Satan in St Mary

sued in the King's court either by himself or through an attorney that his attack on Crepyn had been in self-defence. If such a plea had been accepted, Duket would have received a pardon. Secondly, if Duket had not pleaded in the courts, or had and had his plea rejected, he would have had to abjure the realm. This would have meant walking on the King's highway, carrying a small cross, to the nearest port. In this case, the Steelyard or some other dock along the Thames to secure passage abroad. In view of Duket's wealth, this would not have been too difficult and the same wealth would have ensured a comfortable exile until he secured his safe return So why did he commit suicide?
    First, to escape the hangman's noose? However, he was in sanctuary and had other more palatable choices open to him as I have described above. Secondly, to avoid being adjudged a felon for the death of Ralph Crepyn and so risk all his property being judged forfeit to the King? But first he would have to be convicted as such and, secondly, he had no kin except a sister with whom he was scarcely close Thirdly, that his mind became sick and he could not cope with the guilt of what he had done? Or, he was overcome with dread and fear of Crepyn's associates who would surely exact revenge? This might prove the more acceptable solution if I could find that Crepyn did have close associates for he seems to have been a lonely man, bereft of family, friends or close colleagues.
    Nevertheless, I do believe that Lawrence Duket was murdered on the night of 13th January 1284 by person or persons unknown. First, I cannot accept that a man who fled for safety in the sanctuary of a church, (who therefore wanted to protect his life) would later decide to end it in such a macabre way. Secondly, and more importantly, Duket could not have stood upon the chair and tied the noose around the projecting iron bar. I have measured the man's corpse and have found he was too short. He could simply not reach the bar above him to tie the knot. To conclude, I believe Duket was murdered but many questions remain unanswered.
    Item: For what reason?
    Item: By whom?
    Item: How did they manage to enter the church and leave it without using the door? The priest could have let them in but they would still have needed Duket's co-operation from within. They would also have had to either suborn the watch, distract or overcome them, and there is not a shred of evidence to indicate this.
    Item: The murderers could have been given entrance to the church by someone else but that person would have had to have a key to the outside lock or stolen the Rector's yet there is no evidence for this.
    Item: The only way any person could have entered the church was by the side door but this was firmly locked and has been for years, there was no sign or evidence of it being opened Another way would have been through the windows, but most of these are too small. The large ones were firmly clasped and could only have been opened from the inside. None of these windows showed signs of being forced. There is no indication or sign of any secret entrance to the church.
    Item: If person or persons unknown had secured entrance to the church their movements would have aroused the attention of the watch. Surely Duket would have resisted and screamed for help and not gone to his death as quietly as a lamb to the slaughter?
    Item: What were the black silk threads still tangled in the noose, the piece of linen caught between Duket's teeth, and who inflicted the bruises on Duket's forearms?
    Corbett finished his report and re-read it, studying his conclusions carefully. The clear picture he had constructed a few weeks ago was there – Duket was murdered though Corbett glumly realized that he had made little or no progress on how, by whom and for what reason. He was still poring over the manuscript when a crashing on the wooden stairs outside startled him. The door was flung open as Ranulf burst in.
    "No wonder, " Corbett sarcastically commented, "you were so unsuccessful as a housebreaker. You're as gentle as a charging war horse!"
    Ranulf, red-faced, breathlessly apologized and, putting the supplies he had bought on the end of Corbett's bed, slumped down against the far wall to rest himself.
    Corbett watched him for a while. "Were you successful?" he eventually asked.
    Ranulf nodded. "Oh, yes, I broke in to both Duket's and Crepyn's houses. They were both deserted, both stripped to the bone if not by the