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From the author of The Swift and the Harrier comes The Players, a gripping historical tale of espionage, treason, and surprising alliances set against the backdrop of the Bloody Assizes-the trials that would determine the fate of over one-thousand treasonous rebels.
1685. The Hague, Holland. In a city awash with spies, an agent in the employ of the Dutch government slips unseen into the house of the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of the late King Charles II. Enigmatic and skilled at deception, the agent plays the role of friend and warns Monmouth that his plans for rebellion are known.
The throne of England has passed to Charles II's only legitimate heir, the king's Catholic brother, James. Monmouth, a committed Protestant, is set on challenging his uncle's right to rule. Ignoring the warnings, he abandons exile in Holland to lead an uprising on English soil. The duke soon attracts thousands to his cause, but untrained men are no match for the king's army.
The rebellion is swiftly suppressed, but the consequences for Monmouth and his followers are dire. Angered by this challenge to his authority, King James sends his feared Chief Justice to Dorset with orders to hunt down and punish every man and woman who supported the uprising. The charge: high treason. The penalty: death.
1685. The Hague, Holland. In a city awash with spies, an agent in the employ of the Dutch government slips unseen into the house of the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of the late King Charles II. Enigmatic and skilled at deception, the agent plays the role of friend and warns Monmouth that his plans for rebellion are known.
The throne of England has passed to Charles II's only legitimate heir, the king's Catholic brother, James. Monmouth, a committed Protestant, is set on challenging his uncle's right to rule. Ignoring the warnings, he abandons exile in Holland to lead an uprising on English soil. The duke soon attracts thousands to his cause, but untrained men are no match for the king's army.
The rebellion is swiftly suppressed, but the consequences for Monmouth and his followers are dire. Angered by this challenge to his authority, King James sends his feared Chief Justice to Dorset with orders to hunt down and punish every man and woman who supported the uprising. The charge: high treason. The penalty: death.