The Candlemass Road

by George MacDonald Fraser

An interesting piece of historical fiction.  Fraser is the author of the fictional Flashman series and an

excellent memoir of his time in Burma during WWII title "Quartered Safe Out Here."  In all his books as well as The Candlemass Road, he knows his English, Cumberland and Scottish manners of speech and after a few paragraphs you "hear" the accents clearly though he does leave you thumbing to the glossary to find out what a bit of slang or some period usage of a word.  I discovered "kye" refers to a bovine in 16th century border speak and presumably this morphed into the word "cow" over time.

Anyway, The Candlemass Road shows a fictional account in the day of the life of a border reiver, or in this case, a "broken man" (someone who has forsaken any loyalty to riding surnames or noble houses).  On Candlemass day, a savior must be found to save a small dirty village from the Nixons who want blackmail from the village.  The story unfolds from there as the Lady Dacre, reivers, a heretic priest, callow-men, and varlets move the story along.

For a little "light" historical background, Fraser appends some explanation at the end of the book but if you want the real history, try Fraser's "Steel Bonnets" in all its 400+ page glory.  A "riding" tale of battle, murder, mayhem, redhands and hot trods along the border marches of England and Scotland.  Watch out for the Armstrongs, as hard-bitten as any riders out of the debatable lands.

https://www.amazon.com/Candlemass-Road-George-MacDonald-Fraser/dp/161608099X