harassed, so I hope that your orders were clear to your Captains, Admiral.”

“They know what’s at stake and were told to take every effort to see that the Galleon makes port in Dublin without delay. Your Flagship, along with an identical Galleon that sits in wait at the Dublin docks. It’s ready to sail at a moment’s notice as fast as they could sail to keep up and follow the Flagship directly to Beaumaris Castle, where we should be waiting. Your presence there will only lead them to believe that it is something to do with Your Highness and know to leave it alone.”

“We shouldn’t act too quickly and show our hand. Let’s wait until we know that their escort arrives and hope that they’re not stopped before then.”

“Your grace, nothing can go wrong; our plans are foolproof, and even if our friends are intercepted, there’s nothing in their ships’ manifest that presents any danger to Parliament, and the identity of its true cargo is well disguised. But if there is trouble, they’d know not to dock in Dublin as planned and head towards the mainland to Beaumaris Castle, which is where we should be heading towards soon, so as to support our deception and divert any suspicions that may arise”.

Charles sighs; forcing himself to relax. “Very well; I suppose there is little we can do but wait.” He stepped back from the parapet and turned to face the Admiral. “Have them prepare the carriage —just in case.”

The Admiral, a seasoned man with a weathered face that betrayed years of navigating both waters and treacherous courtly affairs, nodded solemnly. Charles shifted his gaze, focusing on the distant horizon where the sky met the sea, blending blue into a stormy gray. He murmured, recalling the whispers of dissent and mistrust that filled his court. “I fear the treachery that lurks beneath the surface, both in the waters and in the hearts of men.”

“You can trust in your plan, your Majesty.”

The Admiral placed a reassuring hand on the King’s shoulder. “Your intelligence is sound, and your choice to send the flagship was wise. The wind is favorable, and they should make good time.”

“And if they do not return in a timely manner?” Charles’s brow furrowed, picturing the scenarios that danced through his mind like phantoms. “If they encounter trouble, or even something worse if they’re intercepted.”

“Then the ships will act swiftly to regroup and escort the freighter straight away across to Beaumaris,” the Admiral said firmly, his voice calm with a faint hint of uncertainty. “But for now, we must have faith in our crewmen and the mission, that it will succeed without any trouble.”

Charles managed a small smile, grateful for the Admiral’s optimism. “And what is a King without hope?” he remarked. “God willing, our mission shall bring peace, not just to our kingdom, but to the lands beyond and for the good of all humanity. Don’t underestimate my friend, he is very clever. Catching him out of step will be almost impossible while he has my protection. And there are many who would gladly go out of their way; to offer protection, to him. This is how he can freely move around Europe and thinks nothing about breaking the blockade Parliament puts in place.”

As they walked back around atop the castle’s rampart, the horizon off in the distance loomed ominously, a reflection of the turbulent times ahead, yet within Charles’ heart beat one of a leader, determined to navigate through the storm. But there was a real danger, the Portuguese Galleon had a similar appearance to the most prevalent warships of the day; the Portuguese Man of War, and to find it having dropped its sails and sitting off England’s southern coast was sure to attract any Coast Guard vessel on patrol in the area. The Captain had dispatched lookouts forward and aft, and up on the highest trees on the main mast with orders to keep a sharp eye out for any approaching ships.

The Galleon now nervously looking out into eerie banks of fog that seemed to be ever-changing clouds over the surface of the ocean. The sun was just rising and now would reveal the banks of fog even brighter and showing the eastern horizon, where any bank of fog now behind the Galleon would make it stand out and be easily discovered. All the Captain could do now was to slip back into the fog and hope not to be detected.

The Captain orders to raise the spanker and jib sails to move this ship back into the fog. Then, off the starboard side, one of the lookouts from the cross trees up top of the main mast sees a ship approaching at full sail. “Captain, a ship approaches off the starboard side, shall we make sail?”

The Captain shouts out: “Do you see one or two ships? Two ships were sent to escort; if only a single ship approaches, we can be sure that it is most likely to be one of the Parliament’s naval warships that patrol this part of the sound.”

“Only one ship sighted!” calls out the first mate.

“Look hard mate, look towards the horizon; do you see our escorts?”

Looking towards the horizon and into the sun made it hard to see if a ship was there, but once there was a bank of fog behind them, they were much easier to see. “Yes Captain!; on the horizon, perhaps a mile behind the first ship.”

“Is it one ship on the horizon, or two?”

The second mate shouts: “I think, two; Captain!”

“Are you sure?” Asks the Captain.

“Two sets of masts Sir, it must be the escort at full sail and moving in fast. Now one of the two is breaking free and making up distance behind the first ship out in front.”

The First Mate asks: “Shall we make sail, Captain?”

“No, but make sure that our cargo knows that we might soon be boarded by the Coast Guard. Maintain the jib and spanker sails to make sure we stay covered by the fog for now.”

King Charles, just a year earlier, had been given a gift of his own new flagship, a magnificent ship with 120 cannons aboard. It was said that all of the elaborate gilding on the back of the ship; cost as much as the total cost of a regular warship of the fleet. The Sovereign of the Seas was a 17th-century Fleet Warship of the English Navy. Launched on the Thirteenth of October 1637, she was ordered as a 90-gun first-rate ship of the line. When she launched, she was armed with one hundred and two cannons at the insistence of the King. Later, it would be renamed just Sovereign, and then; Royal Sovereign. Designed and built in 1636 by the Master Shipwright Mathew Baker, after the revolutionary new concept of a lower setting and a much faster ship; which was launched back in 1577. The whole back outside area section, where the Captain and officers’ quarters, the ship’s Galley and kitchen were; was painted black and gilded in solid gold; and it was said to have been designed by the Flemish Master; Anthony Van Dyke. Known more for his painting, he is the Royal portrait painter during this time.

This new design of warship, referred to as a ‘Race-built Galleon’, would dominate warship building for the next three hundred years. The Sovereign, adding another twelve cannons, made it the most heavily armed ship in the fleet. In its time, it was the largest ship in the known world, and it was fast!

The Second mate shouts: “The escorts are closing their distance to the first ship sighted, and all three ships are at full sail and approaching fast.”

The quickly approaching ship, now less than a mile off, sends a warning shot across the bow; clearly stating its intention to the freighter to lay way, and prepare to be boarded. As a boarding party sets off in a launch towards the freighter, the escorts finally catch up behind the Coast Guard vessel. Charles’s flagship is clearly recognizable, as it sends off a flare indicating to the boarding party to heed to, and for the patrol vessel to stop any further action. Whether or not the flare was simply ignored or just not seen by the approaching boarding party, they were now making their way up the side of the freighter and boarding the ship.

Admiral Roberts from Charles’ flagship was also wasting no time and had also set off in the flagship’s launch towards the freighter and was quickly crossing the distance to board the freighter himself. The boarding party was now organizing itself on deck, insisting that the Ship’s Captain present his manifest and make for the arrangements for his cargo to be searched.

Admiral Roberts now makes his way up the side of the freighter. As he reaches the railings, he begins to express his disapproval of the Coast Guard vessel not complying with the flagship’s instructions to stand down, with the understanding that a boarding party would be contrary to any action on their part. By now, the first boarding party’s Coast Guard Captain is standing on deck and looking very surprised and somewhat guilty, as he sees the Admiral now climbing up and over the railings to get on deck.

The Coast Guard Captain now pleads, “Admiral Roberts, if I had known that it was you who had come to escort the freighter, I would not have made such an effort to detain and board this ship.”

“And so what are you waiting for then, Captain, take your boarding party and leave now, I want to see your vessel making sail in ten minutes, is that clear?”

“But Admiral, what am I to say in my report?”

“What would you like to say in your report, Captain? That you disregarded instructions from the Flagship of the Admiral of the King’s merchant fleet? Captain, I would suggest that you get back to your ship and forget that you saw anything this morning.”

“I’m sorry Admiral, but I have my orders. May I see the ship’s manifest please, and I will have to search what is in the hold; those are my orders; you understand that Parliament has a blockade on trade of any munitions. You understand that our country is now in a state of civil unrest. This is all in part due to a maritime blockade done in force by the Parliament, instructing the King’s navy to enforce. You can see, Admiral, that I’m only doing my duty.” “The Admiralty will certainly hear about this; I will personally bring this up before a hearings board. You will be held before the board to answer for your actions here on this day.

Back at the Castle, a shout comes from the high lookout: “Ships flares seen beyond the horizon, your grace.”

One flare signal’s only a warning, but it could mean that the ship has been discovered by the Coast Guard.

“We shall wait and see, have the lookout keep a sharp eye out to see how many vessels come over the horizon, we shall wait and see.”

As it was starting to get light, the bright blanket of fog could now be plainly seen, and any ship on the horizon would stand out like a fly on a windowsill. Back on board the ship, the Captain seems nervous. The picture of a true gentleman, dressed smartly in a black and crimson coat, white blouse, and pants. His boots are shined, and he has a black sash around his waist holding two pistols and a Cutlass on his hip. He looks more like a war Admiral than a tradesman, although it wouldn’t be uncommon to see a ship’s Captain armed on the high seas.

It had only been a few decades ago that the Spanish Armada had tried to invade, and relations with Spain hadn’t gotten any better. Pirates and Privateers that had flourished under Elisabeth’s reign continued into the beginning of the seventeenth century. Pirates such as Nathaniel Butler and James Riskinner, or Charlotte de Berry, a known woman Pirate, raided French and Spanish ships looking for spices from East India and gold from the New World of the Americas. By 1610, under a new King’s rule, the numbers had dropped off, in an attempt to make peace with France and Spain, something not too popular with the Parliament“Captain, may I see your manifest.”

The ship’s Captain then, reaching into his coat, pulls out a folded piece of ledger and, handing it to the Coast Guard Captain, remarks that they are just on a regular trading mission from Lisbon, Portugal, to the Irish port of Dublin. “Captain, we carry only trade goods of olive oil, Sherry wine, and animal hides. We have no contraband aboard.”

“We will not be sure until I have had the opportunity to inspect the hold”. The ship’s Captain to his first mate: “See that the Coast Guard Captain has full access to inspect the hold”.

As the first mate leads the boarding party off to inspect the hold, the Coast Guard Captain wonders why such a cargo could be of such importance to the merchant fleet Admiral.

“Admiral, is it your custom to greet all foreign merchant vessels this way?”

“Captain, you yourself have admitted that a blockade is in effect; this trading vessel sails under a Portuguese flag, and the merchants of Lisbon have much to offer in trade. I would not like to see the Captain of this vessel get the wrong idea and turn back with its cargo not reaching its destination. The Portuguese are not Spanish and are not our enemy. Goods like olive oil and port wine are valued commodities and make for good trade. You will find no contraband aboard this ship.”

“Admiral, I hope that this is true, and I have no intention to disrupt any legitimate trade mission.