Read The Death Ship of Dartmouth: (Knights Templar 21) Online

Authors: Michael Jecks

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The Death Ship of Dartmouth: (Knights Templar 21)

THE DEATH SHIP OF DARTMOUTH
Michael Jecks

Copyright © 2006 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 1982 4

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

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

Epilogue

Author’s Note

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-first novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.

Autumn, 1324: when a man is found dead in the middle of a Dartmouth road, many assume his demise to be the result of a drunken accident. Meanwhile, a ship is found ravaged by pirates out at sea, the crew killed or captured. Could this be the beginning of a new onslaught, or something even more sinister?

Sir Baldwin de Furnshill has been told of spies and messengers being sent to the great traitor Roger Mortimer in France. If this is true, then civil war in England is surely imminent. Together with his friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock, Baldwin is tasked by the most powerful men in the Kingdom with uncovering the truth. Fail, and they will be executed. Succeed, and others may be ready to silence them for ever.

This book is for Webb and Welk.

Good friends for more years than I can remember.

Cast of Characters
Sir Baldwin de Furnshill
The Keeper of the King’s Peace, Sir Baldwin is known as a committed seeker after the truth.
Simon Puttock
A stannary bailiff, Puttock has been a friend of Baldwin’s for eight years, since 1316. Recently he was promoted to act as the Keeper of the Port of Dartmouth’s (see
Glossary)
representative in the town.
Rob
A teenaged youth who has been taken on by Simon as his servant while he lives in Dartmouth.
Stephen
The latest in a line of clerks to Simon.
Sir Andrew de Limpsfield
A man-at-arms in the service of Lord Hugh Despenser.
Sir Richard de Welles
Coroner to the King, from Lifton in Devon.
John Hawley
One of the four major merchants and shipowners in the town.
Peter Strete
Clerk to John Hawley.
Paul Pyckard
The second of the leading merchants of the town, Pyckard is suffering from a terminal illness.
Adam
Loyal and devoted to Pyckard, his master, Adam is an excellent captain and leader of men.
Gilbert
One of Pyckard’s best shipmasters, Gil is a well-known and respected captain.
Moses
Pyckard’s closest and most trusted servant, who is like a son to him.
Danny
Moses’s younger brother, Danny chose to serve their master by joining his fleet and became a good sailor.
Philip Kena
The third local merchant, Kena is eager to advance himself.
Hilary Beauley
The fourth of the leading merchants, Beauley is the youngest and most ambitious.
Hamo
Cooper to the ships in Dartmouth’s haven.
Hamund Chugge
A confessed murderer, Chugge has decided to abjure the realm (see
Glossary).
Ivo le Bel
Although a sergeant and upholder of the law, Ivo is not known either for his courage or his intelligence.
Odo
Vincent’s closest companion, he is a good sailor, albeit a harsh leader.
Henry Pyket
Known in Dartmouth as one of the best shipbuilders and wrights.
Vincent
Despite his brutality, Vincent is nevertheless respected for his courage and seamanship.
Alred Paviour
A notable professional, Alred is a roadmaker, or paver.
Bill
Bill has worked with Alred for many years.
Law
The youngest of the trio, Law is apprenticed to Alred.
Cynegils
An old sailor fallen on hard times.
Emma
Cynegil’s daughter.
Sieur Pierre de Caen
A French knight who has recently been living in the Queen’s household.
Bishop Walter II
Baldwin’s friend, Walter Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter.

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