Tombland

I said quietly, ‘Perhaps you’re right. And I worry what will become of the rebellion.’ I put a hand to my brow. ‘I am not myself – things go through my mind and I cannot catch hold of them. Something that happened at the puppet show, and something too that Michael Vowell said yesterday that struck me – but I have forgotten.’ I pounded my brow with my fist.

‘That’s right,’ Barak said wearily. ‘Punish yourself.’

* * *

THERE WAS A CROWD of several hundred at the Oak of Reformation, talking about the small force that had left for Yarmouth. That day Robert Kett himself was presiding over the trials, and I watched as he mounted the platform and stood a moment looking over the crowd, gauging the mood of the people after the battle. Despite the troubles of the last few days, his air of authority was as strong as ever, and he was greeted by loud cheers. Nicholas’s was to be the first case to be heard, and I stood with him and Barak a little way from the platform. We had discussed our strategy earlier, and I thought it could work – if Nicholas got a fair hearing. Toby Lockswood stood at the front of the crowd, arms folded, his black-bearded face fierce. He looked at us, this man who had once worked with us so closely, with savage contempt.

Kett called out, ‘First, we have the case of Nicholas Overton, accused of defaming the camp.’ There were a few catcalls and boos, and Kett shouted for silence. He went on, ‘Afterwards, there will be trials of those who took property from Norwich households without authority, which is simple looting, and there is also another man who has allegedly stolen property from his fellow camp-men. This thieving angers me, which is why I am presiding today. To succeed we must work together like brothers!’

Someone called out, ‘What of the Norwich gentlemen who helped Northampton kill our men? My cousin died! Why have they not been brought here?’

‘Ay!’ another agreed. ‘They should be hanged!’ There were murmurs of agreement from many, and Toby Lockswood nodded vigorously.

Kett stepped to the edge of the platform, hands on hips, his expression fierce. ‘The leaders of the Hundreds and I are considering what is to be done with those gentlemen. For now they are secure in custody. I shall place the issue before you to decide, but not today!’ His voice rose. ‘Today we take Yarmouth!’ There were cheers at that. Kett looked at the man beside him who served as an usher. ‘The Overton case. Have the parties and witnesses been sworn?’

‘They have, Captain.’

Kett nodded. ‘Nicholas Overton, come before the platform. Toby Lockswood, you are the accuser. Speak.’

I took a deep breath, and looked at Barak. His left hand was supporting his artificial one, his fingers crossed.

Chapter Sixty-eight

Toby opened confidently, ‘My evidence, Captain Kett, is simple. On the eighteenth of July, I was at the crest of the escarpment the day that crooked lawyer, Robert Wharton, was taken down to Norwich. Overton, whom I knew as a great enemy of the Commonwealth, said, at the top of the road going down to Norwich, that Robert Wharton should be freed, Captain Kett imprisoned, and the camp is a commonwealth of rogues.’

There were angry murmurs from the crowd. Kett called for silence, and turned to Nicholas. ‘What say you?’

Nicholas faced the hostile crowd directly. I admired his courage. ‘I never said any of those words. When we worked together, Toby Lockswood formed a fierce dislike of me, and this is his revenge.’

Kett intervened sharply, ‘The issue here is not whether you and Lockswood disliked each other, but whether you used the words you are accused of.’

‘Again, I swear I did not.’

Toby bowed briefly, then said, ‘May I bring forward my witnesses?’ Kett nodded, and I exchanged a glance with Barak. He winked; while Nicholas was imprisoned he had been making his own enquiries around the camp.

The first witness, who had been standing nearby, was an elderly peddler, Goodman Hodge. He often visited the camp with his donkey, and, like many peddlers, was a source of information and gossip about events beyond Norwich. He stepped forward and looked at Kett, then Nicholas, a little uneasily. Then he said, ‘I was standing near the accused when he used those words. I heard him clear.’

Nicholas asked, civilly, ‘Goodman Hodge, you say you heard me say what Goodman Lockswood reported.’

Hodge glanced at Kett. His demeanour was shifty now, which Kett could not fail to notice. ‘Yes,’ Hodge answered. ‘As wicked words as ever I heard.’

‘You remember what was happening in the camp that day?’

‘Yes. That man, Wharton, was being led down the hill. There was great anger towards him. You and Toby Lockswood were standing at the top of the road. I remember it well.’

‘Where were you, when you heard the words?’

‘Under a tree, for the shade – it was a powerful hot day.’