X
Item, I John Shakespeare do protest that I am willing, yea, I do infinitely desire and humbly crave, that of this my last will and testament the glorious and ever Virgin Mary, mother of God, refuge and advocate of sinners (whom I honour specially above all other saints) may be the chief executress, together with these other saints, my patrons, (Saint Winefride) all whom I invoke and beseech to be present at the hour of my death, that she and they comfort me with their desired presence, and crave of sweet Jesus that he will receive my soul into peace.
XI
Item, In virtue of this present writing, I John Shakespeare do likewise most willingly and with all humility constitute and ordain my good Angel, for Defender and Protector of my soul in the dreadful day of Judgement, when the final sentence of eternal life or death shall be discussed and given: beseeching him, that, as my soul was appointed to his custody and protection when I lived, even so he will vouchsafe to defend the same at that hour, and conduct it to eternal bliss.
XII
Item, I John Shakespeare do in like manner pray and beseech all my dear friends, parents, and kinfolks, by the bowels of our saviour Jesus Christ, that since it is uncertain what lot will befall me, for fear notwithstanding least by reason of my sins I be to pass and stay a long while in purgatory, they will vouchsafe to assist and succour me with their holy prayers and satisfactory works, especially with the holy sacrifice of the mass, as being the most effectual means to deliver souls from their torments and pains; from the which, if I shall by God’s gracious goodness and by their virtuous works be delivered, I do promise that I will not be ungrateful unto them, for so great a benefit.
XIII
Item, I John Shakespeare do by this my last will and testament bequeath my soul, as soon as it shall be delivered and loosened from the prison of this my body, to be entombed in the sweet and amorous coffin of the side of Jesus Christ; and that in this life-giving sepulchre it may rest and live, perpetually enclosed in that eternal habitation of repose, there to bless for ever and ever that direful iron of the lance, which, like a charge in a censer, forms so sweet and pleasant a monument within the sacred breast of my lord and saviour.
XIV
Item, lastly I John Shakespeare do protest that I will willingly accept of death in what manner soever it may befall me, conforming my will unto the will of God; accepting of the same in satisfaction for my sins, and giving thanks unto his divine majesty for the life he hath bestowed upon me. And if it please him to prolong or shorten the same, blessed be he also a thousand thousand times; into whose most holy hands I commend my soul and body, my life and death: and I beseech him above all things, that he never permit any change to be made to me John Shakespeare of this my aforesaid will and testament. Amen.
I John Shakespeare have made this present writing of protestation, confession and charter, in the presence of the blessed Virgin Mary, my angel guardian, and all the celestial court, as witnesses hereunto: the which my meaning is, that it be of full value now presently and for ever, with the force and virtue of testament, codicil and donation in case of death; confirming it anew, being in perfect health of soul and body, and signed with mine own hand, carrying also the same about me; and for the better declaration hereof, my will and intention is that it be finally buried with me after my death.
Pater noster. Ave Maria. Credo.
Jesu, son of David, have mercy on me.
Amen.
About the Author
After a career in national newspapers, RORY CLEMENTS now lives in a seventeenth-century farmhouse in Norfolk and writes full-time. When not immersing himself in the Elizabethan world, he enjoys village life and a game of tennis with friends. He is married to the artist Naomi Clements-Wright. He is the author of the John Shakespeare series of Elizabethan mysteries, including Martyr, which was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Award; Revenger, which won the 2010 CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award; Prince, which was shortlisted for the 2011 Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award; Traitor; and Monarch. A TV series based on the books is currently in development.
www.roryclements.com
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
Also by Rory Clements
Martyr
Revenger
Prince
Traitor
The Man in the Snow
The Heretics
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
This book was originally published in Great Britain in 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton, an Hachette UK Company.
THE QUEEN’S MAN. Copyright © 2014 by Rory Clements. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition MARCH 2014 ISBN: 9780062301956
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East – 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
77–85 Fulham Palace Road
London, W6 8JB, UK
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollins.com
The Queen's Man: A John Shakespeare Mystery Page 36