The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover: (Knights Templar 24) Read online

  THE TEMPLAR, THE QUEEN AND HER LOVER

  Michael Jecks

  Copyright © 2007 Michael Jecks

  The right of Michael Jecks to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  First published as an Ebook by

  Headline Publishing Group in 2014

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

  eISBN: 978 1 4722 1985 5

  HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  An Hachette UK Company

  338 Euston Road

  London NW1 3BH

  www.headline.co.uk

  www.hachette.co.uk

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  About the Author

  Also by Michael Jecks

  Praise

  About the Book

  Dedication

  Map

  Cast of Characters

  Glossary

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  About the Author

  Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry to concentrate on his writing. He is the founder of Medieval Murderers, has been Chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, and helped create the Historical Writers’ Association. Keen to help new writers, for some years he organised the Debut Dagger competition, and is now organising the AsparaWriting festival for new writers at Evesham. He has judged many prizes, including the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Michael is an international speaker on writing and for business. He lives with his wife, children and dogs in northern Dartmoor.

  Michael can be contacted through his website: www.michaeljecks.co.uk.

  He can be followed on twitter (@MichaelJecks) or on Facebook.com/Michael.Jecks.author.

  His photos of Devon and locations for his books can be found at: Flickr.com/photos/Michael_Jecks.

  Also by Michael Jecks

  The Last Templar

  The Merchant’s Partner

  A Moorland Hanging

  The Crediton Killings

  The Abbot’s Gibbet

  The Leper’s Return

  Squire Throwleigh’s Heir

  Belladonna at Belstone

  The Traitor of St Giles

  The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker

  The Tournament of Blood

  The Sticklepath Strangler

  The Devil’s Acolyte

  The Mad Monk of Gidleigh

  The Templar’s Penance

  The Outlaws of Ennor

  The Tolls of Death

  The Chapel of Bones

  The Butcher of St Peter’s

  A Friar’s Bloodfeud

  The Death Ship of Dartmouth

  Malice of Unnatural Death

  Dispensation of Death

  The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover

  The Prophecy of Death

  The King of Thieves

  No Law in the Land

  The Bishop Must Die

  The Oath

  King’s Gold

  City of Fiends

  Templar’s Acre

  Praise

  ‘Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit’ Robert Low

  ‘Captivating … If you care for a well-researched visit to medieval England, don’t pass this series’ Historical Novels Review

  ‘Michael Jecks has a way of dipping into the past and giving it that immediacy of a present-day newspaper article… He writes … with such convincing charm that you expect to walk round a corner in Tavistock and meet some of the characters’ Oxford Times

  ‘Great characterisation, a detailed sense of place, and a finely honed plot make this a superb medieval historical’ Library Journal

  ‘Stirring intrigue and a compelling cast of characters will continue to draw accolades’ Publishers Weekly

  ‘A tortuous and exciting plot … The construction of the story and the sense of period are excellent’ Shots

  ‘This fascinating portrayal of medieval life and the corruption of the Church will not disappoint. With convincing characters whose treacherous acts perfectly combine with a devilishly masterful plot, Jecks transports readers back to this wicked world with ease’ Good Book Guide

  About the Book

  The twenty-fourth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.

  Isabella, Queen of England, has been dispatched to France in an attempt to bring about peace between the two countries, and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill must accompany her. But the day after their arrival, a servant is found murdered, with Baldwin’s dagger lying next to the body.

  As Baldwin struggles to prove his innocence, the killer strikes again. With so many English enemies gathering in Paris, will he be able to expose the culprit in time to protect the King?

  This book is for

  the Old Fogies again.

  With loads of love to both.

  Northern France, 1325

  Paris, 1325

  Cast of Characters

  Sir Baldwin de Furnshill Keeper of the King’s Peace in Crediton, and recently Member of Parliament, he is known as an astute man and shrewd investigator. Because he was a Knight Templar, he has a hatred of injustice and persecution.

  Simon Puttock Baldwin’s friend, Simon was a bailiff at Lydford where he gained a reputation for honesty and fairness.

  Edward II The feckless king of England, Edward has gone down in history as one of our most brutal, sly, and devious kings. His reign was appalling, noted for the disasters, natural and otherwise, which dogged the realm.

  Isabella The daughter of the French king, Philip IV, Isabella was married to King Edward II. Theirs w
as not a happy marriage.

  Sir Hugh le Despenser King Edward II’s lover for many years, Despenser was known for his persecution of his enemies, and his avarice. In an age of brutality he was noted for his greed, his cruelty and the dedicated pursuit of his own interests at the expense of all others.

  Roger Mortimer Once the King of England’s most trusted general, Mortimer’s feud with Despenser led to his split with King Edward. Arrested resisting the King, Mortimer was imprisoned in the Tower, but made a glorious escape and fled to France.

  Lord John Cromwell When the King decided to send his wife on the fateful embassy to France, he set Lord John the task of guarding her on the dangerous roads. Lord John was given four knights to help him in his task. In addition to Sir Baldwin, there were:

  Sir John de Sapy A household knight of the King, who until recently had been outlawed for supporting Earl Thomas of Lancaster during his rebellion;

  Sir Peter de Lymesey Another household knight who had been outlawed;

  Sir Charles of Lancaster Joan of Bar A third knight who originally appeared in The Templar’s Penance. Queen Isabella clearly needed ladies-in-waiting during her journey, and the King allocated Joan, his niece, as well as:

  Alice de Toeni The Dowager Countess of Warwick.

  Alicia The Queen’s most trusted lady-in-waiting. Isabella insisted on having her with her during her travels.

  Richard Blaket A man-at-arms and lover of Alicia. The Queen trusts him more than all her other guards.

  Peter of Oxford Charles IV The Queen’s personal chaplain. King of France, Charles was a wily, shrewd and very competent king. He was also the brother of Queen Isabella.

  Thomas d’Anjou The Pope’s representative at the court of King Charles IV.

  Pierre d’Artois The Comte d’Artois who took the title on the death of his father, Sieur Pierre is now a respected adviser to the French king.

  Blanche de Burgundy Originally the King of France’s wife when he was only a prince, she was discovered in an adulterous affair and imprisoned at the Château Gaillard in Normandy.

  Enguerrand de Foix The Comte de Foix, this knight rules a large area in the south of France.

  Robert de Chatillon Squire to the Comte de Foix, he is a loyal servant.

  Ricard de Bromley Leader of the small band of Queen’s Men, musicians commanded to accompany her on her journey.

  Robert d’Artois Father to Comte Pierre, Comte Robert died while leading a charge against the Fleming rebels in Courtrai in 1302.

  Philip de Cambrai A naker player within Ricard’s band.

  Janin The vielle player.

  Adam The trumpeter.

  Peter Waferer A man in the King’s service, he yet played with Ricard’s band when free.

  Jack of Ireland Irish, he was a bodhran player who inveigled his way into the band.

  Père Pierre Clergue A priest from the south of France where he had been clerk to the Inquisition and the local bishop.

  Jean de Pamiers Originally from the south, Jean has recently been appointed to the garrison of the Château Gaillard.

  Arnaud A royal executioner, Arnaud learned his trade as a local executioner in Pamiers.

  Le Vieux Once a man-at-arms in the service of the King, he is now the leader of the men who make up the garrison of the Château Gaillard.

  Glossary

  Alaunt An ancient type of hunting dog, strong but fast, with a broad, short head. Perhaps originally a form of mastiff, the alaunt was used to bring down or hold prey until the huntsmen could kill it.

  Bastide Provençal word that meant a fortified town.

  Bataelge Basic formation of French knighthood, riding en masse.

  Bayle The French term for a bailiff.

  Bidaut Lightly armed mercenaries from the south of France and northern Spain.

  Bodhran The common Celtic and Irish drum, formed of a circular wooden frame about twenty-four inches in diameter, with a good goatskin stretched over it. Still very popular today, its familiar timbre is recognisable in all forms of Irish music.

  Calefactory A room in which a strong fire burned through the winter months so that chilled monks could warm themselves.

  Cithar Old term for an instrument that was hit with hammers like a zither.

  Citole A four-stringed, plucked instrument, a little like a guitar.

  Comptroller This is an archaic spelling, but one which has always been in use by the British royal families. Generally, the comptroller was the man who had command of the money for the household he served. William de Bouden was the Queen’s trusted clerk up until the time her household was disbanded, and he was reinstalled for the embassy to France.

  Escuier French term for a squire – a man-at-arms who supported a knight, and could, if he displayed the right skills and chivalry, hope to be granted the spurs of a knight.

  Fiddle More of a tenor instrument than a rebec (below).

  Gittern Four-stringed instrument, probably for strumming like a guitar.

  Kennel The gutter in the middle of the road, into which all forms of noisome waste might be hurled in the hope that the next rains would remove them.

  Nakers Kettledrums, usually worn about the waist.

  Paterae Shields and other decorative devices of wood set into a ceiling.

  Psaltery Stringed instrument plucked with a quill plectrum.

  Rebec A fiddle with a higher note.

  Rosin Used by fiddlers and hurdy-gurdy players on their strings to increase the friction of the bow on the string. Made from distilling turpentine.

  Sumpter horse Pack horse, general horse used for transport.

  Tabor Small drum, cylindrical in shape.

  Vielle Old form of hurdy-gurdy.

  Author’s Note

  This is a great digression from my usual Dartmoor, English-based stories, and perhaps I should say a few words about what led me to have my friends Simon and Baldwin thrown into the heart of European politics.

  As those who have followed the careers of my two characters will already know, I try to base all their adventures in solid historical fact. Thus many of the stories I have written have been based upon actual murders and felonies in Devon in the early 1300s. At the same time I have attempted to capture the essence of the way people lived, and how they were affected by the degenerating national politics over this period.

  Making use of people living in ‘real time’, for want of another phrase, has its own problems. It does mean that one must be cautious that one book doesn’t start before the predecessor ended, for example. It is also important that the larger themes of political incidents are treated fairly. Those matters which would not have been brought to the attention of rural folk hundreds of miles away can happily be ignored.

  However, in these times, the King made regular use of messengers across his own country and over Europe, who could all travel thirty to thirty-five miles each day. That means that even Devon would only have been a week or so behind events in London. We know that monasteries, cathedrals and other religious foundations had extensive networks of communications connecting them too. If anyone should doubt the ability of medieval man to maintain efficient lines of communication, one need only consider the fact that throughout the Middle Ages it was possible to buy fresh sea fish anywhere in England. Bearing in mind the trouble that would be involved in moving fish from the coast to places in the Midlands, it is clear that people were capable of moving swiftly when necessity demanded. And with them would come news – some of it accurate!

  In the year 1325, the most important aspect of politics, internal or international, was the treaty to be signed with the French. There had been continual haggling over the precise rights of the French king compared with the feudal duties of the English king for those lands and provinces which happened to be situated in French territory. The initial disputes had been over Normandy and other parts of the great Angevin empire. By 1325, though, most of these had already been lost by the English, partly because of their own incompetence, partly d
ue to superior French policy-making. Having the greatest and best-equipped force of men and cavalry in Christendom was no doubt something of an advantage at the time. It is astonishing to consider that when the English entered the Hundred Years War a dozen years later, the rest of the world looked in amazement at this upstart little nation trying to sting the massed ranks of French chivalry. Nobody seriously believed that the English could achieve much – and that is as true for the English as for anyone else. The English thought they were participating in some small-scale chevauchées, raids in search of booty, in effect.

  When they defeated the French host with tactics refined over years of battling with the Scots, it was a shock to the whole of Europe. It shouldn’t have been such a surprise, though. The British had a small but experienced army which was used to fighting on foot, just as the men of Morgarten had been, and those at the ‘Battle of the Golden Spurs’ at Courtrai. At both battles groups of supposedly ignorant and incompetent peasants had destroyed more powerful French armies.

  But in 1325 the conflict, the truce, and the negotiations between the English and the French were crucial to the whole period. Not only because they were to set the stamp on the subsequent suspicion and dislike that existed between English and French in the run-up to the Hundred Years War, which itself polluted relations between the two countries right up until the Franco-Prussian wars of the later 1800s, but because at the time this difficult and protracted parley itself helped Mortimer and Isabella plot their invasion, and gave them a ready source of supporters – the British who had been exiled under the reign of the deplorable Despenser.

  So I am afraid poor Baldwin and Simon, the long-suffering companions, have been thrust into the limelight for this story. They have been cast into France for their sins, and now must live perilously amid the great forces at work to start a fresh war.

  Some may be surprised by the account of the troubles of the unfortunate Lady Blanche, once princess bride to the man who was to become Charles IV. Sadly the story is all true.

  The affair of the silken purses has been covered in another book1, so I shall not go into detail here. Suffice to say that two royal princesses were shown to be carrying on adulterous affairs with a pair of brothers. The men were killed, rather horribly, and the women locked up in 1314.