"...the Earl of Lancaster was executed as a traitor... he was far from being a saint... And ever since then we have been plagued by pilgrims, literally hundreds of them. They come every day to visit his execution site, what they call his place of martyrdom, and then they go to visit his tomb, which they call a shrine. The monks erected a big cross on the execution ground and it attracts pilgrims like oths to a flame"
"Everywhere in England is dangerous these days..."
The reign of Edward II was a turbulent and violent, politically charged and generally considered disastrous period of history. It was marked by conflict with the powerful barons and reliance on the greedy favourites.
The Summoner's Sins (Sandal Castle medieval thriller #2) by Keith Moray is a medieval mystery set in Yorkshire in 1323. It's a heady mix of high treason, nauseating torture and executions, necromancy and curses galore - all these elements make a disturbingly good read.
A year earlier Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster is beheaded. Before he is executed, he curses the King and those who betrayed him, including Andrew Harclay whom he knighted back in 1303. "You knave! You traitor! I curse you to eternity and the fires of hell. You, miserable dog, Andrew Harclay will die a traitor's death within one year, as the Lord is my witness".
"...it had been mere days after Lancaster's death that miracles were reported in his name, and he was not only declared a martyr, but a saintly one. Such was the perfidious nature of the people that even those who harangued Thomas of Lancaster at his death turned to praise and exalt him but days after".
Harclay's star appeares to be on the rise, as the King has appointed him the Earl of Carlisle as a reward for winning the battle and bringing Lancaster to his end. "As a commoner who had become a knight and had then been elevated to the nobility and given the task of guarding his section of the Scottish borders above Carlisle, it seemed his star could not fail to rise."
But the King's moods are fickle; a year after the Lancaster's death, Harclay's good fortune comes to an end and he is executed as traitor to the crown. With his final breath, he also cries out a curse, "I, Andrew Harclay... curse the King... curse his man lover Hugh le Despenser... I curse Lancaster, the traitor... and all his evil... I curse every person with a hand in this, my murder... and any who defile my body when I'm gone".
"The talk of the two curses passed from mouth to mouth in the markets, taverns and churches within the city. The curse of the saintly Thomas of Lncaster was said to have been proven when Andrew Harclay was executed".
When shortly the royal executioner Perkin Cratwell is found dead in Pontefract, the rumours allude his demise to the curse. "Within weeks, talk of the two curses spread far and wide across the country to reach every commoner, lord and lady, passing ever upwards until it reached the Royal Court".
The King is deeply troubled when he hears this, and sends Sir Richard Lee, Circuit Judge of the Northern Realm to investigate the death and prove that it is the rebels' actions rather than the curse which have caused the executioner's death.
More gruesome deaths follow. Is Harclay's curse working its lethal magic? Sir Richard suspects that all the deaths are connected and have a more down-to-earth explanation. He is searching for the missing link, helped by his loyal sidekick Hubert. But if he doesn't tread carefully, he might come to the similar grisly end.
Moray revels in the gory details. His recreation of the offensive sights and smells is impressive, he truly bring the early 14th C to life.
The Summoner's Sins is a suspenseful. unforgettable addition to the medieval mystery series. A vivid and haunting tale of dark and perilous times.
Potential triggers: graphic violence, torture, murder, discrimination and social prejudice against people with leprosy.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Keith Moray and Sapere Books for my e-copy of the book!
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