Sir Hugh le Despenser the Younger became royal chamberlain in 1318. He used his position
to win the affections of King Edward II, ultimately displacing the King’s previous favourite,
Roger d’Amory. As time went on, Hugh’s influence over the throne of England became
increasingly powerful.

Queen Isabella had a special dislike for Sir Hugh. It was commonly believed that he and
Edward were having an unholy relationship. Hugh was already known to be a foul sodomite
and a crafty manipulator of both men and women.


Isabella was sent to France to negotiate a treaty between her husband and the French king.
There she formed a liaison with her former lover Roger Mortimer, the exiled Earl of March,
and began planning an invasion.

Hugh attempted to bribe French courtiers to assassinate Isabella,
sending barrels of silver as payment. The plot failed.

Roger Mortimer and the Queen invaded England in October 1326.

  

This Treason
Private Hell
Countess Scorned
Breath Like Wine
Like Dogs
The Fall
Kronos Devours His Children
All Mourning Longs
The Bishop and the Executioner
Penance at the End of Days

visit HughDespenser.com

a site entirely dedicated to the man central to THIS TREASON, maintained by
historical fiction writer Julie Frusher who is currently working on the novel "DESPENSER"


THIS TREASON: Sir Hugh's fate

Our tale begins with an ending…Sir Hugh le Despenser the Younger faces a brutal
and public death in front of a joyously feasting party of usurpers to King
Edward II’s throne. Among them, Queen Isabella, the “She Wolf of France,” and
her dangerous lover Sir Roger Mortimer. In his last moments, Hugh comes to
terms with his fate as the sacrificial lamb that will pay for the wicked
deeds of all those surrounding him as well as the sins of his King and kin.
As he dies, he recalls a great many people and the events that lead him to
this end….

PRIVATE HELL: Roger D'Amory's tale

Sir Hugh made a bitter enemy of his brother in law Sir Roger D’Amory by
seducing the King and taking D’Amory place as Edward’s favourite. D’Amory
joined the Earl of Lancaster’s uprising against King Edward II and the
Despensers. Mortally wounded and unable to retreat from Tutbury Castle in
Staffordshire, he was captured and sentenced to death. Before taking his
own life, he vows to see justice done unto Sir Hugh, knowing well that it
will be from beyond the grave.

COUNTESS SCORNED: Alice DeLacey's tale

Alice de Lacy, the Countess of Lincoln, wife to the Earl of Lancaster, was
secret lover to her husband’s sworn enemy Sir Hugh Despenser. Neglected by her
husband and kept away from courtly social life , she was free to
pursue and educate herself in the affairs of men – the arts of music,
politics and war. After the failed rebellion against Edward II and the
Despensers, her husband was executed. Despite his past relationship with
the Countess, Hugh saw to it that she was stripped of her land titles and
wealth. She spitefully warns him of his own inevitable downfall, just as
she warned her husband that his campaign would only end in death and defeat.

BREATH LIKE WINE: the tale of Roger Mortimer and the Queen

French mercenary warriors participating in Queen Isabella’s invasion forces
drink together one last time before leaving to cross the English chanel. The
Queen, fully intending on personally leading these men into battle,
disguises herself as a man and joins in the drunken celebration. Her lover
and co-conspirator Sir Roger Mortimer ponders her unfortunate and unwomanly
obsession with participating in the violent affairs of men.

THE FALL: the tale of the King's men

The assembly of still-loyal Earls and Knights that stand ready to defend the
throne of King Edward II do not have the full support of the men under
their command. Many among the ranks want to see the King fall, and may not
wholeheartedly fight out the day. Some pray for death, not wanting any part
in furthering the reign of this blasphemous sodomite ruler.

LIKE DOGS: the peasant's tale

Following the defeat of the Despensers, Sir Hugh le Despenser the Younger is
tried and found guilty of treason. Word on the streets is that he will
die a traitor’s death before the people with incredible pain and suffering.
The peasant population of King Edward II’s reign are no strangers to pain
and suffering…cut-throats and whores breed like animals in the alleyways
and in turn raised children with even more refined skills in the arts of
swindling and debauchery. A rare comfort, albeit twisted and demented, is
the public spectacle of corporal punishment and execution. Death is truly
the great equalizer, and for the starving beggar to witness the violent
barbaric end of a wicked nobleman is a carefully planned spectacle offering
both liberation and pacification.

KRONOS DEVOURS HIS CHILDREN: the demon’s tale

The horrors of the abyss that await Sir Hugh are nothing any human intellect
could fully comprehend. The first Titan, Kronos, husband to
mother Earth and father of the false gods, reigns over a domain of hell
reserved for those who have committed heinous acts against family, church,
and state. Just as Kronos once ripped his own children limb from limb and
devoured them in an attempt to prevent his own eventual defeat, he now
tears apart damned souls and savors every moment of agony inflicted upon
the wicked few who have earned this special place.

ALL MOURNING LONG: the King's tale

The gruesome public humiliation and torment of Sir Hugh Despenser left King
Edward torn between emotion and action. Kept in seclusion by his captors, he
struggles to keep his nearly uncontrollable grief in check. After it is
proven beyond doubt that Hugh was indeed manipulating the royal court for
his own gains, Edward still cannot purge himself of this sorrow for a love
lost. The realization of Hugh’s charade only adds to the King’s deep
depression. In an agony of regret, he petitions the spirit of his former
friend and confidante Roger D’Amory to forgive both Sir Hugh and himself.
He also asks D’Amory to visit Hugh’s damned soul and provide some measure
of comfort while he awaits the End of Days for God’s final judgment. As he
finishes his prayers, he hears footsteps at his door…

THE BISHOP AND THE EXECUTIONER: the tale of the nobleman's daughter

The bishop of St. Mary’s cathedral is quietly kidnapped by foreign mercenaries
instructed to bring him unharmed to their employers palace. To ensure he
has no clues as to the location of his captor’s estate he is bound and
blindfolded before enduring a dizzying three hour carriage ride through a
maze of roads and alleyways meant to hide their route. Once at his
destination, he is led into a lavish town dwelling noticeably devoid of any
identifying crests or coats of arms. He is then asked to perform the
sacrament of extreme unction for the seemingly healthy but distraught
daughter of the mysterious nobleman. It is explained she was harboring the
bastard child of the disgraced king. The Bishop does not understand, but
nevertheless performs last rites for the girl. Just as the final “Amen”
leaves his lips, a black hooded man with a broadsword steps out from behind
the curtain…

PENANCE AT THE END OF DAYS: Sir Hugh's salvation

The material gains made by Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger in life earned him
the most horrible and gruesome punishment in recorded history. In death
he suffered an even more severe penalty - to be denied the peace of
forgiveness of God until the days of revelation. When the time comes and
the dead rise again, his quartered earthly remains from all corners of the
kingdom are brought back together by angels of both heaven and hell to face
the reckoning of the collective divine. At this, the end of time, Sir
Hugh’s sworn enemy in life Roger D’Amory appears at his side to bear
witness to this final trial…