The Bear Pit: A Medieval Murder MysteryThis is a Royal murder mystery set in the early 15th century. England's princes are portrayed as born in a 'Bear Pit, ' their lives a ruthless struggle for power. This book explodes the romantic myth of the age of chivalry. Betrayal and rebellion, murder and revenge, Hopkin ap Griffith ap Rhys has seen it all. He has served many masters and betrayed them all. In the aftermath of the battle of Agincourt, Hopkin is summoned to the presence of the victorious King Henry, who has a special commission for the Welshman. Amongst the few English dead is the Duke of York, whose corpse holds a secret which threatens King Henry's rule. Hopkin is charged with the task of finding the truth about the Duke's suspicious death, a task for which he is uniquely suited. A former rebel, he is well acquainted with the enemies of the new King. Witness the diversity of Medieval Britain through Hopkin's eyes: a pagan, he casts a critical eye over the corruption of his age, and introduces us to the towering characters of the period; among them King Henry the Fifth, Sir Henry Percy ('Hotspur') and Owen Glendower, amongst others. Follow Hopkin's adventures from the outbreak of the Glendower revolt to the battle of Agincourt and beyond - the story of a turbulent period. |
Contents
Section 1 | 5 |
Section 2 | 26 |
Section 3 | 29 |
Section 4 | 41 |
Section 5 | 53 |
Section 6 | 88 |
Section 7 | 130 |
Section 8 | 168 |
Section 9 | 179 |
Section 10 | 180 |
Common terms and phrases
Agincourt Archbishop Archbishop Arundel archers Armagnac army arrows Arundel asked battle began Black Rhys blood Bolingbroke bowed brother Burgundy Calais Cambria Captain Hopkin castle Clarence command comrades Crach crown Cymro Cymry danger death Douglas Duke Duke of Burgundy Duke of York Earl Earl Stafford Edmund enemy England English Erpingham eyes face father fear fight France French Geneth Glyn Dŵr Grace Griffith Gwil hand Harfleur Harlech head heard Henry’s Heuze Highness hope Hopkin ap House of Lancaster Jamie killed King Henry knew laughed learnt Lollards looked Lord Majesty Majesty's matter Mortimer murder Northumberland Parliament Percy Prince Henry Prince Owain realm reminded replied Rhys Tudur rode Saint Saxons Scots servants Shrewsbury Sir Henry Sir Henry's Sir John Sir Thomas Sire soldiers soul speak spoke tale tell took town truth turned victory Vortigern waited warned Warwick watched weapons Westmoreland wisdom Worcester words wound