The Gallivant by William Congreve

Title: The Gallivant 

Author: William Congreve

Publisher: Barnabas, Limited… only never published 

Source book: Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham 

Flowers in a Serpentine Vase by Osaias Beert thanks to The Telegraph 

Flowers for the Judge is set in 1931. It’s chiefly about the unexpected murder of Paul Brande. Paul was unhappily married to Gina and it is quite obvious that his cousin Mike has fallen for her. What Gina thinks about Mike is not so clear.

The old established family run publishing firm of Barnabas, Limited has an extremely valuable asset, stored in the carefully locked strong room: a manuscript (which in this case means a handwritten manuscript) of an unpublished play, The Gallivant, by William Congreve. Congreve is famous for The Double Dealer and The Way of the World, can be filed under restoration comedy, and was active between about 1690 and 1700. The Gallivant was thought too scandalous or indecent for publication. Or something. Paul wanted the play to be exhibited as part of a show of important manuscripts but John had vetoed the idea.

Mr Campion, investigating the affair, discovers that the paper on which the manuscript was supposedly written by Congreve (who died in 1729), was manufactured not earlier than 1823. Hmmn.

Also mentioned in Flowers for the Judge are an autobiography by Lady Trumpington called My Own Life; a book known as the Tourlette biography, championed by Paul but it made a big loss for the firm; and Died on a Saturday by Roberta Jeeves which mysteriously gives complete instructions on how to commit the murder of Paul Brande. Could it be that someone used it as a handy how-to?

[Spoiler] It turns out that the much vaunted Congreve manuscript was taken from the strong room by Tom Barnabas before his mysterious disappearance in 1911, sold to a shady dealer, and the proceeds shared with cousin John. 

Still life by Ambrosius Bosschaert thanks to Wikipedia