Marius' private journal
Spring 1226 AD
The year began with my travelling to Newcastle to work upon a treaty with Alexander. If this peace with the Scots can be successfully secured, then it is fair to say that my place upon the throne of England will be secure for the foreseeable future. On the way I heard of what sounded like a pogrom occurring within York. I have issued a decree that the Jews are not to be so mistreated. It riles me that I must persuade the nobility to treat the members of Medius’ people with some decency and dignity using the language of tax collection and appeals to Christian charity. However, I have had two of the senior magistrates brought to me from York and made it very clear what will happen to them if they allow anything such as this to threaten the King’s Peace again.
Summer
I received a letter from a contact within my House, Magus Berengarius. He wrote to warn the senior members of our House of a new practice; public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass. This practice appears to have been started by Francis of Assisi and involves the display and adoration of the Eucharist on the altar. Berengarius has noted a dramatic rise in the magnitude of the Dominion aura when these public adorations take place.
Finally, some positive news from the Covenant; one of the men that I stationed on the hill discovered what appeared to be a note that appeared, as if from nowhere. They are alive! It is a letter addressed to me from my sodales. They are safe, it seems, though understandably vexed by apparent difficulties penetrating or moving through the regio boundary. My spirits were lifted by this, for though they were assailed by giant spiders and have restricted food supplies, my sodales are well and searching for a way to escape their predicament. Thus, the season ended with hope of their return.
Autumn
With no wars to fight and no impeding threat from Rome, I was able to spend most of this season advancing some of the plans that I have for developing my Kingdom. I have created a new charter which will formalise some of the rights of merchants and traders, and at the same time ensure that such trade is fairly taxed so as to encourage greater wealth to be attracted to our ports from abroad. I met representatives of the Hanse League and agreed to allow them to establish a Kontor west of London Bridge. I hope that this shall encourage greater trade in timber, furs, resin, flax, honey, wheat, and rye from the east and allow export of worked goods from these shores; cloth, wood carving, armourer production and metal engraving. I have also created an informal system of trade apprenticeships; charitable funds that shall be used in London and some other cities to train the sons of former soldiers and mercenaries in the crafting skills to supply this trade.
I visited the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in order to see for myself what would be needed for my new University at Gloucester. Whilst there I happened to discover that Lysimachus had been due to start teaching Greek last year. I have arranged for a letter to be ‘sent’ on his behalf, explaining that his father’s grave illness had forced him to return to the south of France but that he hoped to renew his arrangement with the college upon his return.
News arrived that Francis of Assisi has died. He was a curious man who played his hand well with the Pope and avoided accusations of heresy despite some fairly radical notions. He preached to animals and men the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise God, and the duty of men to protect and enjoy nature as both stewards of God’s creation and as creatures ourselves. The monastic order that bears his name may become a possible method of moving relations between the Order and the Church forward; especially if they can be encouraged to support the notion of preserving the beauty of wilderness from development. The story related to me claims that on his death bed, Francis thanked his donkey for carrying him and helping him throughout his life, and his donkey wept.
Also there came news that Louis, the eighth King of France to bear that name, has died.
House Bonisagus has announced that its meeting will be held next year at Durenmar. I have asked Theophilus to send Lysimachus’ apologies should he not find escape from the regio by spring. I have sent a letter to Petrus of Bonisagus asking for his assistance. With the House meeting next year, I doubt such help will come soon – but I must assume that Severn Temple may be long for an indefinite period of time and at least this is setting something in motion that may aid my sodales.
Winter
I spent a quiet season in Powys then travelled down to the Briarvel for the end of the season – in the hope that with the passing of another year, my covenant would be returned. However it seems my sodales have not yet worked a way free from the regio and it has shown no signs of releasing them.
Vis collected this year by Theophilus and myself:
Creo 5 pawns, Herbam 5 pawns, Rego 5 pawns, Vim 3 pawns, plus 10 acorns.
Spring 1226 AD
The year began with my travelling to Newcastle to work upon a treaty with Alexander. If this peace with the Scots can be successfully secured, then it is fair to say that my place upon the throne of England will be secure for the foreseeable future. On the way I heard of what sounded like a pogrom occurring within York. I have issued a decree that the Jews are not to be so mistreated. It riles me that I must persuade the nobility to treat the members of Medius’ people with some decency and dignity using the language of tax collection and appeals to Christian charity. However, I have had two of the senior magistrates brought to me from York and made it very clear what will happen to them if they allow anything such as this to threaten the King’s Peace again.
Summer
I received a letter from a contact within my House, Magus Berengarius. He wrote to warn the senior members of our House of a new practice; public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass. This practice appears to have been started by Francis of Assisi and involves the display and adoration of the Eucharist on the altar. Berengarius has noted a dramatic rise in the magnitude of the Dominion aura when these public adorations take place.
Finally, some positive news from the Covenant; one of the men that I stationed on the hill discovered what appeared to be a note that appeared, as if from nowhere. They are alive! It is a letter addressed to me from my sodales. They are safe, it seems, though understandably vexed by apparent difficulties penetrating or moving through the regio boundary. My spirits were lifted by this, for though they were assailed by giant spiders and have restricted food supplies, my sodales are well and searching for a way to escape their predicament. Thus, the season ended with hope of their return.
Autumn
With no wars to fight and no impeding threat from Rome, I was able to spend most of this season advancing some of the plans that I have for developing my Kingdom. I have created a new charter which will formalise some of the rights of merchants and traders, and at the same time ensure that such trade is fairly taxed so as to encourage greater wealth to be attracted to our ports from abroad. I met representatives of the Hanse League and agreed to allow them to establish a Kontor west of London Bridge. I hope that this shall encourage greater trade in timber, furs, resin, flax, honey, wheat, and rye from the east and allow export of worked goods from these shores; cloth, wood carving, armourer production and metal engraving. I have also created an informal system of trade apprenticeships; charitable funds that shall be used in London and some other cities to train the sons of former soldiers and mercenaries in the crafting skills to supply this trade.
I visited the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in order to see for myself what would be needed for my new University at Gloucester. Whilst there I happened to discover that Lysimachus had been due to start teaching Greek last year. I have arranged for a letter to be ‘sent’ on his behalf, explaining that his father’s grave illness had forced him to return to the south of France but that he hoped to renew his arrangement with the college upon his return.
News arrived that Francis of Assisi has died. He was a curious man who played his hand well with the Pope and avoided accusations of heresy despite some fairly radical notions. He preached to animals and men the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise God, and the duty of men to protect and enjoy nature as both stewards of God’s creation and as creatures ourselves. The monastic order that bears his name may become a possible method of moving relations between the Order and the Church forward; especially if they can be encouraged to support the notion of preserving the beauty of wilderness from development. The story related to me claims that on his death bed, Francis thanked his donkey for carrying him and helping him throughout his life, and his donkey wept.
Also there came news that Louis, the eighth King of France to bear that name, has died.
House Bonisagus has announced that its meeting will be held next year at Durenmar. I have asked Theophilus to send Lysimachus’ apologies should he not find escape from the regio by spring. I have sent a letter to Petrus of Bonisagus asking for his assistance. With the House meeting next year, I doubt such help will come soon – but I must assume that Severn Temple may be long for an indefinite period of time and at least this is setting something in motion that may aid my sodales.
Winter
I spent a quiet season in Powys then travelled down to the Briarvel for the end of the season – in the hope that with the passing of another year, my covenant would be returned. However it seems my sodales have not yet worked a way free from the regio and it has shown no signs of releasing them.
Vis collected this year by Theophilus and myself:
Creo 5 pawns, Herbam 5 pawns, Rego 5 pawns, Vim 3 pawns, plus 10 acorns.