Unfortunate Ends

On Murder and Misadventure in Medieval England

Soren Lily

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English

Unbound
01 August 2023

History; Medieval history; Humour

From the author of Twitter's Medieval Death Bot comes Unfortunate Ends: On Murder and Misadventure in Medieval England, an illuminating collection of in-depth looks at the most interesting cases from medieval coroners' rolls.

Thomas, son of Henry Robekyn, died 1286 after cutting off his left foot and then his left hand in a frenzy.

Henry Debordesle, died 1343. Long sick with diseases, smote himself in the belly with a knife worth one penny.

On 11 August 1267, Henry Constentin is driving a horse-drawn cart of wheat through the field of Tweedscroft. His feet slip and he falls upon 'a certain pole' of his cart 'so that it penetrate[s] into his fundament'.

From the bizarre to the mundane, each death tells a tale from a dangerous time to be alive, and even to die. Coroners' rolls list every inquest held for a death by misadventure - or accident - as well as grisly murders, some witnessed by others, some only coming to light when the hidden body was found. A handful of these deaths rise to the top, their tales too bizarre, ridiculous or heartbreaking to not be spun again for the modern ear. Through death, Unfortunate Ends gives us a rare, first-hand look into everyday life for common people of the English Middle Ages.

By: Soren Lily
Imprint: Unbound
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 154mm, Width: 111mm,
ISBN: 9781800181366
ISBN 10: 1800181361
Pages: 112
Publication Date: 01 August 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Soren Lily (aka The Medieval Death Bot) burst onto Twitter in 2013, succinctly relating the various macabre and mundane deaths of people of the Middle Ages. When pushed, the Medieval Death Bot was willing to suggest a possible medieval death for all those who choose to engage with it, for which it has since been suspended. @DeathMedieval

Reviews for Unfortunate Ends: On Murder and Misadventure in Medieval England

"""Here's a selection of grim deaths that have aged beautifully in the more than 600 years since they occurred."" --Mental Floss, on the twitter account, Medieval Death Bot"