Lamentation, a Historical Novel by C.J. Sansom: Summary

Christopher John Sansom is British bestselling historical author of critically acclaimed Shardlake series. He studied history at Birmingham University, where he got his PhD.

Lamentation is a historical crime novel. This book is a thriller detective and lawyer Sergeant Matthew Shardlake series. Set in the backdrop of London, in the late 16th century, the story is started with the lost jewelry and book Lamentation of a Sinner of Queen Parr, the sixth wife to King Henry VIII of England. It was the last months of King Henry VIII and England during the great heresy hunt of 1546. The story is told in the first person. The prologue features the narrator/protagonist speaking to the reader.

This paperback edition is published 2015 by Pan Books, London. The font is good and classic but unfortunately it is small. Beside, it has strong plot, the 706-page book is well-written. It brings the reader back to 16 century and draws them into the darker corner of history. Furthermore, I am very much awed by the beautiful and original words by the author. This is not only entertaining but also very informative.

In his historical note, Mr. Sansom explains that some of characters, historical facts in this novel are real, except of course for the fact that Lamentation of a Sinner, was not, in real world, stolen. Of course, readers who enjoy historic and crime theme would like this book, but it would be also recommended to anyone who appreciates excellent writing in a book of any genre.

Lamentation, a Historical Novel by C.J. Sansom: Summary 

It is map of Whitehall Palace and Chatherine Parr abbreviated family tree before chapter one. This is the story of Serjeant Mathew Shardlake, a serjeant, the most senior of barrister. He did not want to attend the burning but as senior barrister, he had to witness it. Reformist Anne Askew and three others were sentenced to burn alive for heretical reason. Master Shardlake was on Mistress Isabel Slanning against her own brother Edward Cotterstoke. 

Before her death in deathbed, a priest made a Will for Mrs. Deborah Cotterstoke. Her money was split equally between her two children. Edward like Isabel was moderately wealthy – and for both of them, their mother estate would make them richer. The problem had arisen when the Will came to specify the disposition of the house’s contents.

A middle-aged hunchback lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, was asked to help queen for secret case. He was sworn to be an assistant on the Queen’s Learned Council. After publishing her book Prayers and Meditation, Queen Parr wrote another book, a declaration to the world of her belief. It was a little volume and she knew it might be – controversial – so she composed it in secret. Lamentation of a Sinner was confession of her life, her sin, her salvation, and her belief. The manuscript has been stolen. And if it found its way to the king’s hands, then likely she was dead and others too. Fifty pages of small writing, even she kept it secure, in strong chest in her bedchamber, was stolen from the coffer. Some jewels, legacy from her second husband and his stepdaughter who has died, were stolen too.

Few days after Anne Askew’s death, a printer in small way of business, Armistead Greening was murdered in his shop. His neighbor who owned a larger print-shop next door, Geoffery Okedene, heard a great commotion, shouted, and cried for help, from Greening’s shed. Okedene found a clutched in the torn of page ended of Lamentation.

Lord William Parr, queen’s uncle gave Matthew the power of attorney from Greening’s parents. Queen and her assistants were using the story stolen jewel finding the stolen book secretly. Matthew involved his employees- Barak, Nicholas, and John Skelly but for the stolen jewels. Queen asked the stolen book would be secret case. Greening was involved in religious group. There were three constant regular – a Scotchman cleric McKendrick who had been formerly been a soldier, a Dutchman Vandersteyn, and quite wealthy man merchant Curdy. They argued over sacrament and named Gurano Bertano, an emissary of Pope to England.

King Henry VIII married Widow Chaterine Parr. She was the sixth wife to him. He said Kate was as good Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour died and left young son Prince Edward. Now, King lived his two daughters: Mary, Queen Chaterine of Aragon’s daughter was now in her early twenties and Lady Elizabeth, the daughter of Anne Boleyn who executed. King loved the Queen Parr. 

Chaterine Parr was married to Edward Borough and John Neville Lord Latimer. Both of them were dead. They brought no child to Chaterine. She said it was God’s willing to marry King Hendry and left her lover, Thomas Seymour. Thomas was late Queen Jane Seymour’s brother and an uncle to Prince Edward, the successor of the King Henry VIII. The King was very ill, old and dying. The Whitehall Palace was filled with Parrs: William Parr (Queen’s uncle), Kate’s brother, her sister, and her Queen’s close friend, Mary Odell, as maid-in-waiting. Mostly Parrs were reformist.

Before married to King, Shardlake was in love with Chaterine but he knew his status. He once saved Chaterine. Matthew was unmarried man. He lived with four servants and his horse Genesis. They were Martin and Agnes Brocket, thirteen year boy Timothy to take care his horse Genesis, Josephine, young girl. Josephine saw Goodman Martin Brocket seized Shardlake’s drawer one day and since then Martin had been bad manner to her but Shardlake assured there was no missing things. Agnes was grief of their only son.

After investigating Greening’s house, his apprentices, his neighbour, the key maker of queen’s chest, the maids who served queen, Matthew investigated the guard who was assigned to stand at the door of the Queens’s Privy Chamber. Michael Leeman had gone missing. He was religious radical and a member of Greening’s group.

Sir Richard Rich, a Privy Councillor, had tortured Anne Askew and would like to find something damaging to Queen among Anne Askew’s writing. Stice, Richard Rich’s man asked Matthew and his team to seize Greening’s group. He said that is private business of Sir Richard and he needed Matthew. They caught the four men: man in his thirties the Scotch cleric McKendrick, the Ducthman Vandersteyn, and in his twenties Leeman, the Queen’s guard. 

Master Greening and the apprentice Elias, both of them, were murdered by the same killers who attacked Shardlake and his team. William Curdy was killed by one of Rich’s men. Vandersteyn got away in the boat and McKendrick fled. Barak and Nicholas saved Leeman. He admitted that he was the theif of the stolen book and talked about his group and his reason to treason. It was Leeman they were after. A pair of killers also blew Leeman’s head off by a gun from a distance. His brains scattered. Guy, a doctor and also a friend of Shardlake found a Scotchman dying in hospital that called Shardlake’s name. Dominie McKendrick was a teacher and preacher and he was not a spy. He was attacked by the men who killed Greening and Elias. Hours passed and he died.

Master Matthew Shardlake was arrested  by the Privy council on a charge of heresy. It was also lawyer Philip Coleswyn, and merchant Edward Cotterstoke himself. Isabel Slanning has accused three of them as a heretic. Shardlake was questioned by Privy Council about the burned books. It was Martin Brocket who betrayed him. His son, Jhon, was very sick and nearly died. He had arranged to have money from a man, named Crabtree but the interesting was mounting. Crabtree gave him information about another debtor. The debtor helped him with being a spy. Stice, the servant of Richard Rich who Matthew reluctantly worked with, had been spying on him.

After released form prison Edward has killed himself. Edward and Isabel conspired to murder their stepfather. He confessed that he killed his stepfather and felt he deserved death what he did. Isabel and Edward loved their father and he died the sorrow for him and his sister. Their father had not been a year in his grave, Deborah, their mother, married to Peter Cotterstoke. Beside, they heard a touch of anger in his Peter’s voice, another few months and her belly was swelling with new child. She fawned on her new husband, ignoring Isabel and him.

They were sure Peter Cottestoke would give everything to his new child and disinherited Isabel and Edward. Some ideas were Edward’s, more often Isabel’s. They tried to poison him but it was Edward who pushed him into the sea until died. The two teenagers were wicked. Isabel was shocked of the death of his brother and tried to kill herself. She sobbed desperately with grief and guilt of life time in plotting killing of her stepfather. Deborah knew her children killed her husband. She was grief and lost her baby.

Queen was fear to much not to tell the stolen book to her husband King Henry VIII. Besides, the king was ill, she was frightened it could be endangered her life and others. She had an ambition to be Regent, a protector of young Prince Edward before taking his throne. Edward was only eight –year. The King was angry. He judged and insulted Master Shardlake in front of people. He had the stolen book and admitted that he was in the plot. King asked Martin Brocket to spy Shardlake. Edward Cotterstoke, and Philip Coleswyn were arrested and jailed but it was Shardlake the court was after to test his belief. Henry expelled Matthew for his treason and working with his wife secretly. King said Kate was too afraid, in fact, he learned the book was not treason.

Six months later King Henry was dead and the heralds proclaimed the new King Edward the Sixth. The new Council which old King had appointed by his Will made shortly before his death. There was no Regency for Chaterine Parr. She was now merely Queen Dowager, while the council had immediately appointed Edward Seymour, Lord Hertford, as Protector of the King. Edward and Thomas Seymour sat at the head Council table. Lamentation was published. Queen Parr married to her old lover, Thomas Seymour, new King’s uncle. Thomas was a fool and bully, he had looks, if nothing else.

Queen Dowager had been given the guardianship of Lady Elizabeth. She was in thirteen and under her guidance. The Lady Elizabeth has been left numerous properties by his father. A council must be appointed to deal with her estate, and in the nature of things there will be much legal business to be done. The Lady Elizabeth might be the least important of the King’s children, but an assured place working for her household would provide ample protection against unwarranted persecution by Rich. Queen Dowager asked Shardlake to be regular employment who worked for Elizabeth. She was not yet fourteen, yet ready she had the will and intelligence of an adult.

Sekapur Sirih

Penulis bernama lengkap Christopher John berkebangsaan Inggris dan merupakan penulis laris novel sejarah dengan tokoh serialnya Matthew Shardlake. Ini baru pertama kali menikmati karyanya di mana tujuh karya sebelumnya sangat laris terjual. Mr. Sansom belajar sejarah dan mendapatkan gelar doktor di Universitas Birmingham, Inggris.

Novel Lamentation adalah novel sejarah yang berlatar-belakang akhir abad 16. Kisah diawali dengan hilangnya buku pendek Lamentation of a Sinner milik istri Raja Henry VIII, Chaterine Parr. Kala itu, 1546, kerajaan Inggris mengejar dan membakar hidup-hidup para heretik yakni orang atau kelompok yang menentang ritual agama sah dari kerajaan. Bagi para mahasiswa atau pembelajar novel sastra Inggris, buku setebal 706 halaman ini, layak dipertimbangkan karena karya ini dituliskan dalam bahasa yang bagus sehingga tepat bila dijadikan acuan.

Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Indonesia: Novel Lamentation (Ratapan) karya C.J.Sansom

Serjeant Matthew Shardlake sangat tidak menyukai hadir pada acara pembakaran hidup-hidup orang-orang yang dianggap menentang agama kerajaan. Reformis Anne Askew dan tiga temannya baru saja dibakar hidup-hidup seteleah sebelumnya telah disiksa. Sebagai pengacara senior adalah wajib bagi pria bungkuk itu untuk meyaksikannya. 

Kini sang pengacara harus bergegas menangani kasus Isabel Slanning. Seorang janda kaya yang tengah berselisih dengan saudara lelakinya Edward Cotterstoke. Keduanya adalah orang kaya dan makin kaya ditambah dari warisan dari ibu mereka. Dalam wasiatnya yang dituliskan seorang pendeta, Ny. Deborah Cotterstoke telah membagi rata harta warisannya pada kedua anaknya namun yang menjadi masalah adalah perobot dan lukisan dan hiasan pada dinding.

Tak berselang lama, Matthew mendapat undangan hadir di istana pada chamber Ratu Inggris, Chaterine Parr. Ratu adalah istri ke enam Raja Henry VIII. Kate merupakan seorang janda. Kedua suaminya terdahulu meninggal. Dia meninggalkan kekasihnya Thomas Seymour dan percaya bahwa dilamar dan  dinikahi Raja Henry adalah kehendak Tuhan. Thomas Seymour tak lain adalah paman dari penerus raja yakni Pangeran Edward yang ditinggal mati oleh ibunya Jane Seymour, istri Henry setelah Ratu Anne Boleyn dipenggal. 

Putri Elizabeth yakni putri dari Anne Boleyn kini berusia tiga belas tahun dan Putri Mary, putri dari Ratu Chaterine dari Aragon, kini di awal umur dua puluhan, sedangkan Pangeran Edward menginjak usianya yang ke delapan tahun. Raja tengah sakit keras. Raja menikahi Chaterine Parr karena dia memang mencitai wanita berusia tiga puluh tahun itu yang sudah tidak mungkin mengharapkan anak lelaki darinya. Chaterine telah membawa banyak anggota keluarganya dan temannya ke dalam istana.

Shardlake telah mengenal Chaterine Parr sebelum menikahi Raja dan pernah menolong wanita itu. Dia pun menaruh hati padanya namun dia sadar akan statusnya. Ratu gemar menulis dan dua bukunya telah diterbitkan namun yang dikuatirkan adalah hilangnya buku pendeknya yang berjudul Lamentation of a Sinner. Padahal buku itu telah disimpan dan dikunci rapat dalam coffer-nya, seseorang telah mencurinya. Buku itu berisikan pengakuan akan keimanannya dan kegelisahannya akan agama. Masa yang sangat sensitif akan persoalan agama. Ratu kuatir bila jatuh ke tangan orang lain dan diterbitkan dan Raja Henry tahu maka Ratu akan dihukum dan bahkan orang lain juga.

Dia dan pamannya, William Parr meminta pertolongan dari Master Shardlake untuk menyelidiki kasus kehilangan itu. Perhiasan berharga yang merupakan peninggalan suami keduanya dan putri tirinya turut hilang. Hilangnya perhiasan itu dipakai sebagai alasan penyidikan. Penyidikan hilangnya buku itu harus ditangani secara rahasia. Beberapa hari sebelumnya pemilik percetakan kecil bernama Greening baru saja dibunuh di tokonya. 

Sobekan halaman muka dari buku hilang itu ditemukan pada tangan Greening sebelum meninggal. Geoffrey Okedene, tetangga Greening yang menjalankan usaha yang sama namun skala besar, menemukan pembunuhan itu setelah mendengar teriakan dari Greening. Paman Ratu mengatur rencana. Pengacara itu pun di sumpah menjadi asisten hukum Ratu atas kehilangan perhiasan dan ditugaskan dalam penyidikan kematian Greening atas permintaan orang tua Greening.

Menurut tetangganya, Greening sering menerima tamu dan paling rutin dikunjungi empat orang dan mereka sering membicarakan tentang agama. Seorang Belanda bernama Vandersteyn, orang Skotlandia mantan tentara bernama McKendrick, seorang berpenampilan sepertinya orang kaya, pedagang Curdy, dan lelaki muda, tegap dan rupawan Michael Leeman. 

Menurut karyawan Greening dan jadi saksi mata pembunuhnya dua orang. Matthew pun melibatkan  karyawannya: Barak seorang Jahudi, telah memiliki istri dan tengah menunggu kelahiran anak keduanya, Nicholas yakni pemuda yang sedang belajar hukum, dan John Skelly. Shardlake sangat percaya pada Barak namun dia telah disumpah untuk tidak mengatakan kepada siapapun tentang penyidikan sesungguhnya yakni buku hilang itu.

Shardlake tidak memiliki istri, dia hidup dengan empat orang pembantunya: kepala rumah tangga pasangan Martin dan Agnes Brocket, gadis bernama Josephine, Timothy yang berusia tiga belas tahun. Tentu saja kuda kesayangannya Genesis yang selalu membawanya kemana-mana. Ketika rumahnya sepi, suatu hari dia meminta Timothy untuk tidak diganggu oleh siapapun termasuk tamu dan membakar berkas di belakang rumahnya.

Josephine kurang rukun dengan Martin, lelaki itu kurang suka dengan Josephine yang tengah didekati oleh lelaki yang bernama Edward Brown. Tidak suka kegaduhan di rumahnya akhirnya Shardlake pun menanyakan pada Joshepine kenapa Martin begitu benci pada gadis itu. Ketika rumah sepi Martin tertangkap basah oleh Josephine masuk ke ruang kerja Matthew dan membuka laci. Masa itu putra satu-satunya dari Martin dan Agnes Brocket yakni Jhon sakit keras dan terpaksa  terlibat hutang. Namun Matthew tidak merasa kehilangan barang atau uang.

Isabel Slanning telah memecat Shardlake sebagai pengacaranya karena telah mendapati pertemuan Shardlake dan Philip Coleswyn, pengacara saudara lelakinya, yang dituduhnya sebuah koalisi. Isabel juga menuduh saudaranya Edward, Philip, dan Matthew adalah heretik. Ketiganya pun ditangkap dan dipenjarakan. Edward Cotterstoke pun mengakui kesalahannya di masa lalu di mana dialah pembunuh ayah tirinya, Peter Cotterstoke, pada pengacaranya Philip. 

Isabel dan dirinya ketika itu berusia belasan tahun dan cemburu pada ibu mereka telah mengandung bayi dari suami keduanya. Kedua anak itu kuatir tidak mendapat kasih sayang dan warisan. Saat berada di atas kapal, Edward-lah yang mendorong ayah tirinya yang kurus dan kecil itu. Rasa bersalah pun menghantui dirinya demikian juga saudarinya Isabel walau kejadiannya telah berlalu empat puluh tahun.

Pengadilan tidak mendapati kesalahan bahwa ketiganya adalah heretik. Keluar dari penjara, Philip mendapati Edward bunuh diri dan berharap anak dan istrinya tidak menanggung beban kesalahannya di masa lalu. Isabel pun sangat terpukul akan kematian saudaranya Edward dan sempat mengancam bunuh diri. Terakhir mendapat berita bahwa dia telah masuk biarawati. Matthew sangat marah dengan penghianatan pembantunya Martin Brocket dan Timothy. Pengadilan mengetahui gerak-geriknya termasuk pembakaran berkas di rumahnya.

Setelah menyelidiki kediaman Greening, tetangganya, pekerjanya, terakhir penjaga kamar Ratu malam kejadian hilangnya buku dan perhiasan itu. Kepala keamanan mengatakan bahwa Michael Leeman tidak muncul sejak kejadian itu. Demikian juga dengan Elias, pekerja Greening, setelah mewawancarai Elias, anak muda itu menghilang dan didapati dibunuh. Padahal Elias adalah tulang punggung bagi ke dua adiknya dan ibunya.

Tidak hanya itu Matthew mendapat catatan undangan dari Stice yang kemudian dikenali sebagai anak buah Richard Rich, seorang anggota majelis tinggi yang sangat anti dan kejam dengan kelompok reformis. Matthew pun sepakat bekerjasama dengan Stice. Keempat buronan dan asisten Shardlake pun bertemu dengan keempat orang yang menghilang yakni Vandersteyn, McKendrick, Curdy, dan Leeman dan di luar dugaan perkelahian tidak terhindarkan, anak buah Rich menyerang mereka dan mengakibatkan Curdy terbunuh, Leeman pun terluka parah. Anak buah Richard Rich juga terbunuh kala itu. Leeman mengaku dialah pencuri buku itu dan sempat bercerita banyak tentang kelompok Greening namun kepalanya ditembak dari kejauhan, otaknya berserakan.

Buku hilang belum ditemukan namun korban telah banyak jatuh. Raja Henry memanggil dan mempermalukan misi gagal serjeant Matthew Shardlake di depan orang-orang. Bahkan menyebutnya si bungkuk yang menjadi kutuk bagi tanah Inggris. Raja sangat marah dan tidak suka dengan misi rahasia dan geliat Matthew beberapa waktu sebelumnya. Rupanya Raja memegang buku itu dan mengaku terlibat dalam plot menyuruh pembantu Brocket dalam memata-matai kehidupan Matthew.

Penangkapan pengacara Philip Coleswyn, pedagang Edward Cotterstoke, dan penangkapan dirinya adalah bagian dari plot Raja untuk membuktikan apakah Matthew seorang penghianat namun dalam sidang itu Matthew tidak terbukti bersalah. Bagi Raja Henry buku itu tidaklah penghianatan agama kerajaan Inggris, istrinya Chaterine terlalu takut. Shardlake diusir dari istana dan tidak diijinkan menginjak istana.

Enam bulan kemudian Raja Henry meninggal dan Pangeran Edward muda dinobatkan jadi Raja. Namun karena usianya yang masih delapan tahun hak Regent, hak pelindung diberikan pada pamannya Edward Seymour. Musnahlah ambisi Chaterine, harapan menjadi Regent anak itu, kini dia diberi gelar Ratu Dowager dan akhirnya menikahi mantan kekasihnya Thomas Seymour. Buku Lamentation pun diterbitkan. Hak pengasuhan Putri Elizabeth jatuh padanya dan menunjuk Shardlake menjadi petugas hukum yang mencatat dan mengurusi harta kekayaan Putri Elizabeth. Shardlake tahu Elizabeth bukanlah keturunan raja yang diperhitungkan tetapi setidaknya dia dapat perlindungan dari Putri Elizabeth dari serangan Richard Rich.