Tombland

‘As others are doing all over England. Establish a headquarters. Put down the rich gentlemen, capture them to prevent them raising forces against us. Petition the Protector, wait for the commissioners to come. Then we shall have a new rule.’

‘And what do you want with me?’

He studied me again. ‘You could be of use to us. If you choose to be.’

Before I could ask him what he meant, there came a knock at the door, and Kett’s son, Loye, put his head round. ‘Excuse me, Father, Miles and William and the others are here.’

Kett stood. ‘Stay here, Master Shardlake, I shall return shortly.’ As they left the room, I looked at the diamond-paned window behind the desk, and the tidy knot-garden outside, peaceful in the dusk. Yet scarce a mile away a massive rebellion was brewing. I felt suddenly chill, a cold sweat forming on my brow.

* * *

I SAT AWHILE , listening to the faint murmur of voices from the hallway outside. Then I got up and put my ear to the door, which sometimes can be the only way to get information. I heard the voices of the Kett brothers, and several others which were unfamiliar, although one I thought sounded like the soldier, Miles. I heard him say, ‘This is Captain Wills, sore brushed in the old king’s French wars, as you see, with much experience in victualling.’

‘I see people ha’ brought in supplies,’ another voice replied, ‘and killed many sheep, but more vittles must be organized. Ale, too; men must drink in this heat. Don’t, they’ll collapse. Supplies should be sent from their villages.’

‘It’s good to organize people by their parish banners,’ Miles said. ‘But we must move tomorrow – more are coming in from the villages in the north of the county. Those in the south-west are congregating at Downham. But make no mistake, Master Kett, up here hundreds upon hundreds are coming in. We may end up with the biggest camp in the country.’

‘Things must be organized fast.’ This was Robert speaking.

The voice I thought was Miles’s came in again: ‘Ay, and we officers are used to organizing things.’

‘So are we Norfolk men,’ William said brusquely. ‘Don’t take us as stupid. The villagers are keeping lines open to their homes; they know they’ll need more supplies.’

‘I don’t underestimate you, sir. But in a case of moving possibly thousands of men, we soldiers can help.’

‘And now, together, in a great cause,’ Robert said, placatingly.

‘Can we take Norwich?’ another man asked. ‘Those walls are low, half broken down in places.’

‘The poor there are on our side,’ Miles answered, ‘but the constables seem to be staying loyal to the city council. They’ve got arms. It depends what line the council takes.’

‘If need be, we can set up camp on Mousehold Heath, outside the city,’ Robert said.

Captain Wills replied, ‘Then we must indeed organize supplies from the countryside, by force or favour. What are we to do with the gemmun we capture? There are those outside would have their heads off.’

‘My brother has an idea,’ William said.

‘Try them ourselves for their misdeeds, and imprison those we find guilty. Put our findings to the commissioners.’ This was Robert.

‘We have scriveners among us,’ William added.

Miles said, ‘I hear we’ve captured young Thomas Godsalve. He’s a lawyer, but he’s spitting blood, I doubt he’d help us.’

‘We have two lawyers as well,’ Robert replied. ‘Another young one, who won’t help. The other –’ he paused – ‘might.’ I drew a deep breath. Was this what Kett wanted, for me to help with some illegal ad hoc trials?

‘There’s a bigger problem,’ Captain Wills interjected. ‘Understand again, we could be talking thousands of men. Who is to lead them? It has to be someone known and trusted locally.’

They must have looked at William Kett, for I heard him say, ‘I’m too old. And I get crotchety. Robert’s mind is quicker, and he has a rare knack of attracting loyalty.’ He must have turned to his brother, for he added, ‘And you have great gifts of speech. Can be crafty when it’s needed, too.’

They moved away, and I heard no more. I went and sat in the chair, thinking furiously, trying to muster my thoughts on this extraordinary situation. It was near an hour before I heard the sound of men saying farewell, and Robert Kett returned. He sat down and looked at me hard, then spoke, quietly and seriously. ‘Tomorrow morning we leave for Norwich. There are hundreds coming in, maybe thousands, and hard tasks ahead. There are those who would have our oppressors, the corrupt officials and rich landowners, done to death. I understand that, but it will not serve our purpose, which is to show loyalty to the Protector and the law. I have in mind to take these men prisoner and subject them to trials. The penalty for unjust oppression of the commons will be imprisonment. Nothing more. An experienced lawyer to advise me would be a good thing. It could help me curb the wilder spirits. Will you aid me?’

I said, ‘Just before I left London, I saw a company of soldiers out of control half kill a man who had done no wrong, simply because he had a Scotch accent.’