A Debt Repaid: A 'Desmond's Daughter' story

by C.J. Lock

In October 1483 - King Richard III visited Leicester, mustering his men to vanquish the Duke of Buckingham's rebellion. There he was introduced to a scholar who had been treated unjustly by his lord and master. On hearing the man had been falsely accused, he found a place for him in the local church of the Greyfriars. In August 1485, the man finds a way to give his thanks.

Genres: Historical Fiction

37 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 22, 2017

Reviews

[Pauline Calkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story that tells of the disgraceful treatment accorded Richard III’s body after his death at the Battle of Bosworth. The victor, Henry VII, had Richard’s body dumped at Leicester for all to see. The display of a defeated foe’s body was normal during this time to prove to the public at large that the foe was, in fact, dead. However, it was not normal to treat the body in the way Henry did—the same way as a felon’s body would be treated. But Brother Gregory and fellow friars were determined to give a Christian burial to Richard despite risking Henry’s ire. It seems that Richard had saved Gregory’s life two years before, but the circumstances of this are not delineated. Apparently, the author had written about this in another book/story but I would have appreciated providing this background here, rather than all the references to Richard’s fictional mistress, Lady Desmond—something the author can’t let go. It’s an okay story, but I much prefer Marla Skidmore’s story about Richard’s burial in “Renaissance.”

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Debt Repaid"
By C J Lock
Reviewed May 1, 2019

“A Debt Repaid” is a short story from the author’s Desmond’s Daughter series, which I haven’t read. But I didn’t need to, to follow this story.

Prior to the opening of this story, in the city of Leicester in the year 1483, King Richard paid a kindness to a poor man who, because of this gesture, finds a new life as one of the Greyfriars in Leicester and is now known as Father Gregory.

Two years later, King Richard again leaves Leicester, but this time does not return victorious. It is August 22, 1485 and anyone who knows the story of Richard III knows that the king died in battle that day.

This short story tells of how Father Gregory repays his debt to the late king, and if you’re like me, then have your tissues handy. Very well written but definitely on the sad side.