Lucy Worsley Investigates

Lucy visits the National Museum of Scotland storeroom which houses amulets and charms. Amulets were common and a mix of religious belief coexisting with the supernatural. Lucy is shown a seedpod known as "Mary's nut" which was an amulet used in childbirth as protection.

Agnes is brought to Edinburgh, imprisoned and interrogated at the Palace of Holyroodhouse where King James lived. Agnes meets the king, and Newes from Scotland gives the account that she stood up to the king and denied being a witch.

What started Britain's century of bloody witch hunts? Lucy Worsley uncovers the story of one supposed witch, whose case lit the fuse for the state-sanctioned killing of thousands.

Lucy visits a pub in Walsham and draws a map of English ports to show how the black death spread from Europe. She reads from a book which details how the black death traveled from Genovese ships to Marseille and Avignon where half the people have died. France is only 24 hours away from Walsham le Willows.

How did the Black Death change Britain? Lucy Worsley examines the latest science and explores how the vast death toll affected religious beliefs, class structure, work and women.

Lucy visits Suffolk Archives to look at the Court Rolls for Walsham le Willows, which shows a spike in death taxes being paid due to deaths from the black death. The Rolls are a microstudy for all of Britain during the black death pandemic.

Lucy discusses accounts in the newspaper of riots that were caused by King George III's new rights for Catholics. Lucy notes how revolutions were happening all over the world during this time, and that assassination attempts were being made against leaders. King George III may have felt that he was losing the Empire as a result of revolution in America.

How did George III’s mental illness change Britain? Lucy Worsley uncovers Royal papers and explores how the assassination attempt on his life by a mentally ill subject changed psychiatry forever.

King George III is under pressure to make the monarchy work in this new era. He styles himself as a new kind of accessible king who would listen to the public, and he made it possible for people to petition the king to have their issues heard. Lucy tells of an event where the king was attacked by a petitioner - a woman who was waiting for him with knife concealed in a petition.

The Royal Archivist brings out a diary at Windsor Castle for Lucy to read. It is the diary of Robert Grevell, the king's equerry. Lucy learns about George's ill health and how on one occasion he talked constantly for 19 hours. A statement is sent to Mr. Pitt the prime minister to say that the king is "entirely" deranged.

Lucy visits St Paul's cross and tells us about a preacher who says Edward was already married to another and that young Edward was illegitimate with no claim to the throne. Richard takes the throne and is crowned king while the princes are still in the Tower.

Lucy wants to interrogate the sources she has to get to the bottom of the mystery. Thomas Moore's account of the murder is so specific that she wonders where he received his information from. She visits Buckfast Abbey where there has been new research into Thomas Moore's text.