entered
the court and went to the benches reserved for the plaintiffs. Eyes
bore into the back of Harald's head. He couldn't hear but knew what
people were saying.
That's him …
he's the one who had his little brother do it for him.
On the other
side of the court, Roger Knowles was wrapped in conversation with
his advocate. Every few moments they stole a glance at Sir
Hugh.
A clerk
entered the chamber and called for order.
'This Court of
Sessions, in the County of Dorset, in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Our Sovereign Lord Henry, sixth of that name since the
Conquest, is now declared open. Pray rise.'
Those who were
not standing got to their feet. The doors at the rear swung open
and a procession entered. Harald recognised the shire reeve. He was
the king's chief executive in Dorset and a man of considerable
power and influence. The others were not so well known to him.
' Pray be seated'
The
proceedings commenced. Sir Hugh opened with the case for the
plaintiffs. He argued that Roger Knowles had acted illegally and
with criminal intent in extracting rent from tenants on the
Gascoigne estate. Harald couldn't fault him. Sir Hugh held the jury
entranced as he spelt out the agony of a young boy robbed of his
birthright and a father accused of denying his young wife the
tender embrace of true matrimony.
The counsel
for the defence rose and immediately went on the attack. He cast
doubts on Harald's manhood and sought permission to call witnesses.
Henry Knowles was the first to take the stand. He described a
frolic in the barn with Harald's wife, Judith. They allegedly made
love against a pile of hay while she divulged the secrets of her
unhappy marriage.
Sir Hugh
swooped like a hawk on its pray.
'How old were
you, Master Knowles?'
Henry looked
perplexed.
'When you
endowed Mistress Gascoigne with your irrepressible charms … how old
were you?'
Henry shuffled
his feet.
'You were
six-years-old, Master Knowles. Are you going to tax the credulity
of the honourable members of the jury by claiming that a shrimp
could make love to a whale?'
There was
laughter in court. People settled down like spectators at a
mummers' play, waiting to see what would happen next.
The counsel
for the defence jumped up. 'Show proof.'
Sir Hugh
opened his document case and produced a slip of paper that was
handed to a clerk who conveyed it to the presiding judge.
'Here, my
lord, is our proof.'
The judge gave
the document a cursory glance and accepted it as genuine.
Harald had
been prepared to argue the point but that had not been necessary.
He guessed that Hugh had prepared the ground beforehand and
wondered if he'd bribed all the justices on the bench.
Jane Etheridge
was the next to appear. The smartly dressed woman dissolved in
tears when Sir Hugh produced letters to prove she was in France
when her alleged conversation with Judith took place. Harald waited
for further witnesses to come forward. Alice's cousin, Catherine,
would be difficult to refute. But Catherine did not appear. Nor did
any of the other witnesses.
The council
for the defence pointed an accusing finger.
'Sir Harald
Gascoigne has with threats of violence prevented true testimony to
the veracity of our case, my lord.'
The judge
peered at Harald. 'Do you refute this accusation?'
'I do, my
lord,' Harald replied truthfully. 'I have never used violence nor
threatened it against anyone.'
'You are well
known as a man who eschews such practices?'
'I believe
that to be the case, my lord.'
'I accept your
rebuttal.'
Harald
expected Roger Knowles to argue the point. Instead, he read from a
letter, saying it had been written by Harald's mother.
' Madam, I would have you know that I
am right worried and offended by the conduct of your daughter
Judith who, although married to our son Harald, is displaying
unwholesome tendencies towards certain male members of our
household while our son is engaged in his studies at Oxford. I
would caution and beseech you, Madam, to give
the court and went to the benches reserved for the plaintiffs. Eyes
bore into the back of Harald's head. He couldn't hear but knew what
people were saying.
That's him …
he's the one who had his little brother do it for him.
On the other
side of the court, Roger Knowles was wrapped in conversation with
his advocate. Every few moments they stole a glance at Sir
Hugh.
A clerk
entered the chamber and called for order.
'This Court of
Sessions, in the County of Dorset, in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Our Sovereign Lord Henry, sixth of that name since the
Conquest, is now declared open. Pray rise.'
Those who were
not standing got to their feet. The doors at the rear swung open
and a procession entered. Harald recognised the shire reeve. He was
the king's chief executive in Dorset and a man of considerable
power and influence. The others were not so well known to him.
' Pray be seated'
The
proceedings commenced. Sir Hugh opened with the case for the
plaintiffs. He argued that Roger Knowles had acted illegally and
with criminal intent in extracting rent from tenants on the
Gascoigne estate. Harald couldn't fault him. Sir Hugh held the jury
entranced as he spelt out the agony of a young boy robbed of his
birthright and a father accused of denying his young wife the
tender embrace of true matrimony.
The counsel
for the defence rose and immediately went on the attack. He cast
doubts on Harald's manhood and sought permission to call witnesses.
Henry Knowles was the first to take the stand. He described a
frolic in the barn with Harald's wife, Judith. They allegedly made
love against a pile of hay while she divulged the secrets of her
unhappy marriage.
Sir Hugh
swooped like a hawk on its pray.
'How old were
you, Master Knowles?'
Henry looked
perplexed.
'When you
endowed Mistress Gascoigne with your irrepressible charms … how old
were you?'
Henry shuffled
his feet.
'You were
six-years-old, Master Knowles. Are you going to tax the credulity
of the honourable members of the jury by claiming that a shrimp
could make love to a whale?'
There was
laughter in court. People settled down like spectators at a
mummers' play, waiting to see what would happen next.
The counsel
for the defence jumped up. 'Show proof.'
Sir Hugh
opened his document case and produced a slip of paper that was
handed to a clerk who conveyed it to the presiding judge.
'Here, my
lord, is our proof.'
The judge gave
the document a cursory glance and accepted it as genuine.
Harald had
been prepared to argue the point but that had not been necessary.
He guessed that Hugh had prepared the ground beforehand and
wondered if he'd bribed all the justices on the bench.
Jane Etheridge
was the next to appear. The smartly dressed woman dissolved in
tears when Sir Hugh produced letters to prove she was in France
when her alleged conversation with Judith took place. Harald waited
for further witnesses to come forward. Alice's cousin, Catherine,
would be difficult to refute. But Catherine did not appear. Nor did
any of the other witnesses.
The council
for the defence pointed an accusing finger.
'Sir Harald
Gascoigne has with threats of violence prevented true testimony to
the veracity of our case, my lord.'
The judge
peered at Harald. 'Do you refute this accusation?'
'I do, my
lord,' Harald replied truthfully. 'I have never used violence nor
threatened it against anyone.'
'You are well
known as a man who eschews such practices?'
'I believe
that to be the case, my lord.'
'I accept your
rebuttal.'
Harald
expected Roger Knowles to argue the point. Instead, he read from a
letter, saying it had been written by Harald's mother.
' Madam, I would have you know that I
am right worried and offended by the conduct of your daughter
Judith who, although married to our son Harald, is displaying
unwholesome tendencies towards certain male members of our
household while our son is engaged in his studies at Oxford. I
would caution and beseech you, Madam, to give
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