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Peters Ellis Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Peters Ellis Quizzes, Trivia

Ellis Peters Trivia

Ellis Peters Trivia Quizzes

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Edith Pargeter used the pseudonym Ellis Peters for a number of her crime novels, especially the series featuring Brother Cadfael, a Welsh Benedictine monk living in Shrewsbury in the first half of the 12th century.
12 Ellis Peters quizzes and 130 Ellis Peters trivia questions.
1.
  The Private Life of Brother Cadfael   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Brother Cadfael, star detective of Ellis Peters's marvelous medieval mysteries, finds plenty of time between his monastic devotions to catch murderers and ply his own private pursuits.
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Oct 30 08
Average
CellarDoor gold member
1227 plays
2.
  St. Peter's Fair   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"Saint Peter's Fair" is the fourth of Ellis Peters's series of mysteries, set in medieval Shrewsbury and starring Brother Cadfael as monastic detective. Do you know who killed Thomas of Bristol?
Average, 10 Qns, CellarDoor, Mar 17 06
Average
CellarDoor gold member
514 plays
3.
  The Virgin in the Ice   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"The Virgin in the Ice" has to be my favourite Ellis Peters book. Brother Cadfael is summoned from his abbey to care for an injured brother but that wasn't all he ended up doing. What do you remember about what Cadfael was doing?
Average, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, Sep 05 24
Average
tigergirl04
Sep 05 24
286 plays
4.
  The Many Mysteries of Brother Cadfael    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Match the brief description with the book in the Cadfael Chronicles to which it relates. While many of these stories involve solving the mystery of a murder, I will try to avoid including too much in the way of spoilers.
Average, 10 Qns, bernie73, Mar 19 21
Average
bernie73 gold member
Mar 19 21
109 plays
5.
  Brother Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is the very first of the "Cadfael" books by Ellis Peters. This story keeps you on your toes till the end as does this quiz. Good luck! Warning - SPOILERS.
Average, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, Jun 12 09
Average
tigergirl04
293 plays
6.
  Brother Cadfael: The Holy Thief    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
One of my favourite Ellis Peters' novels, "The Holy Thief" encases theft, murder and love in one curious tale.
Average, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, Jul 04 09
Average
tigergirl04
179 plays
7.
  Brother Cadfael   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
The series written by Edith Pargeter under the pseudonym Ellis Peters about the antics of a monk during the 12th Century English Civil War of Maud and Stephen.
Average, 15 Qns, cadfaelgirl, Apr 19 08
Average
cadfaelgirl
559 plays
8.
  One Corpse Too Many   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This quiz is on Ellis Peters' mystery novel, "One Corpse Too Many", part of the Brother Cadfael series.
Average, 15 Qns, bonanza22, Apr 27 10
Average
bonanza22
462 plays
9.
  Brother Cadfael: The Murders   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Ellis Peters' character Brother Cadfael often finds himself putting aside his herbs to help solve a murder and sometimes even to clear an innocent person's name. What do you know about the murders that occurred in the books? Warning - spoilers!
Tough, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, May 19 09
Tough
tigergirl04
301 plays
10.
  Brother Cadfael - "The Devil's Novice"    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A quiz about one of my favourite Cadfael books - "The Devil's Novice" by Ellis Peters.
Average, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, Feb 20 09
Average
tigergirl04
215 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What was the name of the castle that Phillip FitzRobert brought to King Stephen when he defected?

From Quiz "Brother Cadfael's Penance"




11.
  Brother Cadfael: The Hermit of Eyton Forest   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Ellis Peters' "The Hermit of Eyton Forest" is a brilliant book with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Brother Cadfael at his finest.
Average, 10 Qns, tigergirl04, May 24 09
Average
tigergirl04
194 plays
12.
  Brother Cadfael's Penance    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Final book in the Cadfael Chronicles and my favorite, it wraps up the series beautifully.
Tough, 10 Qns, rsh437, Jun 10 11
Tough
rsh437
137 plays
Related Topics
  Historical Fiction [Literature] (6 quizzes)

  Mystery & Detective Fiction [Literature] (105 quizzes)


Ellis Peters Trivia Questions

1. What was the name of the castle that Phillip FitzRobert brought to King Stephen when he defected?

From Quiz
Brother Cadfael's Penance

Answer: Cricklade

Brien de Soulis was the castellan of Faringdon. La Musarderie was a castle Phillip acquired later by ambushing its original owner. Beaumont was the family name of the Earl of Leicester.

2. The holy theft was discovered when Saint Winifred was to be returned to her altar after being moved. In her place a piece of wood had been left, wrapped up to mimic her. For what reason was Saint Winifred originally to be moved?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Holy Thief

Answer: To protect her from the rising flood

When the rain in Wales made a deluge of water come racing down the Severn River, the Abbey of Shrewsbury came under threat of flood and many of the valuable relics were carried to higher, safer places. St Winifred was to be one of these but when the brothers went to place her back on her altar, all they found was an old piece of wood. Brother Cadfael fervently hopes nobody checks what's inside the reliquary as it doesn't contain St Winifred but the body of Brother Columbanus who died on the journey to collect St Winifred in "A Morbid taste for Bones".

3. "A Morbid Taste for Bones" begins with a group of Benedictine brothers from Shrewsbury Abbey heading into Wales on a quest. How many brothers went to Gwytherin on this quest?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones

Answer: Six

Six brothers made the journey. Brothers Cadfael, John, Colombanus and Jerome along with Sub-prior Richard and Prior Robert travelled to Gwytherin in Wales. Brother Cadfael managed to get himself and Brother John included in the group as he was the only Welsh speaker in the Abbey and Brother John was good with horses and mules.

4. The Abbot was concerned that if he let Richard go to his father's funeral alone, Dame Dionesia would keep the boy at the manor. Other then Brother Cadfael, whom did the Abbot send with Richard to the funeral?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Hermit of Eyton Forest

Answer: Brother Anselm and Brother Paul

Brother Paul, as master to the boys, and Brother Anselm accompanied Richard to his father's funeral along with Brother Cadfael. This prevented Dame Dionesia from keeping the boy at the manor against his father's final wishes. Brother Robert should actually be Prior Robert and Brother Jerome is his aide. Brother Edmund runs the infirmary, Brother Porter mans the gate and Brother Urien is a scribe who isn't actually mentioned in this book. He is mentioned in the next book in the series, "The Confession of Brother Haluin".

5. This book was set in England in 1139 at a time when civil war tore the country in two. In the midst of the fighting two orphans and a nun fled towards Shrewsbury to escape the terror and destruction. What town were these three fleeing from?

From Quiz The Virgin in the Ice

Answer: Worcester

Many people fled the fighting in Worcester to seek a safe haven in more secure places like Shrewsbury. The Abbey infirmary quickly filled and straw was laid down in the corridors for the excess. A large number of towns were besieged and captured, some multiple times, by both King Stephen and Empress Maud as they fought for the throne of England.

6. What is Meriet's brother's name?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael - "The Devil's Novice"

Answer: Nigel

Leoric Aspley is Meriet's father, Janyn is his neighbour and the twin brother of Nigel's wife-to-be Roswitha. Brother Paul is master of the boys and novices at the Abbey. (All my answers are from the book, but you may have noticed, if you have watched the movie, that Meriet's brother is called Tristan and several other characters have their names changed as well.)

7. To which order of monks does Brother Cadfael belong?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael

Answer: Benedictine

Shrewsbury Abbey was home to monks of the Benedictine order.

8. Brother Cadfael is living out his golden years in England at the time the books are set, residing in a monastery in Shrewsbury. He was not born in England, however; where is he from?

From Quiz The Private Life of Brother Cadfael

Answer: Wales

Cadfael ap Meilyr ap Dafydd is a Welshman, born in Gwynedd, although he spent most of his youth overseas as a soldier and retired to the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrewsbury. In the introduction to "A Rare Benedictine," Peters notes that due to Shrewsbury's proximity to the Welsh border, the hero of these historical novels "had to be Welsh, and very much at home there." She chose an extremely unusual name, of which she writes that she could find no mention after the christening of St. Cadog (who apparently "had no further need" of it after his childhood). Cadfael returns to Wales several times throughout the series; in fact, the very first novel, "A Morbid Taste for Bones," sees him accompanying as translator an expedition for relics for the abbey.

9. Who is King of England at the time of the book?

From Quiz One Corpse Too Many

Answer: King Stephen

It is 1138 and King Stephen and Empress Maud are fighing for the throne.

10. To find and rescue his son Olivier de Bretagne, Brother Cadfael set off to attend a peace conference, held in which city?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael's Penance

Answer: Coventry

On the way he ran into Yves Hugonin, Olivier's young brother-in-law, who was also there looking for Olivier.

11. The brothers were heading for Gwytherin in Wales to collect a saint that supposedly appeared to Brother Colombanus and told him she was unhappy where she was. What was the name of this saint?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones

Answer: St Winifred

St Winifred, Patron Saint of Gwytherin and Holywell in Wales, was the saint the Benedictine brothers went to bring back to Shrewsbury. This part of the story is not fiction but fact. In 1138 her relics were placed on the altar at Shrewsbury Abbey but were later scattered on King Henry VIII's orders in 1540. Her remaining relics were taken to Rome but were returned to England in 1852 and now reside at Shrewsbury and Holywell. St Dwynwen is worshipped throughout Wales and Cornwell while St Richildis is worshipped in Switzerland. St Giles is the Patron Saint of Edinburgh (Scotland), Tolfa (Italy), Blacksmiths, rams, horses and many different illnesses and ailments. This is probably why the leper house in "Cadfael" is named after him.

12. Dame Dionesia was determined to get her grandson, Richard, away from the Abbot. When the Abbot refused to let Richard leave with the steward sent by his grandmother, what gift did Dame Dionesia send to try and convince Richard to stay with her?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Hermit of Eyton Forest

Answer: A pony

On the day of the funeral, Dame Dionesia sent a groom with a Welsh pony for Richard in an attempt to lure him home. She also tried to convince the Brothers who had accompanied Richard to let him stay with her for the night but Brother Paul politely declined and insisted that it was his duty to see Richard safely back to the Abbey.

13. Hugh Beringar, deputy sheriff of Shrewsbury, is a close friend of Cadfael's and works with him to solve a great many murders. What was Hugh Beringar given by his wife, Aline, shortly before he left to follow Cadfael?

From Quiz The Virgin in the Ice

Answer: A son

On the day that Cadfael departed from Shrewsbury, Aline Beringar gave birth to a son, whom they named Giles after Aline's brother who died in "One Corpse Too Many". The pregnant girl from Worcester, whom they had taken into their home, also gave birth to a son one day later. In later books we learn that Cadfael was named as godfather to Giles Beringar and is given leave to visit him occasionally.

14. Gervase Bonel died after eating a dish of food sent by the Prior. Who was responsible for adding the poison to the food?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Murders

Answer: Meurig

Meurig, the illegitimate son of Gervase Bonel, poured monk's hood oil he had taken from the infirmary into the dish sent by the prior. Edwin, who is Gervase Bonel's stepson, was suspected of the crime and hunted down but on arrival at the abbey the sergeant was shocked to be told he had not captured Edwin Gurney but Edwin's nephew Edwy who looked almost identical to Edwin. This is from the book "Monks Hood".

15. For what offence was Meriet punished by flogging?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael - "The Devil's Novice"

Answer: Assaulting Brother Jerome

Meriet assaulted Brother Jerome, his priest and confessor, after he found a lock of hair in Meriet's bed and burned it in front of him. Meriet was lucky not to have been excommunicated.

16. How many women has Cadfael truly loved in his lifetime?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael

Answer: two

Cadfael had a "girlfriend" before he left for the Crusades, Richildis, who appears in "Monk's Hood". He also conceived a child with Mariam: "The Virgin in the Ice" tells us of their romance.

17. Unusually for a monk, Cadfael does not spend his youth in religious pursuits. Instead, he travels abroad to fight in what wars?

From Quiz The Private Life of Brother Cadfael

Answer: the Crusades

At fourteen, Cadfael had pledged his service to a wool merchant, but when he dies the boy decides to quit and become a Crusader -- despite the lovely girl, Richildis, with whom he is in love. He spends the better part of two decades in the Middle East in the early 1100s (the time of the First Crusade) before serving as a man-at-arms in Normandy and in England. This particular aspect of his worldly life is the subject of great awe and speculation by his fellow monks, most of whom grew up in the cloister.

18. On the evening before the fair, Brother Cadfael is sent to translate for one of the more important merchants. What language, relatively rare in Shrewsbury, does he speak?

From Quiz St. Peter's Fair

Answer: Welsh

Brother Cadfael grew up in Wales, spent his youth traveling the world as a crusader and mercenary, and retired to the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul as an "old man" in his fifties. He is now the monk in charge of the abbey's herb gardens and healing potions, but he is often called upon to translate since Shrewsbury is near the Welsh border. The merchant he's translating for on this occasion is a very canny man named Rhodri ap Huw.

19. What is the name of the girl who comes to the abbey for protection?

From Quiz One Corpse Too Many

Answer: Godith

Godith is the daughter of Foulke Adeny. Adeny and William FitzAlan are loyal to Empress Maud. Adeny wanted to make sure his daughter would be safe from Stephen's men.

20. Brien de Soulis was murdered at the conference and Yves Hugonin was accused of the crime. But Yves was not detained. Why?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael's Penance

Answer: The Empress Maud protected him

Phillip wanted to have Yves arrested but the empress would not allow it. Phillip then laid an ambush to abduct Yves to La Musarderie.

21. Dame Dionesia wanted to get Richard home so she could force him to marry a girl of her choosing. This girl was the daughter of Dame Dionesia's neighbours and she didn't want to marry Richard either. What was the girl's name?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Hermit of Eyton Forest

Answer: Hiltrude

Hiltrude Astley was in love with her father's steward and had no desire to marry Richard Ludel. Richard was taken by force in the forest and kept locked up until he agreed to marry Hiltrude. In the end both agreed to the marriage but only because they knew something their guardians didn't!

22. On arrival at Lord Boteral's manor, Brother Cadfael and his companions find most of the household dead and Boteral recovering from a sharp fever brought on by a stab wound received on the night on the attack. Who gave Lord Boteral his injury?

From Quiz The Virgin in the Ice

Answer: Ermina Hugonin

Lord Boteral claimed a bandit stabbed him in the course of the battle as he defended his people but Ermina later revealed that this was not true. Boteral did not defend his people; he fled with Ermina to Ledwyche. Boteral realised he would lose the lands he stood to gain from Ermina's dowry when she refused to marry a coward so he made to rape her. As he went to grab her, Ermina, realising his intentions, stabbed him with her dagger before fleeing into the forest.

23. A great many merchants came through Shrewsbury selling their wares and not all of them left alive. Euan of Shotwick was one such unlucky merchant. What was Euan selling?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Murders

Answer: Gloves

In "St Peter's Fair" Master Thomas had come to Shrewsbury for the fair and also to pass on a secret message to his contact. Euan of Shotwick was that contact and after Master Thomas was fished out of the Severn River dead, he searched Thomas's barge in the hope that he would find the secret message. When he didn't, he was forced to wait and hope that Thomas's niece, Emma Vernald, knew where the secret message was and who it was to be delivered to.

24. Where was Peter Clemence found?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael - "The Devil's Novice"

Answer: Burned in a charcoal hearth

Peter Clemence was burned in a charcoal hearth where fuel for stoves and braziers was usually made. The other three answers were from other Cadfael books. The 94 legally dead bodies are from "One Corpes Too Many", the mill wheel is where Father Ailnoth turned up in "The Raven in the Foregate" and the frozen brook in where a young nun was found in "The Virgin in the Ice".

25. Who are the battling monarchs during the Civil War in which these novels are set?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael

Answer: King Stephen and Empress Maud

Matilda was supposed to get the throne of England but she wasn't in the country at the time of the sovereign's death, so Stephen usurped the crown and they fight for it bitterly.

26. About how old is Cadfael when he lays down his sword in order to take service before God as a monk?

From Quiz The Private Life of Brother Cadfael

Answer: 40

Asked to reminisce about the Crusades or provide advice on a secular problem, Cadfael often refers to his "forty years in the world." He left for the Crusades when he was about 17, wandering throughout most of the known world, before finding peace and fulfilment in the monastery. The short story "A Light on the Road to Woodstock" tells the story of Cadfael's decision to take vows. Disgusted with what a man-at-arms is occasionally called on to do, Cadfael has his moment of revelation when he walks into a chapel on a whim. A child touches the hilt of his sword to ask, "Should not all weapons of war be laid aside here?" Cadfael ponders briefly and lays the sword as an offering beneath the altar. "It looked strangely appropriate and at peace there. The hilt, after all, was a cross."

27. What job does Brother Cadfael have at the Monastery?

From Quiz One Corpse Too Many

Answer: Herbalist

Brother Cadfael has his own private shed where he works with his herbs. That's where Godith stays.

28. Cadfael found in de Soulis's saddlebag a seal which belonged to Geoffrey FitzClare, a captain at Faringdon. What apparently happened to FitzClare?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael's Penance

Answer: He was thrown from a horse

Cadfael deduced he was in fact murdered by de Soulis because he would never have agreed to the surrender of Faringdon.

29. With three people laying claim to St Winifred, Abbot Radulfus needed a way to fairly decide where St Winifred's remains were to stay. What was the name of the test that Abbot Radulfus used to decide whose claim should be honoured?

From Quiz Brother Cadfael: The Holy Thief

Answer: Sortes Biblicae

The Sortes Biblicae involved each claimant being brought to the altar blindfolded. They then opened the bible randomly and pointed to a verse on the page. The verse pointed to was the Saint's answer to their prayers. For those who were wondering the other, very random, phases loosely translate to... Sincerus Piscis - Genus of fish Abbas Hominum - Father of man Volatilis Volutabrum - Flying pigs

30. Sister Hilaria fled with the two orphans towards Shrewsbury. Sadly she never made it. Her two charges were both found safe and well but by the time Sister Hilaria was found it was too late. Where was Sister Hilaria found?

From Quiz The Virgin in the Ice

Answer: In a frozen brook

Sister Hilaria's body was stripped and dumped in a freezing brook with the hope she would be counted among the many who had died at the hands of the bandits, which she had not. She was attacked and killed in a shepherd's hut but then her body was moved to hide what had been done.

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