{"id":708,"date":"2026-06-06T19:46:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T19:46:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dorothydunnett.co.uk\/blog\/?p=708"},"modified":"2026-06-06T20:47:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T20:47:03","slug":"the-play-for-jonathan-crouch-i-taking-en-passant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dorothydunnett.co.uk\/blog\/lymond-reading-notes\/the-play-for-jonathan-crouch-i-taking-en-passant.php","title":{"rendered":"The Play for Jonathan Crouch – I. Taking en passant"},"content":{"rendered":"
Lymond reading notes 2 \u2013 Game of Kings – The Play for Jonathan Crouch<\/em><\/h5>\n

<\/i><\/a>1. The English Opening<\/h2>\n

\u201cen passant\u201d is a chess term which simply means \u201cin passing\u201d. In chess it applies to situations like that shown in the diagram<\/p>\n

\"en<\/figure>\n

A white pawn is on the 5th<\/sup> rank, and the black f-pawn moves forward 2 squares. White has the option, on the next move only, of capturing that pawn as if it had only moved forward 1 square.<\/p>\n

The English Opening is a standard opening system characterised by the first move being to play the White c-pawn forward 2 squares. Both phrases are being used to refer to the action using chess terms.<\/p>\n

Battle of Pinkie<\/h3>\n

This takes place on 10th Sept 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, quite close to Edinburgh. The ground on the East coast is pretty easy and the English were supported by a large fleet offshore, so were able to advance well into Scotland with little opposition. They had better artillery and heavier cavalry while the Scots were largely composed of pikemen, and their cavalry were badly depleted in an early skirmish. The result was a disastrous defeat for the Scots.<\/p>\n

One interesting historical item is that during the battle Lord Grey was wounded in the throat\/mouth by a pike. This will be featured later in the book.<\/p>\n

Characters Introduced<\/h3>\n

Johnnie Bullo<\/strong> and Turkey Mat.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Johnnie is a gypsy, and we\u2019ll discover that he is a \u201cking\u201d of gypsies. Mat is an experienced mercenary and leads the group when Lymond is absent. They exchange news of the invasion and of encountering Bannister, the English messenger. Johnnie infers that Lymond may throw in his lot with the English. Then Lymond arrives with a prisoner, who it turns out is attempting to join them.<\/p>\n

Lymond doesn\u2019t like being discussed and he and Johnnie have a short interaction<\/p>\n

\u201cnor am I overfond of being discussed, my Johnnie.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“You’ve quick ears, Lymond.”<\/em><\/p>\n

“But yours, like Midas whispering in the hole, are closer to the ground.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

This is a reference to a legend around King Midas that his ears were turned into ass\u2019s ears by the god Apollo, and the secret of that was whispered into a hole in the ground from which grew rushes that repeated the secret in their rustling.<\/p>\n

Lymond questions his prisoner at length, with a fast-moving sequence of questions to find out why he wants to joins them, what his experience and abilities are, and what his moral standpoints are.<\/p>\n

At one point Lymond asks him for some verse and he replies in Latin:<\/p>\n

“Volavit volucer sine plumis
\nSedit in arbore sine foliis
\nVenit homo absque manibus …\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

This translates as – A bird flew without feathers, sat in a tree without leaves, a man came without hands.<\/p>\n

Lymond tops this by replying in German. It is one of the famous Medieval Latin riddles for children known as the “Featherless Bird-Riddle” (one of the Enigmata Risibilia), which explains Lymond\u2019s comment that he appeared to have left his studies at a tender age.<\/p>\n

Eventually the newcomer is so exasperated that he follows Lymond\u2019s suggestion to shoot an arrow at one of Lymond\u2019s men, Oyster Charlie next to the cooking pot. This results in Lymond\u2019s memorable line:<\/p>\n

\u201cOyster is not dead; merely lightly boiled in the shell.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve seen that the newcomer is well educated, but it\u2019s clear that Lymond is much more educated, and capable of using it very effectively.<\/p>\n

Appearing to reject him Lymond says:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all have our religion. With Johnnie, it’s Paracelsus. Mat here follows Lydgate; and your father and Ascham fit very well together.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Paracelsus, born Theophrastus von Hohenheim, was a Swiss physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher of the German Renaissance. He was a pioneer in several aspects of the medical revolution of the Renaissance, emphasizing the value of observation in combination with received wisdom.<\/p>\n

John Lydgate of Bury was an English monk and poet, born in Lidgate, near Haverhill, Suffolk, England. Lydgate’s poetic output is prodigious.<\/p>\n

Roger Ascham (c. 1515 \u2013 30 December 1568) was an English scholar and didactic writer, famous for his prose style, his promotion of the vernacular, and his theories of education. He served in the administrations of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, having earlier acted as Elizabeth’s tutor in Greek and Latin between 1548 and 1550.
\nWe\u2019ll meet him in book 5.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>2. Pins and Counterpins<\/h2>\n

Annan<\/h3>\n

Lymond takes Will with him to Annan, which is on the West side of Southern Scotland, which has been occupied and burned by the English forces. He is going there to find Jonathan Crouch and question him. They are disguised in English cloaks as messengers. Lymond calls himself Sheriff and asks Will what he will be called \u2013 “This officer but doubt is callit Deid.”<\/em> Here deid means death rather than dead.<\/p>\n

He harasses the gate guards with a mixture of natural command and sarcasm, then speaks to the captain. He learns Crouch has been captured, and we have the first mention that Crouch talks incessantly.<\/p>\n

Bannister has not arrived and the captain wants them to see Wharton. Eventually Lymond agrees as the captain is getting suspicious, but clearly this was not in his plans. He had hoped to see Crouch and then get out.<\/p>\n

At Lymond\u2019s suggestion they meet Harry Wharton, and subdue him in a dark alley, forcing him to take them to Lord Wharton, and Lennox. Will meanwhile throws a knife at the returning captain and he collapses.<\/p>\n

By this point Lymond is having to improvise. He will need a distraction to give them time to get away, and having Wharton\u2019s son at knifepoint gives him leverage.<\/p>\n

We get a brief description of Wharton and slightly more, laced with politics, of Lennox, including that he is married to Margaret Douglas (who as niece of Henry VIII has strong claims to both the English and Scottish thrones). Lennox recognises Lymond when he enters and is clearly upset.<\/p>\n

They discuss Bannister and Lennox accuses him of selling him to the Scots, but Lymond responds:<\/p>\n

“Not at all. What a reputation to have! Not all of us have your lordship’s gift for trusteeship.”<\/em><\/p>\n

It is then explained that Lennox once appropriated French gold meant for Scotland and then defected to England with it.<\/p>\n

Lennox tries to insult him and the hint appears that Lymond was once a galley slave. But Lymond\u2019s response is more telling still \u2013<\/p>\n

“But then I was brought up in bad company. From oar to oar, you might say.” <\/em><\/p>\n

Swiftly followed by<\/p>\n

“And how,” pursued the Master suavely, “is the Pearl of Pearls?”<\/em><\/p>\n

From which we can deduce that Lymond has some previous experience of Margaret! This enrages Lennox who draws his sword before Wharton stops him.<\/p>\n

Lymond then feeds them false information about another victory in Linlithgow and taunts them with the prospect of a total English victory, which might see Lennox appointed king consort to rule Scotland, then, lifting his helmet from the fire where he had earlier thrown it, he threatens to drop it on Harry\u2019s head. They negotiate about money and Will collects it and wraps it up.<\/p>\n

Then he does indeed drop the now somewhat cooler but still hot helmet \u2013 it seems rather cruel but it is the only way he can create a distraction that will be long enough to make their escape feasible. And there are also some readers who suggest that it is a just revenge for the burning of Annan.<\/p>\n

They escape successfully, to be met by their two of their own men.<\/p>\n

\u201cFriend Bannister has got himself ambushed and now, my frivol Fortune, the ambushers are walking into the net. I’ll trip upon trenchers; I’ll dance upon dishes-it is now perfect day.”<\/em><\/p>\n

It is almost as if he expected this to happen and planned for it…<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>3. Capture of a King\u2019s Pawn<\/h2>\n

It is Richard who has captured Bannister and is attempting to get him to talk. He has a dire choice to make \u2013 retreat to Stirling, or stay where he is to try to oppose Wharton if he advances up the West side in support of the English army now near Edinburgh. Unable to get Bannister to talk he is about to choose the former when his force is then surrounded by Turkey Mat’s men.<\/p>\n

They release Bannister and are about to ride away when Lymond arrives. In a scene heavy with undercurrents, He taunts Richard, then enquiries about the family and whether Richard yet has a son.<\/p>\n

Richard asks:<\/p>\n

“Your services are at present with Wharton, I take it?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Lymond’s voice was absent. “Well, he’s certainly paying me. Once our friend Bannister reaches Annan, the road north is going to be a little crowded, what’s more.”<\/em><\/p>\n

This puts doubt in Richard\u2019s mind about Bannister\u2019s message, and he asks if the Protector is in Stirling, to which Lymond replies yes, and then amplifies that by asking about the Queens and women also being in Stirling and speculates if the Protector insists on \u201cmerchetis, and his princely free access to the bedchamber<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Richard has to decide whether Lymond is telling the truth or not – Lymond is playing on that.<\/p>\n

Finally, as Erskine\u2019s force arrives and Lymond\u2019s men scatter, Richard declares Lymond will suffer and the reply is<\/p>\n

“All right: a challenge, Richard! I’ll meet you at the Popinjay in the next Stirling Wapenshaw, and we’ll try then who’s Master!”<\/em><\/p>\n

That is the last thing Will Scott remembers.<\/p>\n

– – –<\/p>\n

A suggestion<\/strong>
\nIn trying to understand what is going on, when inevitably we have only sparse information at this early stage, it may be useful to wonder why Lymond is in Scotland at all. He will be executed as a traitor if caught, so why not stay in Europe as a mercenary? Why make himself known to his family and their neighbours at Midculter? Why is he looking for Jonathan Crouch? What does he hope to achieve? And the question those lead to \u2013 is he guilty or innocent of the things he is reputed to have done?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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