The First Murder

Prologue

I am gracious and great God without beginning.

I am maker unmade; all might is in me.

I am life and way, unto weal winning.

I am foremost and first; as I bid, shall it be.

The bliss of my gaze shall be blending

And flowing from hardship protecting;

My body in bliss still abiding,

Unending, without any ending.

Prior Wigod carefully put down his quill so as not to splash the ink from the nib, and leaned over his work to admire it. He muttered the words he had written to himself, then with an improper sense of pride, got up from his chair and stomped around speaking them out loud. He grunted with pleasure. The words sounded fine echoing round his private parlour. So he knew they would be even more portentous carrying out over the assembled crowd of common people who would come from nearby Oxford to stand before the main doors of Oseney Priory on Easter Sunday in the year of our Lord 1154. Perhaps he would play the part of God himself. Why not? He was prior of the recently augmented Augustinian community, and this play was to be performed to mark their first twenty-five years.

He looked at the words he had written once again, some admittedly borrowed, it was true, but some his own. Mostly his own, he liked to think. And they were written in the vernacular in order to reach the hearts and minds of the ordinary people of the town. The community he led, instituted by Robert D’Oyly, was of the Canons Regular of St Augustine, and part of their role was preaching and teaching. Feeling an unseemly swelling of pride in his breast, before retiring for the night he hurriedly kneeled before the large crucifix that hung on the eastern wall of his parlour. Bowing his head, he prayed to the Lord for His forgiveness for the sin of pride.

At daybreak, Brother Paul, who was designated the ‘careful brother’ by the prior because he could be relied on to see that all things were done at the appointed time, rang the bell to rouse the brethren. This was the call to dress and enter the church for prime, the first daylight service of the seven offices ordained by the psalmist. Paul muttered the relevant words under his breath as he cheerfully and lustily tolled the bell.

‘Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgement.’

On that cold March morning, Brother Wilfred was the last of the brother canons to rise, and had to hurry from the dormitory, through the cloister court, and into the church transept, where he received a severe look from the prior. Wilfred was often late and regularly chastised for his misdemeanour, but it made no difference. He was young and still not used to breaking his rest at midnight to the sound of Paul’s sleepless bell, only to return to his austere pallet and rough blanket after singing matins and lauds in a dark and cold church. He felt he had only just closed his weary eyes again when the prime bell rang. This morning, like so many before, he found himself stifling a yawn. On the other hand, he could not help but notice the bright fervour that shone in Paul’s eyes at the final exhortation to ‘let everything that hath breath praise the Lord’.

The careful brother was no older than Wilfred, but had been rewarded for his zeal by the prior. His recent appointment as the toller of the bells that regulated the daily affairs of the priory had filled Wilfred with envy, though he did not know why. The last thing he wished for himself was to have to be awake before everyone else in order to rouse the Augustinian community out of their beds. It’s just that envy was Wilfred’s natural state. He envied the rotund Brother William, who had long held the position as kitchener, because he obviously filled his belly with extra food. He envied Brother Alfred the infirmarian, because he had an easy time tending the sick and elderly monks, which kept him indoors on cold and inclement days such as today. And he envied Brother Roger, who was the cellarer and had access to the stores where the casks of wine were kept. From Roger’s sometimes unsteady gait, Wilfred suspected him of ‘sucking the monkey’, as the novices called it. This practice involved sticking a long piece of straw in the bunghole of a cask and sucking out the contents without apparently broaching the barrel.

Wilfred knew why he envied all these people, but he could not say why he especially envied Brother Paul. Perhaps it was not because of his position, but due to the fact that he and Wilfred had begun as novices on the same day. And yet Paul had progressed so much further and faster than Wilfred. Even the next ritual of the long day reminded Wilfred of his junior status. For it was in order of seniority that the canons silently processed out to the cloister to wash their hands and faces at the stone trough that ran the length of one side of the court. Wilfred was in the rearmost echelon, preceding only the young novices who had just begun their long journey towards priesthood. As he stood in the lengthy queue for these ablutions, Wilfred heard one of the novices behind him, unused to the rules on silence, whispering to the young boy next to him a choice piece of news that Wilfred had not heard.

‘I heard it said that the prior has written a play to be performed as part of the Easter liturgy.’

The other novice must have been more concerned with observing the Augustinian rules. Wilfred heard only a noncommittal grunt from him before the novice-master scurried past him towards the original offender. Wilfred, his eyes still looking ahead, heard the crack of an open palm on tonsured head. The offending novice had been duly reprimanded for his infraction. But not before he had planted a seed in Wilfred’s head.

Of course, it could be nothing but the exaggeration of an overwrought boy, this talk of a play. For many years the canons of Oseney Priory, built on the southernmost arm of the water meadows close by the walls of the university town of Oxford, had included small dramatic episodes in the Easter liturgy. On Easter morning, after the third responsory of matins, two canons clothed in albs walked to where a wooden cross had been laid on the floor of the church just below the altar. It represented a grave, and they seated themselves there until three more canons carrying censers and representing holy women, joined them. At this point one of the seated canons in the guise of an angel asked the holy ‘women’, ‘Whom do you seek?’ The three canons answered, ‘Our Lord, Jesus Christ.’ The angel then gave the holy ‘women’ the message of the Resurrection, and told them to go forth and proclaim it. They then intoned the antiphon, ‘Surrexit enim, sicut dixit dominus. Alleluia.’ Finally, the choir, as always, finished matins with the Te Deum.

So the rumour of a play to be performed at Easter could amount to nothing. On the other hand, if it were true, Wilfred had a desire to take part in it. Life at the priory was one of endless, dull repetition. He knew it was a state of existence that he should have realised before he committed himself to God, but when he was a novice it had all seemed so new and exciting. Now, the thought of doing something unusual, like taking part in a pageant, served to lift his spirits. He could not wait until the daily assembly in the chapter house. Perhaps the prior would make an announcement. Easter was only a matter of weeks away, and much would need to be done to prepare the scenes he had heard other priories and abbeys had performed as a way of teaching the lay community some of the key points in the Bible.

It was finally Wilfred’s turn to wash. He plunged his hands into the shallow runnel of icy water that trickled down the stone trough in the cloister, and splashed some on his face. He risked darting a quick look behind him to try to identify the novice who had broken the news of the play. From the reddened mark on his forehead, he saw it must have been Alcuin, a ginger-haired youth from Wales with big, ungainly hands and feet. The novice’s pock-marked face had a sour look on it that intimated he resented being humiliated by the novice-master. Wilfred wondered if he would last the course, and graduate into the order. He himself had had to contain his prideful anger on more than one occasion, and knew how the new boy felt. He tried a smile of sympathy on him, but Alcuin looked away in embarrassment. Wilfred shrugged and walked through to the refectory. There, the assembled canons ate the usual light breakfast of bread and ale standing up in silence, as was the custom. He groaned inwardly when, all too soon, he heard the ‘careful’ Brother Paul tolling the inexorable bell calling everyone to Mass.

Once Mass had been celebrated, Brother Paul hurried off to toll the bell calling the canons to the chapter house. His duty was hardly essential at these times, as the routine of the priory – indeed, of every religious house in England – was rigid and regular. Everyone knew to move from the church and into the chapter house at this time of day. The only times the sound of the bell was of use was late morning, when the canons had dispersed to carry out various tasks concerning the business affairs of the priory and needed to be called together for High Mass; and also for vespers. After dinner, the canons had a short rest period, terminated by the office of nones. Then there began the five-hour working day, which the canons spent in the gardens, fields, workshops, kitchens and storehouses of Oseney Priory. The vesper bell was essential to call them for evensong from their various allotted tasks in the scattered buildings and grounds of the ever-growing priory. But Paul took his task seriously at all times of the day, and even though he knew some canons grumbled about his zeal, that did nothing to dim his enthusiasm. The marking of the set points of each and every day with the sound of a bell was as important to him as his sevenfold daily praise of God.

As he was ringing the bell to call his brothers to the chapter house, he noticed that Brother Wilfred was for once at the head of those entering through the grand doors of the room on the east side of the cloister. This was most unusual. Wilfred was forever dragging his feet from one part of the priory to another, and from one task to another. Paul had tried more than once to rectify this, suggesting that Wilfred should show more enthusiasm as everything the canons did was in praise of the Lord. He had thought that Wilfred would have responded well, as they had been friends from the day they had arrived together as novices at the priory. But on the third occasion that Paul had chastised him – in the friendliest of ways – Wilfred had turned on him, and suggested he mind his own business. Paul preferred to forget the actual words, which had been, ‘Go kiss the Devil’s arse, Paul. Are you trying for early sainthood or something?’ He had put the outburst down to the fact that it had been Lent, and Wilfred, as were some of the other inexperienced canons, was always fractious when hungry. Paul himself relished fasting at Lent as it gave him a curious feeling of flying out of his own skin, and therefore closer to God.

Slipping quietly into the chapter house, Paul waited whilst a few brothers shuffled up along the stone bench that ran around the whole chamber, and then sat in the space made for him. The coldness struck through his vitals, and he silently praised God for his discomfort. He listened as Brother Martin finished the reading of the daily chapter of the Rule, and then the prior stood up.

His seat was set in the rounded apse at the eastern end of the chapter house, and stood at the top of three steps. So when Prior Wigod rose from his chair, he presented an imposing figure appropriate to his position. It had been said in the dormitory that morning that he had an important announcement to make. But Wigod still stuck rigidly to the proper procedure. His first words were to lead the canons in the praise for the saints and martyrs of the day.

‘Let us praise St Piran of Padstow, St Caron of Tregaron, and St Kieran of Ossory in Ireland.’

The assembled twenty-five canons and six novices intoned prayers and praise for the saints. It was as if the prior’s own words were echoing around the vaulted chamber. Next there came the prayers for the souls of the benefactors.

‘Let us pray for the soul of Robert D’Oyly, and his wife, Editha. She it was who saw a group of magpies chattering in the marchlands of Oseney Meadows and realised they symbolised souls in purgatory crying for prayers. In 1129, Sir Robert granted the lands on which our priory now stands. And so this is the twenty-fifth year since our founding.’ He paused dramatically. ‘And in order to celebrate that founding, and to further our purpose as canons regular, I have decided that a pageant or play will be performed outside the church doors on Easter Sunday.’

A murmur of excited comment rippled around the chamber, which on any other occasion would have been the cause of a severe reprimand from the prior. But on this special day he was pleased beyond measure at its occurrence, and let the lapse pass. He continued to explain his plans, ensuring the canons knew the source of the text.

‘The scenes I have written so far include “The Creation of the World”, “The Fall of the Angels”, “The Fall of Man”, “The Story of Cain and Abel”, and “The Deluge”. I shall complete the central piece of this Easter celebration shortly, with “The Nativity”, “The Passion” and “The Resurrection”. It will be called Ordo Representationis Ade – The Play of Adam.’

The only canon capable of interrupting the prior did so at this moment. He was Brother Sylvanus, and had stood for election as prior against Wigod three years earlier. The previous prior, who had died of a fever, had been quite severe in his sense of duty, and Sylvanus looked to carry on his stern discipline. Unfortunately for him, the twenty-five canons who were in a position to vote on who became prior – the lay brothers being excluded from this process – had expressed a desire for a gentler approach to the praise of God. Wigod had been elected, and the defeated candidate had never let him forget the perceived snub. Sylvanus questioned every proposal and every decision that Wigod came up with. This time it was concerning the language of the pageant. With a sneering tone in his voice, Sylvanus made his position clear.

‘I hope that the text to be spoken by the canons will be in Latin, Brother Wigod.’ He alone called the prior by his name rather than using his title.

Wigod smiled wearily. ‘The liturgy will of course be in Latin, as will the psalms and songs. For example, at the end of “The Fall of the Angels”, the choir will sing “Te deum laudamus: te dominum confitemur”.’

Sylvanus smirked, believing he had cornered the prior. ‘I think I hear the sound of “however” hovering over your exposition.’

The prior was undeterred. ‘Indeed you do, Brother Sylvanus. The stories will be told in the vernacular. One of the purposes of our order is to preach and teach to the populace. How are we to do that properly unless we speak to them in their language?’

He looked across the sea of nodding tonsured heads, knowing that most of the canons agreed with him. Only Sylvanus’ head went from side to side but, seeing he was outnumbered yet again, the disgruntled brother merely satisfied himself with a hiss of disapproval. He seemed to have contented himself with the knowledge that his day would surely come. And almost in the prior’s next breath, he saw it had. Wigod, as was his nature, had the inspiration to seek some reconciliation with Sylvanus, and made an offer.

‘I would like you, Brother Sylvanus, to select which of our brethren will enact which scenes, and the characters they will portray. I am sure you will be able to match the abilities of each with the person they will represent.’

Sylvanus grinned wolfishly, seeing a way immediately to ruin Wigod’s plans.

‘I will indeed undertake the task you suggest, Brother Wigod, if I can also instruct those I select in their roles. And I will allocate the parts according to the zeal and piety of our fellow canons.’

That was not what the prior had intended, having thought more to match each canon’s personality with the part as he had written it. He had drafted the words spoken by Noah with Roger the cellarer in mind, because he was vague and uncertain at crucial times. And the spare and sinuous frame of Brother Alfred made him eminently suitable for the part of the Serpent in ‘The Fall of Man’. But his decision had been made, and he could not now rescind it. With an inward sigh, he accepted his former rival’s plan.

‘I am content to leave it all in your capable hands, Sylvanus.’

The prior was so occupied with meeting Sylvanus’ cold stare, that he didn’t notice the disappointed look on Brother Wilfred’s face. With Sylvanus in charge of selecting which brothers were going to take part in the play, Wilfred saw his chances of being involved slipping rapidly away. His standing in the eyes of the strict disciplinarian, who had been novice-master in the days of Wilfred and Paul, was as low as it could be. The pious Paul would be selected first, and then most of the other twenty-three canons well ahead of Wilfred himself. He sighed and slumped in his seat, hardly listening to the rest of the prior’s announcements.

He was greatly surprised, therefore, when he felt a restraining hand on his arm as later he shuffled out of the chapter house to his general duties of the morning. He looked round, and saw the beaming face of Sylvanus with a strange look on it.

‘I have you in mind for a part in the pageant, Brother Wilfred.’

Wilfred gasped at this unexpected turn of fortune. ‘Of course, Brother Sylvanus. I hardly expected such an honour, but I will be delighted to help in any way I can.’

‘Then you shall have the part of Cain. The… prior…’ Sylvanus managed to squeeze the offending word out somehow, despite his displeasure, ‘… is even now going to the scriptorium to have the best scribes write out the words for each part in his play. You will have only your words, and the word that will prompt you to say your lines. The whole text is far too long to allow a copy of it all for everyone.’

There was a suggestion in Sylvanus’ tone of the play being overlong and wordy, but Wilfred didn’t care about the politics of the priory. Let Sylvanus undermine the prior all he wished, he had a part in the Easter play. He thought he understood the principle of the performers’ scripts, and hoped he could cope.

‘Yes, Brother. I will not let you down.’

It was only after Sylvanus strode away to speak to Brother Paul that Wilfred had a niggling doubt about the part. Was his selection to play the part of Cain some reflection on Sylvanus’ opinion of Wilfred’s attitude to God? Did he think Wilfred somehow impious? But whatever his fellow canon’s opinion, it didn’t much matter. He would be in the Easter play.

It was three days before Sylvanus handed Wilfred the single sheet of used and scraped vellum that had his words on it. He peered at it, the minute and ragged script looking as though a spider had stepped in ink and scurried across the page.

‘Who wrote this?’ he complained. ‘It is too small to read, and the lines are not level.’

Sylvanus’ mouth turned down in a sneer. ‘Wigod has the best scribes making copies of the whole play cycle. Therefore he had the novices trying their skill at writing the actors’ pieces. I am afraid Alcuin has proved he is not cut out for the scriptorium. The only merit of his hand is the smallness of his text. At least it has not been wasteful of precious vellum.’

Wilfred was about to point out that the palimpsest he held had been so often scraped that its greyness made the text barely legible. Its worn nature meant it could hardly be said to be precious material. But he kept his mouth shut, fearing that Sylvanus might change his mind and give the part of Cain to someone else. He looked at the line and a half of Abel’s first speech that gave him his cue.

Come, brother Cain, I would we went

With hearts full blithe.

He guessed that the last word of this speech was probably rhymed with ‘tithe’. Abel’s tithe being more acceptable to God was the cause of the fight between the brothers, which had tragic consequences. Reading on, he mouthed his own words.

‘What? Where to now? In wastelands gone?

You think I wish this town to leave?’

He looked at the older canon, eager to get it right from the beginning. ‘A m I to be argumentative, then? Or do we just read the words solemnly?’

Sylvanus shook his head impatiently. ‘You are to put your heart and soul into the part. Don’t you understand? You are to be Cain, the first murderer on earth, slayer of his brother.’

‘And who is to be Abel?’

A sly grin replaced the sneer on Sylvanus’ face.

‘Why, have you not guessed? Brother Paul, of course.’

Sylvanus had selected Paul for Abel almost as quickly as he had settled on Wilfred for Cain. When he had suggested to the prior that he not only select the canons to play each part, but also instruct them in their preparations, he had thought he could ruin Wigod’s idea with ineptness. So he had chosen the lazy and feckless Wilfred immediately. Later, he had seen the possibility of being more subtle in his undermining of Wigod’s plans. Unwittingly, he had selected a person, in Wilfred, who suited Cain down to the ground. It became clear he should then oppose him as Abel with the most irritatingly pious canon in the form of the ‘careful’ brother. Paul was Wigod’s greatest advocate, and had been rewarded for siding with him in his election as prior by being appointed the toller of the daily warning bells. Sylvanus was therefore Paul’s natural enemy, and he sought any way he could to denigrate him. His direction of the pageant of ‘The Story of Cain and Abel’ would be an exercise in revenge.

As the weeks passed, preparations for the Easter play progressed slowly but surely. Because the weather was cold, the prior agreed for the rehearsals to take place in the warming room, the only chamber in the priory that had a fire other than the kitchen and the prior’s own hall. It was a large, low-ceilinged room below the dormitory with vaulted arches curving overhead. On the day he was to begin with Paul and Wilfred, Sylvanus was first tutoring those who were to present ‘The Deluge’. Progress had been slow because Brother Roger, the cellarer, was drunk. Sylvanus had been reluctant even to appoint the man as Noah, but the prior, finally poking his nose in Sylvanus’ selection of characters despite his promise in the chapter house, had prevailed. One of the novices, a boy with a soft and feminine face, which caused him much embarrassment, was Noah’s wife. In recompense for all the ribbing he got about his appearance, he took to the shrewish part, as Prior Wigod had written it, with relish.

Wilfred walked into the warmth of the undercroft just as Noah was being chastised by his wife.

‘No; I must go home, I must,

My tasks are numerous.’

Roger, stumbling over the words, replied,

‘Woman, why do you thus?

To make us more mischief?’

The novice roared out his response:

‘Noah, you might have told me of it!

Morning and evening you were out,

And always at home you let me sit,

Never to know what you were about.’

There was a rustle of parchment as Roger fumbled the sheet that held his words, losing the place momentarily. Sylvanus sighed, and poked a bony finger at the text. Roger hiccuped apologetically.

‘Sorry, sorry. My lady, let me be excused for it.

It was God’s will, without a doubt.’

The novice, whose name no one seemed able to remember, rushed over to Roger.

‘What? You think that you’re going just yet?

No, by my faith, you’re getting a clout!’

He accompanied the words with an appropriate action, and Roger howled as the blow landed. Sylvanus grinned behind his hand.

‘Very well. That is enough for today. I see Wilfred is here, and I must practise “Cain and Abel” next.’

Brother Roger glowered at the fresh-faced novice, and slouched back to his duties as cellarer. It was likely he would sup some more wine through his straw to deaden the blow that had caught him round his ear. The novice blushed, but Sylvanus exchanged an encouraging word with him and he left flushed with pleasure.

Paul entered, apologetic about his lateness, though none had thought him tardy. It was another trait of Paul’s that irritated Wilfred no end. His constant regret for minuscule transgressions that no one else would have thought important was further proof of his earnest saintliness. He looked eagerly at Sylvanus.

‘Shall we begin, Brother? Only, it will not be long before I must ring the bell for terce.’

Wilfred glowered at the remark, but Paul merely smiled beatifically in return. Sylvanus raised a hand to acknowledge Paul’s reminder of his own importance.

‘Of course, Brother Paul, we should not delay the passage of the priory routines by one mote of time, should we? Brother Alcuin, who is to play the part of the foolish and lazy Brewbarret – and how appropriate that is – is not free today. So we will concentrate on the quarrel between the two brothers. Where are your scripts?’

Wilfred and Paul each produced the sheet with his lines on it. It was noticeable that, after only a few rehearsals, Wilfred’s was already tattered and creased. Paul’s parchment was naturally as pristine as the day he had been given it.

Sylvanus guided them quickly through the first section of the short play in which the two brothers paid their tithes to God. Cain did it with great reluctance, and his tithe burned badly as he offered it up. The prior had written this to reflect the situation in the real world where there was a shortage of wheat due to last year’s crop failures in England. It had not affected the wealthy priory at Oseney, but Cain’s worries would speak loudly to the peasants and landowners who would come to watch the Easter plays.

As the play progressed, Wilfred became as angry as the character he played. He spoke the lines to the sainted Abel in the form of Paul, with deep feeling.

‘Oh, go and kiss the Devil’s arse!

It is your fault it burns the worse.

I wish it all were in your throat,

Fire and sheaf and every sprout!’

Sylvanus could not help but encourage him in his anger, pointing at the horse’s jawbone he had obtained.

‘Very good, Wilfred. I have got Cain’s weapon for you. Take it up.’

Paul spoke next, as Abel, giving his lines the very saintliness that drove both Wilfred and Sylvanus mad.

‘God’s will, I suppose it were,

That mine burned so clear.

If yours smoked, am I to blame?’

Wilfred grabbed the jawbone, and stood close to Paul, his face bright red.

‘What? Yeah! And you’ll pay for the same!

With this jawbone, as I thrive,

I’ll let you no more stay alive!’

Wilfred swung the bony weapon, and in the spirit of the novice playing Mrs Noah before him, struck a heavy blow at Paul, who fell to the ground.

The prior, when informed by Sylvanus about Wilfred’s intemperance, was very angry. He stared balefully at his former opponent for the office he now held, who stood contritely before him. He took a deep breath before speaking his mind.

‘I cannot blame you for Wilfred’s evil action, Sylvanus. It was probably most unexpected. And you tell me that Paul is not seriously hurt.’

‘No indeed, Brother Wigod. He ducked just as Wilfred brought the blow down, and it hit him on the shoulder. He is a little sore, but his life is not imperilled.’

Prior Wigod grunted in relief that a more serious matter had not to be given judgement on. Heaven forbid that he would have to deal with a murder. He waved a dismissive hand at Sylvanus.

‘You may go. I will decide what to do with Wilfred this afternoon. Let him stew in the meantime.’

It was only after compline, late in the day, that the prior gave Wilfred his penance in the presence of his victim. Paul, for his part, conveyed by the look in his eyes his saintly forgiveness for the sin of his attacker.

It was out of a lifelong habit that Wigod awoke just before midnight.

He sat up in the chair where he had spent an uneasy night, and awaited the bell calling him and fellow canons to matins and lauds. When it did not come as he expected, he at first imagined that somehow he had mistaken the hour. But after a short time, he became convinced that he was correct in his thinking and that somehow the careful Brother Paul had mistaken the time.

Wigod rose from the chair and left his private quarters. He descended the wooden staircase to the cloister, and crossed to the north-west corner where the door to the bell-tower stood ajar. With a sense of foreboding, he peered into the gloom of the tower, where hung the ropes that connected to the church bells. His worst fears were realised when he saw in the dark of one corner a huddled figure lying on the floor. He stepped towards it, his heart pounding with trepidation. He groaned when he saw it was Brother Paul and, on closer examination, that he was lying in a pool of blood. Suppressing an urge to vomit, Wigod realised that Paul’s head had been stove in by a heavy object. Next to the body, covered in blood, lay the leering white jawbone of a horse.

The prior heard a gasp from behind him and, turning round, saw that other canons had risen as he had, and been curious about the lack of a peal of bells at the appropriate time. He controlled his own nausea, and waved a hand at the cellarer, who was at the front of the small group of black-robed men.

‘Brother Roger, you will close this door and stand guard. Do not let anyone enter until I allow it. Thank goodness the bolt on the other door to the tower, inside the church, is rusted in place.’ He approached the cellarer, who was for once sobered by what he had glimpsed, and whispered in his ear. ‘This will be resolved internally by myself. No one else will know of the unfortunate circumstances of Paul’s demise. Understand?’

Roger nodded and, allowing the prior to slip past him, pulled the door of Paul’s temporary tomb firmly closed. Wigod looked severely at the other canons, and pointed to the entrance to the church in the opposite corner of the cloister.

‘You will all carry on as normal. Brother William, you will officiate for me.’

The canons turned to obey, but the prior had a word for two of them.

‘Sylvanus, Wilfred, you will come with me.’

The two designated canons cast an uneasy glance at each other, and followed the prior towards the chapter house. Once there, Wigod slumped on his elevated seat, his head hung low, while the two canons hovered hesitantly before him. The silence was oppressive, until the comforting sound of the rest of the priory was heard from the church as they began matins. The chant seemed to calm the prior, who raised his head, having come to a decision. He was sure he knew who had murdered Paul, and resolved to deal with the matter in his own way. For the good of the priory. No one else but he knew that his Order had intimated that Oseney was soon to be declared an abbey. Nothing was going to stand in the way of that coming to pass. Not even a murder. He looked hard at Sylvanus and Wilfred. The older man returned his stare brazenly, but the younger looked fearful of what Wigod was about to say. Finally the prior spoke, mustering as much authority as he could.

‘I will not allow this… incident to disrupt the good running of this priory, nor will I let it prevent The Play of Adam going ahead on Easter Day.’

He saw that Sylvanus was about to protest, and raised his hand to stop him.

‘“The Story of Cain and Abel” will have to be withdrawn, of course, but the rest will go on as if nothing has happened.’

Sylvanus at last managed to get his protest out. ‘How can I go ahead directing the canons when one of our number has been murdered?’

The prior smiled chillingly. ‘You won’t need to. I will take charge of the play. And nothing will be said of murder ever again. Brother Paul died in an unfortunate accident.’ His harsh gaze told both canons that this was the way it would be.

‘And what of me?’ Sylvanus’ question was filled with righteous anger.

‘You will prepare yourself for a journey. A long journey,’ the prior replied.

‘To where?’

‘There is a solitary cell on an island on Leven Sands close by Low Furness, in the north-west of England. You will spend the rest of your life there pondering on the great sin of murder.’

Sylvanus’ face went ashen, but he said not a word on his defence. So the triumphant prior, now convinced of his own rightness, continued his exposition.

‘You see, I could tell from the murder weapon that it had to be you or Wilfred who had killed Paul. Only you two, apart from myself, who suggested using a real jawbone, knew of the implement to be used in the play. Only you two harboured resentment at Paul’s – shall we say – zealous nature.’

Wigod showed with his own careful selection of words that he was aware how irritating Paul could be. The poor dead fellow had come close to irritating him more than once. But he had not harboured a desire to murder him, as Sylvanus obviously had. His old adversary found some words at last.

‘And so, when Paul was murdered, you found it convenient to place the blame on me, who has sought to check your excesses all these years. You could not even consider the possibility that it was Wilfred.’

The young canon in question blurted out a denial, but the prior was unmoved.

‘It could not have been Wilfred. I know that for sure. Because my punishment for him hitting Paul in your rehearsal was for him to prostrate himself before the altar all night until the matins bell rang. I watched as he lay face down, his arms forming the cross. He could not have got into the tower from the church because the door bolt that side is rusted in place. Nor could he have come out through the door into the cloister without me seeing him. To make sure he kept to my punishment, I sat up all night in my chamber, from where I can see into the north-east corner of the cloister. Unfortunately, I could not see the part of the cloister directly below me. So I did not see you, Sylvanus, creeping along to the bell-tower in order to kill Paul before midnight.’

‘That is that, then.’

Sylvanus was seemingly resigned to his fate. He glanced at Wilfred, who returned his look with one of simple innocence. Turning on his heels he left the chapter house in order to pack his few belongings.

The prior gazed sternly at Wilfred.

‘You, brother, must continue to expiate your sins. As it will be an onerous task for your lazy bones, I am appointing you as the bell-ringer in Paul’s place. I hope it will prove to be a burden to you.’

Wilfred bowed his head, but found it hard to suppress a grin. He hurried from the prior’s presence to begin his new task.

Wigod walked to the outer gate of Oseney Priory to observe a humbled Sylvanus already crossing the water meadow towards Oxford, and his long journey to his exile in the north. Something about Wilfred’s grin gave him a cold feeling in his chest, and he returned to the priory church to communicate quietly with God. But first, he walked down the nave to the bell-tower door, which had long been rusted shut. He wiped his hand over the rusty bolt, and it came away with a greasy smear on it. He pulled on the bolt, and it slid easily. The coldness in his chest became a fist squeezing his heart as he thought of Wilfred’s grin. He had chosen the wrong man as the murderer in his desire to be rid of Sylvanus. And his old enemy had finally triumphed, knowing that Wigod would be forever mortified by his banishment of an innocent man. But Wigod knew there was nothing to be done now – he had made his decision – and to go back on it would show weakness.

Instead of entering into a colloquy with God, he rushed back to his quarters, and got out his fair copy of The Play of Adam. Picking up his quill, and dipping it in ink, he added two lines to the angel’s words at the end of ‘The Story of Cain and Abel’ by way of a warning to others.

Beware the sins of envy and vainglory,

Else foul murder ends your story.