Free The Butcher of St Peter's: (Knights Templar 19) by Michael Jecks Page B

‘All our profits from the cathedral, all the money from the whores, it could all be at risk. Think
     of that; consider it well. We must act.’
    John returned to the friary as night drew in, and quietly made his way to his cell, where he sat on the little stool at the
     table under his window. The window was too high in the wall and too small to see anything, even a glimpse of the sky. No distractions,
     that was the founding principle of his Order, and he was more than pleased with it. The lack of property of any sort, the
     lack of interruptions, these were essential. It meant that he could spend his time praying and trying to help others to see
     how they themselves might add to the glory of God.
    Not a young man any more, at some fifty years or so, John had become a friar as soon as he had felt the power of God’s word,
     and he flattered himself that it was in no small measure a reflection of his own efforts that the Order was so widely accepted
     here in Exeter. He had persuaded people to give their money to the house; he’d managed to convince others that if they wanted
     to win eternal life, especially if they had been wealthy in this one, they would have to aid the Order in its work. For if
     a man did nothing to assist the poor and the needy, how could he hope to win rewards in Heaven?
    The only means of saving themselves was to give … to the fullest extent of their power. They must give up all, and make
     it over to the Dominicans. Not that the Dominicans owned property or treasure, but they required money to continuetheir work. And John had always been one of the men most competent at acquiring new gifts.
    He had known from the beginning that his duty was to help as many men as possible to see that their route to personal salvation
     lay through the offices of the Dominicans. And to that end, he had sought out the rich and elderly without issue. Men with
     families would naturally wish to ensure that their children were not impoverished, but those with none … well, it made
     sense for them to look to the benefit of the Dominicans.
    That was why John was the most efficient fundraiser in the priory. It was for that reason that Sir William de Hatherleigh
     was even now lying on a palliasse in a cell not far away. It was a measure of John’s skills at persuasion that Sir William
     was determined to remain here, not only now while he prepared for death, but later, when he was dead.
    And this to John seemed an ideal situation. Sir William was one of the wealthiest men in the city. Holding his funeral and
     burying him here in the friary would produce welcome funds.
    Of course there were obstacles: the ridiculous monopoly on burials which the cathedral insisted upon upholding, for example,
     but John was sure that there would be ways round that. After all, the Bishop would hardly want another fight with the Order.
     On the last occasion, it had taken Bishop Walter four or five years to calm the situation down again. John knew that. And
     he knew that this particular battle was one he could – he must – win.
    He was looking forward to it with relish.
    Daniel was exhausted that evening. The efforts of his day had included a sharp ride over to Bishop’s Clyst with two sergeants
     to try to help a posse catch two felons, the remainder of the morning in his chamber with two clerks trying to make senseof old records and attempting to twist them to the advantage of the city, and then another ride to the north, beyond the Duryard,
     to see whether he could use his good offices to mediate between two bickering landlords. He was back in time for a fight outside
     a tavern, and here his patience finally ran out.
    It was old Ham atte Moor again. He’d drunk far too much as usual, and then started picking fights with everyone. Knocked down
     the innkeeper, then tried to do the same to the sergeants when they arrived. By the time Daniel got there, he’d managed to
     nick one of the officers with his knife, and there was