The Austin Variations | II | The Merchant (2024)
Embroidery on Tabby Weave Linen
Linen, Merino Wool
A Merchant On His Way To Market
Accosted By Brigands On The Road
The Crime Investigated At The Friary
The Villains Apprehended
This looks at the possibility that this person, rather than meeting their end in either Hotspur or Henry VI’s army, was in fact a merchant on their way in to Shrewsbury to trade who fell victim to a bungled robbery.
Travelling in the 15th century was dangerous, and crime was generally deterred by use of severe punishments rather than thorough investigation. The Church was an important influence on crime and punishment in Medieval England, and this …Variation seeks to acknowledge this with the Friars investigating the merchant’s attack while paying tribute to Shrewsbury’s most famous fictional detective.
Vicky Roden 