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"A
young woman in Medieval England is accused of witchcraft by the village priest
- apparently she has visions of the future which come true –and she is held for
trial with another young woman. But the King's special Herald; Sir Henry
Barfield [the younger] believes she could prove useful for the King's wars with
France and Scotland - her gift could change the current Human Time-Line and Mr.
Tibbs must investigate when souls go missing and the girl says she serves God.
But who does the girl really serve?"
“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Author’s notes about this episode:
[1] An extra little WARNING: This episode contains strong language and scenes of torture and death.
[2]
The original Title for this episode was: ‘THE WITCH.’
[3]
A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.
[4]
There is NO 'Alexandra' series adult extended version currently available.
[5] "THE DUNMORE WITCH TRIALS.” The original illustration for this episode was created by the author, as was this episode, which was also conceived and written by him. Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. Please, no reproduction of any part without written permission.
[6] For your background information: "During the medieval period, there was widespread belief in magic across Christian Europe. The medieval Roman Catholic Church, which then dominated a large swath of the continent, divided magic into two forms—natural magic, which was acceptable because it was viewed as merely taking note of the powers in nature that were created by God, and demonic magic, which was frowned upon and associated with demonology." Taken from; 'Luman Western Civilisation' website. To view the whole conversation, click HERE.
Concept
date: 13th August 2017
First
published: 26th October 2017
Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.
Location: BOOK SERIES 1 – EPISODE 2.
Revisions: 3 [Last revised March
2019]
Version:
Final.
Published
Episode No. 02
Previous
episode: “The man who died in the future
to save his past.”
Next
episode: “The ghosts and Miss Jessica
Martin.”
Age
recommendation: 15+
Average
reading time: Approximately 60 Minutes.
Angel-in-charge: Margret
Team Assigned: Team 74
Mission: 10 - 889154 - 8 – 1371
Human times:
Gregorian Calendar: MCCCLXXI
Muslim Calendar: 0772 - 0773 [AH]
Hebrew calendar: 5131 - 5132
Christian Calendar: 1371AD
Lord Arthur Osborne sat at his grand table with
both hands placed upon his head of grey hair, eyes closed and breathed several
times quite deeply; “Damnation and plague!” He muttered and then looked up at
Alwyn, his Welsh sergeant-at- arms and shook his head, then slumped back into
the large chair.
Alwyn shifted his feet and gripped his helmet as he swung it -gently from side
to side – his other hand was fixed tightly on the hilt of his sword. He really
had not wished to inform his master of such events. Alwyn knew what would happen; if word
spread of the story and it reached the wrong ears in the High Church.
“They will send a fucking witch-finder to my
villages! Do you know what that will mean?” Lord Arthur rose slowly from his
chair and walked to the fireplace. He stood staring at the flames for some
moments, remembering what he had witnessed as a younger man nearly twenty years
ago. Sometimes, as he watched the fire flickering in its grate, he could still
see, hear and smell that terrible day.
The screaming young girl dragged to her funeral pyre - but still alive. Arthur
had watched as they chained her to the stake, sobbing hysterically and asking
what she had done wrong. Then calling for her mother and father; she was
calling for mercy, begging for God’s mercy’
But none heard her plea, and the fire was started. The flames grew quickly from
the wood and brush piled about the base of the pyre and the girl was soon
coughing from the thick smoke, between screams, as the flames crept up her legs
with increasing ferocity, then the guards threw fresh timber upon the fire,
actually showing a little mercy by quickening the flames and thus, her terrible
death.
The roaring flames burst open her skin, her eyes now black and burnt, she was plunged into darkness, and she could scream no more. The heat was shriveling her long dark hair and her flesh was melting; then her stomach contents came away, tumbling from her twitching body' smoking and hissing, it dropped into the roaring fire. He had turned away after that, but the noise behind him seemed to make everything worse. Mistress Alice Hornside had died at the stake; aged fourteen, found guilty of ‘witchcraft’. It still made the old Knight shudder to this day. Now another two girls stand accused of the same practice – and both from a sodding village under his Stewardship - his master, the fervently religious Earl of Whitestock, was a stupidly pious man who believed every word that poured from the pulpit; he had already given nearly a quarter of his land to the bloodsucking church authorities, in the desperate hope of buying Indulgences for his sins. Lord Arthur spat into the fire and slammed his hands together and sighed.
The first girl accused was Mistress Ruth Blacksmith [nee Humblestone] was seventeen and had been married only a few months to the Blacksmith’s son. A dull, silly little thing whose only ambition in life was to bake the perfect pie – but she kept an unguarded tongue and upset the wrong people in the village, especially other women. Probably only guilty of being an idiot who didn’t know when to shut her mouth; Lord Arthur allowed himself a smile over that, then he knew that a word with the magistrate about condemning the girl to wear a ‘scold's bridle’ for a month was a more appropriate punishment. It would take some coin but far better for him – and the village – and keep a fucking ‘Witch-finder’ or worse; the Holy Inquisition from the village.
[Note: a ‘scold's bridle’ was only used on women. This device prevented speaking and resulted in many unpleasant side effects for the wearer, including excessive salivation and fatigue in the mouth. For extra humiliation, a bell could also be attached to draw in crowds.]
But the other girl was a different matter; Mistress
Mary Whitefoot was an intelligent and clever young girl, probably not more that
fifteen years old and considered the beauty of the village. She could read and
write – just like her mother had done so. That damn Priest, Father Richard had
been hanging about the small Whitefoot’s farm for some time, with little
excuse, until he found a couple of books in a language he couldn't read and
some strange objects he could not understand, in Mary’s room; the utter prick
immediately shouted; “The Devil’s work!”
Then of course, the dreams or visions that came upon the young girl at certain times. The last one, about a donkey found dead on the Church steps had come true; two weeks after prophesied. Then old man Richard’s [he was a knife grinder who visited the village every few months] collapse and death on the road to York and the Raven’s picking at his dead flesh; another true vision.
Little wonder the Priest had called the girl out as a witch – the fucking ignorant bastard! But Lord Arthur could not see the girl go the stake – he had made a blood promise to her mother at the child’s birth - to protect her and her incredible gift; as did old Henry Barfield. He sipped some wine and offered a goblet to Alwyn, who downed it in one swig and wiped his mouth – wine had never been more needed! Lord Arthur gripped Alwyn by the shoulder and smiled; “Take a couple of men and gallop hard and fast to Barfield castle and ask Sir Henry Barfield to come here; with some haste. I and his father have history; he will not refuse such a request.”
Alwyn nodded, then bowed and departed swiftly for Barfield castle and an audience with the King’s Special Herald. Old Lord Barfield and Lord Arthur had fought together in the King’s French war and again, when subduing Scottish raiders in the war of the Boarder’s. It is said they owed each other, their lives more than once; they were ‘blood brothers’ in the real sense of the term and very close old friends.
Sir Henry Barfield, old Lord Barfield’s son and heir, was the King’s ‘Special Herald’ and one of the King’s most trusted men. In later times, his role would have many titles; but all concerned matters of intelligence and information for the Government of the time – in this century - the King was that government. Sir Henry worked under the direct command of the King and the other nobles – especially those in the King’s Privy Council had little affection for the man; but they certainly respected his position: he had the king’s ear and you didn’t really want to stray onto his bad side!
[Note: In medieval England, the King's Privy Council, also known as the King's Council, was a group of advisors to the monarch, initially composed of nobles, clergy, and selected royal household officials. This council served both as an advisory body, providing counsel on state affairs and as an executive and judicial body, implementing royal decisions and resolving disputes.]
Lord Arthur called for his house Steward; Peter and told him to make haste to the town jail, where the two girls had been incarcerated: in chains. The message to the Jailer was simple; no torture – yet. He gave Peter some coins for the Jailer’s troubles and obedience; then sat before the fire and planned.
