Shrewsbury

A man once in the Duke of Shrewsbury's confidence takes up his pen to defend his late patron against renewed rumours. Before reaching the political events he wants to explain, he recalls his birth near Bishop's Stortford in 1666, his parents' modest household and his education at the local grammar school. His mother's hopes for gentility and his rough reception among wealthier pupils give this historical novel a personal account of rank and ambition.

Stanley John Weyman places the story in the reign of William and Mary. King William confronts Shrewsbury over a plot against his life and questions whether nobles put their own interests above their oaths. Suspected conspirators, urgent warrants and a misleading letter bring private loyalty into the business of government. The narrator's attempt to give evidence for posterity offers readers court intrigue through the voice of someone deeply attached to the man whose reputation is at stake.