Michael Jecks - The Butcher of St Peter's

‘The Dean is most apologetic for the hurt done,’ Baldwin said. ‘He wishes that the affair might be settled. There is no point in a lengthy argument as there was over Sir Henry all those years ago.’

‘They may think so, but we are not here to accommodate thieves and churls,’ Guibert thundered. ‘First let them bring back the body and all the goods they stole, and make apology before the doors to our church; then we may consider whether we might help them. I promise nothing.’

Sir Peregrine tried to mollify him. ‘To call them all thieves is more than a little strong, when describing the religious men who live so close to you. They are as honourable, surely, as-’

‘Do not think to tell me that they are as honourable as my brethren here,’ Guibert interrupted boldly. He thrust out his chest. ‘We live in poverty, respecting no property whatever. We have nothing of our own, so that we might spend our time more effectively, concentrating on God’s will.’

‘The chapter spends its time in prayer for the souls of the living and the dead,’ Sir Peregrine tried.

‘And hastens the deaths of others so that they might win the funerary goods!’

Baldwin looked up sharply. ‘That is a very serious allegation. Do you have proof?’

‘I was speaking metaphorically,’ Guibert said, unabashed. ‘If you wish me to be literal, you should consider the theft of several pounds from a poor merchant only recently.’

Sir Peregrine had not heard of this. He looked at Baldwin, who, to his surprise, met the Prior’s outraged stare with a bland expression.

‘So, Prior, you are shocked to hear of the robbery? Did not something similar happen here some years ago?’

‘That was one bad apple. It was plucked out and discarded.’

‘And several priors were censured, I believe?’ Baldwin said. He lifted his hand to stem the angry expostulation. ‘Do you know a man called Jordan le Bolle?’

John nodded and glanced at his Prior. To his astonishment, Guibert essayed a frown and gave a firm shake of his head. ‘Who is he?’

‘A man who owns a brothel near the city walls. I am not surprised you do not know of him — he would hardly be fit company for a prior. He also owns a gambling house.’

‘What of it?’

‘I thought that a man such as yourself, always mingling with and preaching to the lowest fellows in the city, might have come across him in your wanderings. That is all,’ Baldwin said.

‘No.’

‘He managed to take several pounds from that same merchant Gervase, you know. Gervase can’t have been so very “poor”, can he? Not if he could lose pounds to Jordan le Bolle. He lost heavily in gambling at Jordan’s house, and then he was persuaded to go to the chapter and swear that it was stolen from him while he stayed there. It would blacken the name of the cathedral, that, would it not? And only an entirely unscrupulous man would ask a fellow to do that. Accuse the innocent in order to gain advantage over them.’

‘As you say,’ Guibert said. His hand was on his pate now, and he appeared to stare into the distance.

John listened with rising horror. The man was known, obviously, about the city, but he had no idea that Jordan was so evil a character. This was appalling.

‘But what interests me,’ Baldwin continued, ‘is what would have motivated this Jordan to demand such a course of action against the cathedral. It seems peculiar to me. Except he had perhaps a reason. He was making money from the cathedral’s rebuilding. We have heard that when each cargo was landed, if there was a valuable item, he would have it stolen and replaced with some cheaper stuff. And then he would sell the more expensive item back to the chapter. Enterprising, that. But people were growing suspicious of his actions. He wanted a distraction. Perhaps, he reasoned, if he were to create a theft at the cathedral, and then let others know of it …?’

John could stand silent no longer. If the man was a thief, and entirely corrupt, John could not seek to conceal his presence in this little priory. ‘I think perhaps you have forgotten the man, Prior — I saw you discussing some affair with him only a few days ago. You were involved in a lengthy conversation.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes. Jordan is a tall man, powerful, energetic. He was here, walking about the place in conversation with you. About the time Sir William died,’ he added sharply.

Guibert looked at him then, and John felt the force of those watery old eyes, but he felt no guilt. Rather, he felt contempt, because he understood Guibert at last. The man he had revered for his courage and integrity had shown himself to be dishonest. He had tried to connive at the shaming of the canons for his own revenge. Perhaps he felt justified, but John thought that although the chapter was too wealthy for the good of the canons, God needed His priests to work together to confound the Devil. If Guibert was prepared to lie and dissemble, he was not honourable. And that meant he was not suitable to be Prior.

No, John could not uphold the tale Guibert had concocted. Now he knew that the story of the theft was untrue, John would have no further part in it. In fact, as he walked back to his cell, he felt he should not remain here while Guibert was Prior. He would collect his bowl and his staff, and leave. Perhaps he could go further west, away from this city with its politics and felonies. He could not remain here.

At least, he reasoned as he took his leave of Robert and walked from the gates for the last time, at least he had been an agent for good. Guibert had lied, and at least John had been there to expose his untruth.

The watchmen outside Jordan le Bolle’s house had still seen no sign of the man, so Simon and Baldwin returned to the deanery with the Coroner.

Sir Peregrine was content to sit and listen to the story Baldwin told the Dean. There was little in it he had been aware of, and the telling made sense of other stories he had heard recently.

‘I can tell you much, I think, Dean. A lot of it is conjecture still, but most is based on what I have learned from people who know what has been happening: the matters of Gervase the merchant and Sir William of Hatherleigh being two cases.

‘This man Jordan is a committed felon, Dean. He is keen to steal what he can. For some time, I believe, he has been taking your cargoes and filching what he could. But people grew to realize what he was up to — especially Daniel, the sergeant. So Daniel had to be destroyed. Perhaps Jordan tried first to simply bribe him, but whatever else he was, I do not believe the sergeant was a felon, and taking money to close his eyes to an injustice would not have appealed to him. Not only that, but I think he saw it as a matter of honour that he should capture this man because what he was doing was harming the cathedral itself.

‘So Jordan decided to have him removed. However, he couldn’t simply dispose of one man alone and hope that it would leave him clear to continue with his pilfering. He thought to himself that it would be best if he were to distract the cathedral too. How to do that?

‘The man was nothing if not imaginative. Before ever he had arranged for Daniel’s death, he thought of setting up a dispute between the chapter and the friars. He knew, just as all the population of Exeter knows, that the two houses were often at daggers drawn. It should be easy to create a dispute between them. And so it happened.

‘The merchant, Gervase, appeared in the city. A fool with his money, he was easily parted from it over some ales and gambling. Jordan could easily fix a series of games, at first to let Gervase win, and then, when he thought his luck was in, to fleece him of the lot. Every game he lost, until he owed Jordan a fortune.