Heslop, who was sitting back comfortably in his chair, gave me a bored look. ‘This is not the Court of Chancery, Brother. What are the legal issues at stake?’
I saw Bealknap nod complacently, but I was ready. ‘That was by way of introduction, your honour. I have here half a dozen cases confirming the sovereignty of the Common Council over monastic properties in cases of nuisance.’ I handed up copies and summarized their arguments. As I spoke I saw a glazed look had come over Heslop’s face and my heart sank. When a judge looks thus it means he has already made up his mind. I pressed on manfully, however. When I finished, Heslop grunted and nodded to my opponent.
‘Brother Bealknap, what do you say?’
He bowed and rose. With his lean features newly shaved and a confident smile on his face, he looked every inch the respectable lawyer. He nodded and smiled as though to say, I am an honest fellow who will give you the truth of this.
‘Your honour,’ he began, ‘we live in a time of great changes for our city. The going down of the monasteries has brought a glut of land to the market, rents are low and men of enterprise must make the best shift we can to turn our investments to a profit. Otherwise more monastic sites will go to ruin and become the haunt of vagabonds.’
Heslop nodded. ‘Ay, and then the City will have the trouble of dealing with them.’
‘I have a case that I think will settle the matter to your honour’s satisfaction.’ Bealknap passed a paper up to the judge. ‘Friars Preachers v. the Prior of Okeham,’ your honour. A case of nuisance brought against the prior, remitted to the king’s council as the monastery was under his jurisdiction. As all monastic houses are now. I submit therefore that when a question relating to the original charter arises, it must be submitted to the king.’
Heslop read slowly, nodding as he did so. I looked out over the crowd. Then I froze as I saw a richly dressed man, a retainer on either side, standing near the bar. The rest of the crowd had moved a few paces away from him, as if afraid of approaching too close. Sir Richard Rich, in a fur-lined gown, staring at me with those grey eyes, cold as an icy sea.
Heslop looked up. ‘Yes, Brother Bealknap, I agree with you. I think this case settles the matter.’
I rose. ‘Your honour, if I may answer. The cases I passed to you are both more numerous and later in time—’
Heslop shook his head. ‘I have the right to choose which precedent best expresses the common law and Brother Bealknap’s case is the only one that deals directly with the issue of royal authority—’
‘But Brother Bealknap bought this house, your honour, a contract intervenes—’
‘I have a full list today, Brother. Judgement for the plaintiff, with costs.’
We left the court, Bealknap smiling. I glanced over to where Rich had stood, but he had disappeared. It was no surprise to see him at Westminster Hall, his own Office of Augmentations was nearby, but why had he stood staring at me like that? I walked over to where Vervey and Barak stood together. I reddened at the thought that Barak had now seen me lose two cases, Elizabeth’s and Bealknap’s. ‘You bring me bad luck when you come to watch me,’ I told him grumpily to cover my embarrassment.
‘That was a monstrous decision,’ Vervey said indignantly. ‘It made a nonsense of the law.’
‘Yes, it did. Sir, I am afraid my advice must be to take this matter to Chancery, expensive as that will be. Otherwise that judgement gives carte blanche to all purchasers of monastic properties in London to flout the City regulations—’
I broke off as Barak nudged me. Bealknap was at my elbow. I frowned; it was a breach of etiquette to approach a fellow lawyer in conference with a client. Bealknap too was frowning, his composure ruffled.
‘You would take this to Chancery, Brother?’ he asked. ‘But you would merely lose again. To put the Common Council to such expense—’
‘I was having a private conversation, Bealknap, but that will be my advice. That was a biased judgement and the Court of Equity will overturn it.’
He laughed with a show of incredulity. ‘When it comes on. Have you any idea how long cases are waiting in Chancery these days?’
‘We will wait as long as we must.’ I looked at him: as ever his eyes evaded mine. ‘A word, Brother.’ I led him away from the others and leaned close to him. ‘How did the case come to be on Heslop’s list, hey? Did a little gold pass between you and him?’
‘Such an accusation—’ he blustered.
‘I would put nothing past you, Bealknap, where your pocket is concerned. But we shall have a fair contest in Chancery. And do not think I have forgotten that other matter. I have been investigating your links with French merchants. They would pay much for that formula.’
His eyes widened at that. ‘I wouldn’t—’
‘I hope not, for your sake. If you have been involved in anything treasonable, Bealknap, you will find you have been playing with fire in more ways than one.’