A Cruel Fate

by Lindsey Davis

Genres: Historical Fiction

Synopsis

Martin Watts, a bookseller, is captured by Royalists. Jane Afton's brother Nat is taken too. They suffer inhumane treatment as prisoners-of-war. In Oxford Castle jailor William Smith tortures, beats, starves and deprives his helpless victims. Can Jane rescue her sick brother before he dies of neglect? Will Martin dare to escape? Based on real events in the English Civil War, Lindsey Davis retells the grim tale of Captain Smith's abuse of power in Oxford prison - where many died in misery though a lucky few survived.

Release date: February 3, 2014

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Print pages: 112

Sample

‘Who burns books? What men are so wicked?’

As they loot the town, the King’s soldiers make a bonfire in the street. They break into John Hammond’s bookshop, then carry out armfuls of books, which they pile on the cobbles in rough heaps. They feed the bonfire with books for three hours. Martin Watts, who works for Hammond, watches them, amazed and helpless. He loses his doubts about the war, and decides which side he supports.

When he can no longer bear the sight of burning books, Martin tries to protest. A soldier strikes him over the head with a gun and knocks him down. Then he is taken prisoner. He is an unarmed member of the public. He cannot believe this is happening.

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Martin is twenty-seven – a lean figure, neither handsome nor ugly. He has always lived here in Wiltshire. He has little knowledge of war, but as he waits for the King’s soldiers to deal with him, he understands that the attack was bound to happen. Marlborough is less than thirty miles from Oxford. The town strongly supports Parliament and has raised money and troops. The King cannot risk having enemies so close. Besides, in Marlborough there are many wealthy homes and a thriving market. The armies on both sides badly need funds. The King’s soldiers have come to remove the danger posed by this rebel town, but also to look for booty and fun.

For days people have been afraid of what was coming. The river would protect them on the south side, but new earthworks were hastily built to guard the north. The moment they dreaded came on the eighth of December. After a dark night with stormy weather, four thousand of the King’s soldiers (known as royalists) arrived. Their great cannon tried to pound the town, but the houses lay out of their range.

At first the royalists tried to make a grand show of their strength. They wanted to awe the town, in order to avoid a battle.

They captured a spy. Instead of hanging him, they paraded troops before him. Then they spared him. He was told to return home and warn people how large and gallant the King’s army was – and how pointless it would be to resist.

The first real action was fitful, outside the town, as the royalists tried to break in to the town and the defenders fought to keep them out. Some royalists were killed in a short fight with muskets and pistols. Then a fiercer exchange of fire lasted for three hours, during which time not one defender fell. A barn full of the town’s musketeers was set alight by a shell. Then a house behind it started to burn too. The rebels retreated. The royalists overtook them. Horsemen charged in at both ends of the town. Some royalists reached the main streets by bursting through a passage in one of the great inns. In triumph they cried out, ‘A town! A town for King Charles!’

As long as they could, the rebels shot out of windows and defended barriers in the streets. Women helped to put out the fires, urging their husbands to keep fighting. But royalist foot-soldiers were soon clearing the barriers. Once the enemy were in the town, all discipline failed. The market traders, who had been given guns, threw them into the river and made a run for it. People were killed. There was noise, clouds of smoke, blood and bodies everywhere.

When the fighting ended, the King’s men began to rob and destroy. They set more buildings on fire. They terrified people by invading their homes – slashing tables, breaking windows, stabling their horses in parlours. Property was stolen or simply wrecked. The happy royalists carried off barrels of oil, bottles of wine, vinegar, brandy, treacle, spices and dried fruit. One soldier set alight a shop filled with oil, hemp and tar. A neighbour put out the flames. Others tried to fire a draper’s shop, but that blaze was quenched too. And they burned books. They wanted to shock. They wanted to terrorise.

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Martin Watts surprised himself by making his protest about the books. And now he is forced to stand and wait, under guard, until the royalists have time to attend to their prisoners.

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Face to face for the first time with the King’s troops, Martin sees that some of them are half starved. No wonder they are so keen to take plunder. Many march without shoes or stockings. Others have no coats. People in the town who are wearing good clothes are made to exchange them with the soldiers. Those who think all cavaliers are rich noblemen in velvet cloaks are wrong. These ragged men are just hungry thieves – robbers let loose upon the people in the name of the King.

The royalists break into the town hall. Again, this pains Martin, a man who values documents. He watches in horror as they rummage through chests full of records, old charters and deeds, which they toss into the streets or carry off. At the same time, they load waggons with cheese an. . .