aBurntShip

                   Montague ('Monty') Rhodes James (1862 - 1936) , renowned Medieval Scholar, one time provost of King's College Cambridge, is probably best known as M.R.James, the writer of ghost stories. His tales are regularly dramatised for television and radio. M R James' fiction has also become a major influence on the modern day 'Hauntology' movement.       'George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wems 'Attributed to William Wolfgang Claret, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons                                            The M.R.James  ghost story 'Martin's Close ' concerns a murder committed in 1684 , and dominated by a London trial featuring Judge Jeffreys before he became so  notorious. Jeffreys is most known as the 'hanging judge' who was let loose on the wretched rebel prisoners and supporters of the Duke of Monmouth's doomed 1685 rebellion. Particularly despised in the West Country.  Originally read out at one of M R Ja

                                  The missing trial of John Wintour  By Unknown (printed for P. Brooksby, I. Deacon, I. Blare, I. Back.) - http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/20990/citation, Public Domain, In a previous post published on 1st October 2021,   The Third Wintour Brother I looked at  the participation of John Wintour,  younger half brother to the leading conspirators Thomas Wintour and Robert Wintour. in the Gunpowder Treason,  All three brothers were executed for treason in 1606, facing the full penalty. Surprisingly little has been written about John Wintour.  In fact a mystery surrounds where his trial took place. To recap, John Wintour born either 1586 or 1587, was not connected to the planned attack on Westminster, but was convicted for treason due to taking part in the doomed West Midlands  rebellion organised by some of the key Gunpowder Treason players: Launched on 5th November 1605  at Dunchurch and ended at Holbeach House, cornered by the Sheriff of Worcester'