Tombland

‘We heard,’ one of the men said. I thought, Was there nothing that did not quickly circulate in Kett’s camp?

‘Will any of you be coming?’ I asked.

Goodwife Everneke nodded to a thick-set middle-aged man. ‘One or two. Master Dickon there, he goes tomorrow to plead the cause of our village. Our landlord’s been brought in by force.’

‘A good ding o’ the pate’s what he needs,’ someone said, to approving murmurs.

‘I’m only there to advise on the legalities,’ I said. I looked at Natty. ‘Are you coming?’

‘I have no landlord, I will be going with Goodman Johnson to archery practice.’

‘Ay, we start today,’ the old man said.

I turned to Barak and Nicholas. ‘Jack, come along,’ I said quietly. ‘Nicholas, I think it politic you stay here.’

He nodded and looked down. I wondered whether he was ashamed now of yesterday’s performance. Barak and I set off. ‘See those rogues are well punished!’ someone called after us.

* * *

WE WALKED TO St Michael’s Chapel. On our way I picked up a pamphlet lying on the ground. It was headed: ‘When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?’

At the chapel, guards in breastplates and carrying halberds let us in.

‘God give you good morrow, Captain Kett,’ I said. He did not look in such good spirits today – the heavy brows under the short grey hair were frowning.

‘Good morrow,’ he answered curtly. ‘Though it could be better. Our assault on Yarmouth has failed, the city people repelled my men. But we shall attack again,’ he added fiercely, ‘with trained men this time. Training, that is what Captain Miles says we need now.’

‘Have the warrants to requisition goods gone around the countryside?’ I asked.

‘They have.’ He waved an arm at the desks. ‘More are being written. And now we labour to produce our demands, to send to the Protector. We must hurry, the camps at Thetford and Ipswich have already sent theirs.’ He frowned, fixing me with those large, penetrating brown eyes. ‘So, the trials. You are the only qualified lawyer I have left who will assist me. There is young Overton, but I understand he called me traitor in the market square yesterday.’

I sighed. ‘Everything gets back to you, Captain Kett.’

‘And so it should.’ He raised his voice angrily. ‘I need informers. Do you not think the city and the landlords have spies in this camp?’

‘Nicholas – he just lost his temper. An old man was being attacked.’

Kett frowned. ‘Gawen Reynolds, one of the worst men in Norwich, and firm against us.’

‘Nicholas is sorry for his words.’

Kett answered fiercely, and I quailed a little at the forcefulness in him. ‘He called me traitor. We are not traitors’ – he banged a heavy fist on the desk, causing everyone to look up from their writing – ‘this is the King’s camp and we serve the Protector in his desire for reform!’

I spoke humbly. ‘I entreat you not to imprison Nicholas again, he is but a lad with a loose tongue and an over-strong attachment to his gentleman status – all the more because he has no lands or money; he was disinherited over a matter of the heart.’

‘Anyone else who behaved like that would be in Norwich Castle. We’re moving some of the prisoners there.’ He lowered his voice again. ‘But one of my advisers in the town spoke up for him. Someone I trust, Edward Brown.’

‘His wife said he was visiting the camp.’

‘His assessment of Overton is the same as yours. He says the boy has been kind to him and his wife.’

‘’Tis true.’

Kett took a deep breath, and gave me a hard look. ‘Very well, Master Shardlake, he remains free for now, but he stays quiet in his hut. Any more outbursts and I must lock him up again, or I will be seen by the men as dispensing favours to those who work with me. Is that clear?’

‘It is, Captain Kett, and I thank you.’

He grunted, then turned to his desk, and gave me a list of names. ‘Those to be tried at the Oak of Reformation today. There will be others later.’ I looked at the list. There were fourteen, three I recognized; Leonard Witherington and Gerald and Barnabas Boleyn. Kett said to me, quietly now, ‘At the trials there will be calls for violence from some, not surprisingly, given their sufferings. But they have been told their complaints must be presented in an orderly way, and recorded – that is important – to be shown to the commissioners. The men of the camp will decide whether they are to be set free or imprisoned. So, justice will be done.’

‘The accused will have a chance to speak?’

‘Of course. Everyone does in this camp.’

‘What of the jury?’

‘Those assembled will decide.’

‘No jury of twelve men?’

Kett said, coldly and clearly, ‘To satisfy the men’s anger we must involve everyone. And move quickly. Come, Master Shardlake, you were at Boleyn’s criminal trial and I have seen others – it is all over in minutes, and men are hanged for the theft of a pig. There will be no hangings here, though there may be a beating or two, so be content with that. Just make sure nobody strays too far from specific accusations.’

‘I will. But may I ask, what will happen to the men who are imprisoned?’