This article contains spoilers for Shardlake episode 3. The Disney Plus and Hulu adaptation of C.J. Sansom's historical mystery saga about the titular lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, has arrived!
Based on Sansom's first book, "Dissolution", this four-part adaptation sees Matthew Shardlake sent to the remote town of Scarnsea to investigate the death of one of Thomas Cromwell's commissioners at a monastery... one of many which Cromwell intends to close as part of the dissolution of the monasteries throughout Britain.
The penultimate episode of Shardlake sees the lawyer making a startling discovery. Tensions are already running high because the monks have found Goodhap's body, but things soon take a darker turn.
Driven by what he believes to be a tip-off from the now-deceased Simon Whelplay, Shardlake and Barak search the nearby pond for further clues, uncovering not only the missing murder weapon... but also another of the monastery's victims. And as if that wasn't all, Shardlake soon finds himself accosted by a mystery thug whilst searching for the weapon's owner back in London. Here's a full recap of Shardlake episode 3.
Edwig's deceit
The episode begins with Barak cleaning his sword, mulling over Goodhap's death, whilst Master Bugger brings the Abbot and Mortimus to the stable to see the body. Barak bumps into Alice on his way to find Shardlake who is eating breakfast. Shardlake is joined by Brother Edwig, who explains that Abbot Fabian sent him along to pass on word that Goodhap has "departed for London" during the night; his room's empty and his belongings are gone.
Barak arrives and learns of Goodhap's disappearance. Edwig further says that Master Bugge witnessed the Doctor leave in the early hours; seeing as he died in Barak's arms, the commissioner knows these are all lies, but can't let on why. Brother Edwig then asks after his "good and correct" accounts books, but Shardlake says he will only return them once they're no longer needed.
Edwig leaves after explaining why he was at Simon's bedside (to pray for him, allegedly). Then, Shardlake reveals to Barak that the boy was poisoned. Barak suspects Guy could be the culprit, but Shardlake dismisses him: Guy was the one who made the discovery, so he could just as easily have said nothing.
After urging him to press Copynger for answers about the accounts, Barak heads to the stables to "check on the horses". At the stables, he confronts Master Bugge, drawing his sword and demanding the exact time he saw Goodhap through the gates of the monastery. As Bugge lies about his departure, Barak advances, holding the watchman at swordpoint. Shardlake interrupts and demands Barak lower his sword and the other commissioner storms out.
Outside, Shardlake asks what's gotten into him. Barak fears the monks are outmaneuvering them (he's also probably dealing with guilt over Goodhap's death). Shardlake believes they're nearing the truth of the murder, but Barak wonders if the time has properly come for them to accept they will have to find "their own truth" to succeed in their mission to close the monastery for good.
Later, Shardlake has a lightbulb moment after a visit to Simon Whelplay's body. Noting the handmade cross he'd seen Whelplay with a few times (he dropped one in a nearby pond just before he died), Shardlake grabs a pole from the church and uses it to try and search the pond, believing he'd seen something below it. Barak finds him sweeping through the waters, and Shardlake asks him to climb in and search for whatever could be down there.
After some convincing, Barak strips down to his stockings and climbs in, drawing a crowd from the monastery. After a short while, he dives below the water's surface and returns, clutching a sword wrapped in cloth! Brother Gabriel recognizes the badge on the cloth around the sword as that of the sacrist, making this the robe he once thought was stolen by a launderer. Barak and Shardlake question him and ask him to hold the sword. He swears he's never held one, and only seems comfortable with the blade in two hands.
A grim discovery
Shardlake pulls Gabriel to one side to discuss Whelplay, seeing as he's aware Gabriel and Simon were known to one another. Shardlake shares his belief that Whelplay could have been the murderer, seeing as he tried to direct him to the pond. Gabriel categorically refuses this, believing Simon would not have killed even if he were ordered to by another member of the order.
Shardlake orders that the pond be drained so they can search the bottom. Whilst the monks carry out the request, Abbot Fabian and Brother Mortimus have a secret meeting; Fabian asks whether they might find Goodhap in the pond, but Mortimus confirms the Doctor is "at peace in the marshlands". Fabian is confused as to who from the order might have killed the Doctor, but Mortimus instead urges them to press on with whatever they have planned, and to not be deterred by Shardlake's discovery. After all, even if the sword is left behind (disproving the monks' defense that "invaders" killed Singleton), Shardlake still has to prove one of the brothers owned the sword.
Alice fetches a warming drink for Barak, and the pair discuss their relationship woes, leading to a steamy kiss between the pair. After recovering, Barak and Shardlake inspect the sword. They find a maker's mark (JS, 1507) and conclude that it's a gentleman's weapon, and must have been the one used to kill Robin Singleton. Barak asks why he wishes to search the pond still. Shardlake wishes not to find the supposedly stolen relic in there, as this would presumably be more evidence of a cover-up.
When the pond is finally emptied that evening, Shardlake finds no relic, but he does make another horrifying discovery. A woman's remains have been hidden at the bottom for an unknown period. The body is removed and Brother Guy examines it, concluding from the necklace she wore and the measurements that this can only be his former assistant, a woman called Orphan Stonegarden.
Guy presents this to the commissioners and the other monks. Shardlake is furious and demands her story. Brother Edwig claims the woman was fired because Stonegarden stole two gold chalices from the monastery, and assumes she must have tripped and fell, as Guy believes she died of a broken neck.
Shardlake refutes this: he believes Stonegarden must have been the monastery's first victim, and asks where the chalices they claim she stole have gone to, seeing as she doesn't have them. In a rage, he presents there are now three murder cases to deal with: Singleton, Whelplay, and Stonegarden.
The Abbot refutes these claims: Simon's cause of death was the fall. This is when Shardlake reveals he knows Whelplay was poisoned, and the secret Simon told him, realizing the "her" Simon had warned of danger in this place must have been Guy's assistant, not Alice. He insists that whoever killed Stonegarden must also have killed Whelplay.
He invites the Abbot to willingly surrender the monastery to the crown there and then. Fabian refuses; he believes he has no reason to surrender, and claims Shardlake has no right to force closure of St Donatus still. At that, Shardlake commits to his investigation and insists all men involved will hang. Brother Gabriel then adds to the tension in the room by asking to have a private conversation with the investigator... much to the horror of his fellow monks.
The fourth victim
Wandering through the courtyard, Gabriel tells Shardlake that he knew Miss Stonegarden was unhappy in her work and further reveals that she was knowingly assaulted by a number of the brothers. Shardlake asks Gabriel to name names, but Gabriel refuses, only expressing his remorse for not intervening.
After some encouragement, Gabriel admits that he knew Stonegarden often spoke with Whelplay, so he can agree that Simon might know who killed her, therefore that someone from within the order must be the person responsible for their deaths. He wrestles with this, struggling to believe one of his fellow men would stoop to murder. Before he can say more, a figure watching from a window shoots Gabriel in the chest with a crossbow. Shardlake calls for help and Gabriel is taken to an infirmary, but he does not recover.
Later, Barak and Shardlake gather once again. Shardlake informs Barak he is to remain behind and await news of the land sales receipts, while he returns to London to find the sword's owner. Barak protests, but Shardlake tells him the receipts are still important to his plot. Barak also advises him to burn the writings about Cromwell which Brother Jerome had passed to him.
Shardlake hits the road. We see Copynger being paid off by the spy who secretly watched the Justice's meeting with Shardlake and Barak earlier in the series paying the man and hiding one of the bills of sale, reminding Copynger once again that Shardlake is not to see the receipts until five days have elapsed.
Copynger helps Shardlake buy passage to London aboard a ship and directs him to the stables to temporarily house his horse, Chancery. There, Shardlake spots Dr. Goodhap's mount... meaning he probably didn't get very far from the monastery after all.
At St. Donatus, a funeral service is held for Brother Gabriel. Alice and Barak slip away and spend the night together. Meanwhile, we see Shardlake having dinner aboard the ship with Copper, the owner of the vessel. He tells Shardlake that two men bought passage to London; the other passenger, Master Crowe, enters the room and is revealed to be Master Crowe... the very same man who is working with Copynger!
Before he's called above deck, Copper lets slip the monastery wanted him to take and sell a horse on their behalf, though he declined the gig. Shardlake queries him about the horse, and Copper implies that the horse doesn't really "belong" to them at all.
Soon afterward, the men arrive in London, where Shardlake soon finds himself in hot water. Another man (who appears to work for Crowe) follows him through the streets and knocks him out cold in an alleyway before darting into the crowds. The episode ends with Crowe slipping away from the scene of the crime, leaving Shardlake lying in the street.
Shardlake is now streaming on Hulu and Disney Plus.
