TASK: Produce a monologue. You must choose one of the crimes that we have been studying and produce a monologue explaining your life as a criminal as if you are the criminal (first person). Explain what crime and why you committed it, how you were treated by the public and how you were or will be punished.

Beggar. Tramp. Vagrant. They treat me like scum. I am nothing to them, except a nuisance. They think I’m doing it deliberately. They think I’m just lazy – a good-for-nothing criminal!

My name is Harry. My birth name is Henry like our current King and his new son, but that was my dad’s name too so everyone has always called me Harry. So, I was a soldier back in 1485. It’s 1491 now and a lot has changed since then. I was strong and brave. I fought alongside Henry VII in the Battle of Bosworth, when Richard was brought down with a single arrow – or so the legend goes… They didn’t need as many soldiers when we came back and I was laid off. All that experience and training gone to waste!

It’s been six years since then and I’m honestly surprised I’ve made it this long. The winters are harsh and there’s another one right around the corner. The aging trees have started shedding their amber leaves and the nights are drawing out into endless periods of freezing black nothingness. I am so cold. I’ve been sick a lot of the time, so it’s been hard to find work.

The Church has helped me a lot. I have been given food and shelter sometimes by kindly monks or a few coins buy the richer folks. Most church folk believe that I am simply an idle sinner though and won’t help me. I swear I’m not, but nobody will give me the chance to prove myself. A lot of people are terrified of me. They see me wandering around town and blame me when something goes missing or someone gets hurt. Sometimes I might steal a loaf of bread to get by on, but I’d never hurt anybody!

Whenever I am caught I am beaten and sent home. But WHERE is this place you call HOME? I certainly can’t find it!