Trial by Fire

All of the citizens of the village of Canterbury are hereby called to give testimony in the matter of the happenings that did disturb the day of the Harvest Festival.  It was such a festive day with the impending wedding of Henry and his queen, Anne.  The lovers Hermia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius were reunited despite the disapproval of Hermia's father and the earlier insistence of Demetrius that he would love no other but Hermia all his life.  But by the end of the day it seems that he has changed his mind and taken Helena as his lady love.  Now all is set awry with the discovery of the lovely Hermia's body in the swill pond.  Some said she clutched a bottle in her hand, some say she was missing a shoe, but all do agree upon the fact that she was indeed dead.

 Who would commit such a terrible crime?  Indeed that is the question on every tongue.  And there is no lack of suspects in the village.  There are gypsies aplenty who could have done the vile deed.  But perhaps it is too easy to blame the hapless gypsies. They are, after all, of the highest quality (if gypsies can be said to be of quality).  And the gypsies perforce must be declared blameless because they were all at the front gate.  At least that's what they say, and the brothers do support one another.  Still, if you were to look farther a field, there were plenty of other strangers in the village of Canterbury this day.  There are gentlemen, for instance, that did go about the village all the day long with their faces covered.  Should not we suspect such as these in our faire village where none have aught to hide?

 Also, the Vulgarians seem to be above reproach.  But would not that not make them suspect for just that reason?  None could be so artless and innocent as these Vulgarians do seem to be if they did not have some dark ulterior purpose for being in Canterbury?  And there have been rumors about the Vulgarians and poisoned radishes...

Then there is the Lord Mayor himself.  He did declare that his daughter would marry Demetrius or die.  Is he angry, mayhap, that his daughter did flout his will before the King and Queen and did indeed have her own way and receive permission to marry the man Lysander against his express will?

Or mayhap it is Demetrius' own hand that we see at work here?  He it is that did espouse his love for Hermia at the beginning of the day (after previously declaring his love for Helena).  Such an inconstant man could indeed have changed his mind 'ere the end of the day and chosen to murder the lady he did say he loved before he let her be wedded to someone else than himself.

There is also rumor of fae wars that have beset the village this day.  Whilst the common people of Canterbury do deny the presence of the fae, the gypsies can tell you that they are indeed real and that their disagreements do indeed affect the mortal realm.  Betwixt the displeasure of Oberon and Titania and the games of the trickster Puck, mayhap it is the shadow realm who is responsible for the tragedy this day.  How then shall they be brought to justice?

The Queen is quite distraught over the matter, and insists that she shall not be wed until the perpetrator of this heinous crime is brought to justice.  The Lady Mayor is inconsolable and the Lord Mayor does go about with murder in his face.

The Gypsy Maestro has been appointed by the King to discover the truth.  All the people of Canterbury are called to bear witness in this matter.  Do please select that time which will suit you best and I shall, as a poor clerk of the court, do my best to make sure that you shall be called at that time. I do not guarantee that all times shall be available as there are many to be heard from.  Do please select a first and second choice of the best times for you to appear before the court.  As soon as I may (do remember that I am a poor overworked clerk of the court), I will update the list so that you may see the time by which you are called.

I thank you for your patience with this lowly clerk.

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