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We Speak No Treason #2
White Rose Turned to Blood
As Edward IV lay on his deathbed, he had no knowledge of the dark conspiracy which was to surround his son, and his brother Richard after his death. He decreed that Richard should act as protector to the young Edward, but his wish was honoured for just a short time - until Edward was named a bastard and the crown placed on Richard's unwilling head. This is the story of the two tumultuous years of his reign - told by the Man of Keen Sight, who befriended and then betrayed him, and by the Nun, who had known him in happier times. Here is the story of the last Plantagenet, who died a king on Bosworth Field...
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
14 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Hawley Jarman
29 books31 followersRosemary Hawley Jarman is an English novelist and writer of short stories. She was born in Worcester April 27, 1935. She was educated first at Saint Mary's Convent and then at The Alice Ottley School, leaving at eighteen to study singing in London for the next three years, having developed a fine soprano voice.
Family circumstances prevented her from continuing in this direction and she worked for a time in local government. She was married to David Jarman in 1958 and divorced amicably in 1970. She lived most of her time in Worcestershire at Callow End, between Worcester and Upton on Severn. She began to write for pleasure, and followed a very real and valid obsession with the character of King Richard III (1452-1485 - reigned 1483-85).
With no thought of publication she completed a 228,000 word novel showing the King in his true colours, away from Tudor and Shakespearian propaganda. The book was taken up almost accidentally by an agent, and within six weeks a contract for publication and four other novels was signed with William Collins Publishers, (now Harper Collins).
The author has had short stories published in many magazines in the UK and France and has been a member of the Society of Authors since 1970. She has been dubbed "A Daughter of Mark Twain" by the Samuel Clemens Society in the U.S.A. for her services to literature.
She lived with the prize-winning author R. T. Plumb for eighteen years in a West Wales cottage. They married in September 2002, but the marriage was cut short after Roy died of cancer in October 2003. Jarman (now Mrs. Plumb) is herself recovering from lung cancer, and is writing in the Fantasy genre.
Family circumstances prevented her from continuing in this direction and she worked for a time in local government. She was married to David Jarman in 1958 and divorced amicably in 1970. She lived most of her time in Worcestershire at Callow End, between Worcester and Upton on Severn. She began to write for pleasure, and followed a very real and valid obsession with the character of King Richard III (1452-1485 - reigned 1483-85).
With no thought of publication she completed a 228,000 word novel showing the King in his true colours, away from Tudor and Shakespearian propaganda. The book was taken up almost accidentally by an agent, and within six weeks a contract for publication and four other novels was signed with William Collins Publishers, (now Harper Collins).
The author has had short stories published in many magazines in the UK and France and has been a member of the Society of Authors since 1970. She has been dubbed "A Daughter of Mark Twain" by the Samuel Clemens Society in the U.S.A. for her services to literature.
She lived with the prize-winning author R. T. Plumb for eighteen years in a West Wales cottage. They married in September 2002, but the marriage was cut short after Roy died of cancer in October 2003. Jarman (now Mrs. Plumb) is herself recovering from lung cancer, and is writing in the Fantasy genre.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 4, 2011
I have read better books on this subject, sorry Ms Hawley.
February 11, 2022
Actual vote 3.5
I liked this second volume a little less than the first. The first half dragged on a little, and I would've liked to see the return of Patch as the narrator, instead of this new charachter, the archer and then knight. I also found some passages to be a repetition of the first novel, for example when The Archer assumes Richard killed the Princes and is full of doubt; a remake of Patch's doubts about Richard feelings for Anne. As for the second half, it has the merit to be the most credible depiction of a mistress of Richard III, though I would have loved to see her get a life other than Richard, for once. And I was puzzled she seemed more distressed at Richard's death than her own daughter. Anyway a really good book, well written, flourishing, believable and well researched.
I liked this second volume a little less than the first. The first half dragged on a little, and I would've liked to see the return of Patch as the narrator, instead of this new charachter, the archer and then knight. I also found some passages to be a repetition of the first novel, for example when The Archer assumes Richard killed the Princes and is full of doubt; a remake of Patch's doubts about Richard feelings for Anne. As for the second half, it has the merit to be the most credible depiction of a mistress of Richard III, though I would have loved to see her get a life other than Richard, for once. And I was puzzled she seemed more distressed at Richard's death than her own daughter. Anyway a really good book, well written, flourishing, believable and well researched.
April 16, 2016
It took me a while to finish this book, unable to focus on the story because of the monstrous summer heat we’re having (it feels like our country is placed right next to planet Mercury at the moment—it’s soooo hot in here!) and because it is unnerving to read again the events from the Wars of the Roses that culminated in King Richard III’s death. Here, a man-at-arms narrates his story and describes in a detailed fashion how he has come to know and admire King Richard for his loyalty, bravery and fairness. He has followed Richard to his exile and battles, and even when all is lost after Bosworth Field, remained a loyal king's man. The Maiden also makes a momentous comeback in this book, continuing her tale of her great love for the king and relating how dearly she has paid for that love.
This book isn’t heavy in volume, but I find it quite heavy on the heart. I’m not sure if this mawkishness has something to do with me getting older, or the fact that I’ve been immersing myself in tragic histories lately, but I really tend to get emotionally-invested to stories where the characters eternally pine for days gone by and where heroes have fallen because of the treachery of others. Wretched historical endings like this also provide me an excuse to dwell on those immaterial what ifs and rant at the inglorious, double-dealing personalities we sadly have in history.
For the sake of impartiality, I will have to read books that portray Richard III in a different light, but for now, I heart apologist fiction about him and even come to sympathize with the Ricardians who call in sick every 22nd of August.
This book isn’t heavy in volume, but I find it quite heavy on the heart. I’m not sure if this mawkishness has something to do with me getting older, or the fact that I’ve been immersing myself in tragic histories lately, but I really tend to get emotionally-invested to stories where the characters eternally pine for days gone by and where heroes have fallen because of the treachery of others. Wretched historical endings like this also provide me an excuse to dwell on those immaterial what ifs and rant at the inglorious, double-dealing personalities we sadly have in history.
For the sake of impartiality, I will have to read books that portray Richard III in a different light, but for now, I heart apologist fiction about him and even come to sympathize with the Ricardians who call in sick every 22nd of August.
March 4, 2022
Book 2 of We Speak No Treason continues the story of Richard III. The next part is told by a man the blurb refers to as Mark Archer, one of Richard’s men-at-arms. He is telling his story to fellow soldiers after the final battle in which Richard has been killed while they are all waiting to be executed as traitors by the new king, Henry II who was victorious in the battle. His part of the story is a little less misty because it deals much more with the historical facts of Richard’s career. But once again, the writing style envelops it with a certain amount of mist so that it is difficult to see the characters, even the fictional ones, very clearly.
Archer, so called because he is in fact an archer, was apparently at one time pretty close to Richard as soldiers and their commanders go. He fought in Richard’s battles, occasionally served him as messenger or guard, went with him when he was fighting in Flanders, even going so far as to pick up ‘ladies’ at a bar with him.
But later on, after King Edward’s death, and during the time Richard was Lord Protector for Edward’s sons, Mark is somehow temporarily seduced by the Woodvilles. Perhaps it is because the Woodvilles seem to be fond of partying, or maybe it is just a plot trick to have him there to record what was supposedly going on in the minds of the Woodville faction.
Anyway, he comes to regret this and returns to Richard’s side, though he is not trusted as much for a while. And he feels guilty about it too, thinking that his disloyalty has led directly to Richard’s downfall. At any rate, he is once again our fly on the wall for the goings-on at court as Richard’s final days approach. He also tells the details of the final battle.
Ms. Jarmon apparently doesn’t believe that Richard III had his nephews killed. She has people making reports to him that they are safe at some castle in the north where they have been taken for their protection.
The last section is the last part of the Nut-Brown Maid’s tale. She spends nearly all of this part in one or the other of two convents. She never actually sees Richard again after arriving there, but she is once or twice in the area when he is in town and is as mad as ever when she imagines running into him again.
The first convent where she stays is not a place very conducive to anybody keeping their sanity. The Prioress runs it like her private castle, and most of the other nuns are varying degrees of mad for various reasons. When the Maid’s best friend kills herself due to guilt over an affair with one of the priests and the Prioress threatens to sell the Maid’s daughter, who was born shortly after she arrived, the Maid gets the urge to run away to the convent where she herself was raised before being contracted to the Woodvilles. She runs away with her daughter and a little deformed servant who was also living at the convent. The servant dies of exposure on the road, but the Maid and her daughter reach the other convent and are taken in there.
Later, Richard finds out about his daughter and sends to have her brought to him. The Maid is once again crazy with anticipation, but he doesn’t come himself, only sends a representative. The little girl is brought up in his household, and there is talk of finding a suitable marriage for her.
At one point there is some discussion of the Maid becoming the new Prioress when the old Prioress dies, but frankly, I don’t think she is stable enough, and the Maid doesn’t seem to think so either. This convent is sort of fizzling out, and after Richard’s death, the Maid seems to sort of fizzle out too.
Archer, so called because he is in fact an archer, was apparently at one time pretty close to Richard as soldiers and their commanders go. He fought in Richard’s battles, occasionally served him as messenger or guard, went with him when he was fighting in Flanders, even going so far as to pick up ‘ladies’ at a bar with him.
But later on, after King Edward’s death, and during the time Richard was Lord Protector for Edward’s sons, Mark is somehow temporarily seduced by the Woodvilles. Perhaps it is because the Woodvilles seem to be fond of partying, or maybe it is just a plot trick to have him there to record what was supposedly going on in the minds of the Woodville faction.
Anyway, he comes to regret this and returns to Richard’s side, though he is not trusted as much for a while. And he feels guilty about it too, thinking that his disloyalty has led directly to Richard’s downfall. At any rate, he is once again our fly on the wall for the goings-on at court as Richard’s final days approach. He also tells the details of the final battle.
Ms. Jarmon apparently doesn’t believe that Richard III had his nephews killed. She has people making reports to him that they are safe at some castle in the north where they have been taken for their protection.
The last section is the last part of the Nut-Brown Maid’s tale. She spends nearly all of this part in one or the other of two convents. She never actually sees Richard again after arriving there, but she is once or twice in the area when he is in town and is as mad as ever when she imagines running into him again.
The first convent where she stays is not a place very conducive to anybody keeping their sanity. The Prioress runs it like her private castle, and most of the other nuns are varying degrees of mad for various reasons. When the Maid’s best friend kills herself due to guilt over an affair with one of the priests and the Prioress threatens to sell the Maid’s daughter, who was born shortly after she arrived, the Maid gets the urge to run away to the convent where she herself was raised before being contracted to the Woodvilles. She runs away with her daughter and a little deformed servant who was also living at the convent. The servant dies of exposure on the road, but the Maid and her daughter reach the other convent and are taken in there.
Later, Richard finds out about his daughter and sends to have her brought to him. The Maid is once again crazy with anticipation, but he doesn’t come himself, only sends a representative. The little girl is brought up in his household, and there is talk of finding a suitable marriage for her.
At one point there is some discussion of the Maid becoming the new Prioress when the old Prioress dies, but frankly, I don’t think she is stable enough, and the Maid doesn’t seem to think so either. This convent is sort of fizzling out, and after Richard’s death, the Maid seems to sort of fizzle out too.
April 21, 2020
3.5 stars, really, because as much as I enjoyed the first part, I feel Jarman got a little lost in the second. Like the Fool, the Man of Keen Sight spent far too much time dithering over his feelings and mistrusting his king, and the Nun - our former Maiden - spent far too long mooning over him instead of telling us more details of cloistered life in the Middle Ages.
Then again, Mark Eye's story couldn't really have taken any other course, since any action he (or any well-placed real courtier who witnessed what he did) could have taken would have necessarily resulted in swift action from Richard III (and how I wish it had!) and changed history as we know it. I just felt the pacing was off.
The ending was a gut punch, even though I saw it coming as soon as the Nun missed meeting Richard on his visit to the convent, even though I know the history, I was in tears by the end. I don't regret staying awake far too long for the past week to read this novel in its entirety, and I warmly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.
Then again, Mark Eye's story couldn't really have taken any other course, since any action he (or any well-placed real courtier who witnessed what he did) could have taken would have necessarily resulted in swift action from Richard III (and how I wish it had!) and changed history as we know it. I just felt the pacing was off.
The ending was a gut punch, even though I saw it coming as soon as the Nun missed meeting Richard on his visit to the convent, even though I know the history, I was in tears by the end. I don't regret staying awake far too long for the past week to read this novel in its entirety, and I warmly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2023
There are two tales: the first is a Knight's tale which I enjoyed, and the second is the Nun's tale, which resumes with the story of the maid with the nut-brown hair from the first volume. I found the nun's tale to be a bit rough going, with too many extraneous characters introduced. Not my favourite of hers, but still an engrossing story about Richard III. Jarman is definitely a Ricardian.
July 23, 2018
Beautiful and sad. I read this (and the first one) many years ago and was very happy to read them again.
August 22, 2009
I expected to thoroughly enjoy this book. Historical fiction? Check! The War of the Roses? Yes! Poor, misunderstood Richard III? What's not to love? Alas, I only moderately enjoyed this book, but I did become intimately familiar with the House of York and House of Lancaster family trees inside the front and back covers. Maybe if I had grown up with English history it would have been easier to keep track of the Dukes/Earls/Lords of Gloucester/Buckingham/Leicester, but my addled American brain had a hard time following the royal linneage in this detailed fictional account of the constant scheming and battling for the English throne in the 1400s.
Actually, I enjoyed the book's historical density, especially once I started keeping the "Pocket Guide to English Kings and Queens" within arm's reach while reading it. What irritated me was that Jarman tells the story of Richard III through three characters who really aren't all that interesting: the Maid, the Fool and the Man of Keen Sight. Why waste so much ink on these one-dimensional stereotypes when you've got Richard III to work with?
Actually, I enjoyed the book's historical density, especially once I started keeping the "Pocket Guide to English Kings and Queens" within arm's reach while reading it. What irritated me was that Jarman tells the story of Richard III through three characters who really aren't all that interesting: the Maid, the Fool and the Man of Keen Sight. Why waste so much ink on these one-dimensional stereotypes when you've got Richard III to work with?
December 16, 2015
I quite enjoyed this little series. It follows 3 different characters, all of whom love (or come to love) Richard III for his loyalty & fairness. I was surprised how much the emotion in the book seeped into my days. After reading a sad-sweet passage about Dickon I found myself feeling sad... for a man who lived over 500 years ago & may have been as evil as his later reputation. I don't think so, but it's impossible to say from here. I've read about other medieval kings & most of them were "murderers" beyond any shadow of doubt. I'm also taken with his motto of Loyalty Binds Me & the love of his own chosen home in the North.
There wasn't a lot of Richard in the two books, but what there was fits my fantasy: he was a human being with a human heart & courage larger than his frail body should have held. The author clearly loved him (or the idea of him) & that came right through the story & into my heart. The characters were all very human & it was easy to empathise with them even as their so-different medieval lives was vividly portrayed.
There wasn't a lot of Richard in the two books, but what there was fits my fantasy: he was a human being with a human heart & courage larger than his frail body should have held. The author clearly loved him (or the idea of him) & that came right through the story & into my heart. The characters were all very human & it was easy to empathise with them even as their so-different medieval lives was vividly portrayed.
April 25, 2017
Fell really flat compared to the first book. Not sure how she could have gone to such a page turning first book to such a snoozefest second book, but the book completely lacked emotion. I was really looking forward to the wrapping up of the maid's tale, but it dragged on forever, with so little to draw you in, and the ending was sooooooo disappointing.
Also, random, but why do the two books look completely different? Different types of covers, even a different texture of paper. Huh? They seem to be the same edition.
Also, random, but why do the two books look completely different? Different types of covers, even a different texture of paper. Huh? They seem to be the same edition.
March 27, 2019
Another wow and while I did not think this was as good as Volume 1 it was still pretty amazing. Overall this is a pretty well known and frequently written about subject and Ms. Jarman managed to breathe some new life into it. From the princes in the tower to the possibility of Richard's daughter Katherine there's a lot to like here especially if you're a fan of the good Richard rather than the evil one.
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August 21, 2013...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews