Henry VIII made it clear in his edict to Sir Augustine Walton of Asker in Richmondshire, appointing him magistrate, chief of the guard and procurator. The direct delegation of these three powers has made the knight with executive and judicial power replace Baron Haswell as the most sought-after local official in the whole of Richmondshire.

At the same time, Thomas Cromwell, a member of the Privy Council and Member of Parliament who directly directed and supervised Sir Augustine, also gave him some discretion in the affairs of the security army. On the other hand, if the knight did not recruit enough sergeants of good physical fitness, failed to guard the county, or failed to organize the security army in time to deal with special situations, he would be blamed by the Magistrate's Council and the Privy Council.

Among them, the various expenditures of the law and order army require the Sir to collect taxes, be responsible for the estimation of tax rates, the collection of taxes, and the expenditure of other local affairs. If necessary, the Privy Council would also require the knight to report in detail on the expenditure of taxes.

Among the powers at the hands of the knights, the three functions of the judiciary, namely, trial, arrest and bail, were relatively simple and straightforward. However, the administrative aspects such as the maintenance of local law and order; enforcement of the Agricultural and Commercial Act; management of landless homeless persons and prisons; maintenance and management of roads and bridges; appointing and supervising local officials; Specific responsibilities such as the management of employee remuneration were a major headache for Jazz.

As for the title of Attorney given to Sir Augustine by Henry VIII, what Sir saw in the relevant decree was that the Inspector had the right to supervise the Governor of the County, his subordinates and other officials in the County for extortion and dereliction of duty. In addition, appeals of misconduct by county officials may be heard in the Quarter Court, presided over by Sir Justice.

Although Isabel Walton, the mastermind behind the scenes, gave her father the supreme power to oversee and manage the local area, from the county governor and the Duke of Richmond to the lowest strata of society, and had a prominent political position, his supremacy had an uncanny flaw. All county magistrates, including the knights, do not receive an annual honorarium and are obligated to perform national and local duties on behalf of Henry VIII and the Crown.

Sir Augustine had been dealing with a deliberate and large-scale mess since he returned to the county from the southern boroughs. When the perpetrators of the chaos were suddenly found dead in a church in neighboring Westmoreland, the whole of Richmondshire seemed to return to its former calm overnight.

Sir learns from the landless wanderers who have been caught committing theft, that it was a group of Scottish Highlanders from the border counties who were the first to commit robbery and cause trouble in the county. Although the highlanders committed illegal acts such as robbery, tavern trouble, or opening the prison to release a large number of displaced people in the county, the group seemed unwilling

Kill any populace except a few prison guards.

Just as Jazz was about to organize the security army to capture the Highlanders, he received a letter from the Westmoreland County Magistrate. The letter roughly stated that a farmer in the village of Gasdale had found a number of people killed in the village church. The judge later determined that the people who were killed were the Highlanders who had committed wrongdoing in Richmond County.

Sir Augustine was puzzled by the cause of the death of the highlanders. However, a word from the Westmoreland County Magistrate seemed to remind him. "Many of the graves in the church cemetery have been dug up and look like they have taken away a lot of gold and silver treasures or funerary goods," the judge said. Perhaps, the death of the highlanders was related to these treasures. ”

At this point, Jazz began to suspect that his daughter had found someone to do this. For the morning before the Highlander died, the daughter left the manor on a horseback fully armed. Where he went, what he did, why he returned to the manor after sunrise that day, he wanted to get answers to these questions from his daughter's mouth.

On the second Sunday Mass in August, it was time for all the officials and people of Richmond County to rest. The sun hangs in the sky after lunch, and the clouds are thin, so it shouldn't rain until sunset by 4 a.m. this afternoon and tomorrow.

"Lord, Miss Isabel is back." Bruce Hard, the butler, went to the back garden of the manor and informed the magistrate, the chief of the guard and Sir Augustine, who were sitting in the shade of the trees.

"Well, you'll lead the young lady to the garden in a moment." Jazz whispered.

"Yes, lord." The butler agreed, and turned to leave the garden.

At this time, Isabel was sitting in the parlor with Lady Sir and Sir Euphimia's second daughter, chatting happily. Pointing to a large oval plate of fresh fruit on the table, Euphemia said, "Sister, this is the fruit that Mr. William Frederick, a gentleman, has sent us, and a whole basket of fibulated herring. ”

Isabel picked up an apple, sniffed it and said, "Not bad." It seems that our families will not be short of delicious food for a long time to come. ”

"Isn't it nice, Isabel? At least in terms of food, we can save a lot of money. Sir Lady Antonia, who was sitting opposite, said mildly.

"In fact, it is an act made by His Majesty the King and the Privy Councillors, and the magistrate is a position for which there is no annual honorarium." Isabel likes to smell apples, but she doesn't eat them.

"I really don't understand why His Majesty would make such a decree? Not even a penny was reluctant to pay his father. Euphemia pouted, ready to set herself on the path of treason.

"Effie, if you want to complain, just talk to my mother and me, you know?"

"Yes, I know, my mother and I both know what the Treason Act is."

Bruce, the butler, came to the parlor and, after saluting the mother and daughter, said, "Madam, two young ladies, the lord has asked Miss Isabel to go to the garden. ”

Antonia asked, "Bruce, did Sir say anything?" ”

"No, ma'am."

"I see."

Antonia looked at Isabel, "Kid, you go with Bruce." ”

When Isabel followed the butler into the garden, she joked with her father: "Good day, Your Excellency. ”

Sir glanced at his daughter with a serious face, and said with a smile, "Isabel, today is Sunday Mass, and this is not a magistrate's court. ”

"yes, I know. I just hope you don't want to forget about it. Isabel sat in a long-backed chair beside Sir Sir .

"Sometimes, I want to forget about it."

"It's okay, you'll get used to it over time."

When the butler had left, Sir asked the servant to bring his daughter a glass of wine. Isabel didn't know what Jazz wanted to talk to her, but she knew Sir must have something to say.