by brothers of the order. They didn't look up when James walked in with the Subprior, but busily continued their writing. Each had a quill pen and an ink bottle. James noticed that they each had a blackened finger and thumb on the hand that they used to hold the pen. James looked at his own right hand. He hadn't noticed, but the ink stains that were often on his thumb and finger were gone now, undoubtedly rubbed off by the use of the shovel. Then it made sense to James as to why it was that the Subprior had asked whether he was able to read and write. He had noticed the ink stains on his hand.
'You will use this desk,' said the Subprior, pointing to the desk closest to one of the windows. 'You will report 'ere each dee. This will be your assignment in the future. Do you agree, Novice James?'
'Aye, Subprior,' said James. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. No more shoveling manure.
'You will be a scribe and will make copies of our books and other manuscripts. This is a very important work. One that is abuve your station and one that is nay generally given to novices. See that you perform it well,' said the Subprior.
'Aye,' replied James with some excitement. He could hardly believe that this was to be his work. He walked to the desk and ran his fingers across the wooden top. 'May I sit, then?' asked James.
'You may,' replied the Subprior. 'You will report to me in this assignment. You will nay be late and if you do nay write quickly, it will be back to the pens for you.'
'Aye, Subprior,' replied James. 'I will do well.'
James was determined to not return to the task of cleaning the pens. If that meant copying every book in the library, it was okay with him.
Chapter Fifteen
1450
Calais, France
Stamford, England
'Gud dee, me Lord Darby. Welcome aboard,' the captain said as he greeted John to the ship. 'I trust that your business 'ere went well.'
'Aye, very well indeed,' replied John. 'Boot, I am ready to return to England. It 'as been too long.'
John's father had died the year before and had left John in charge of the business. The wool trade had been good to his family and John was one of the most successful men in Stamford. He had also been appointed an aldermen of Stamford, a position of status and power that he much enjoyed. He had not married as yet and his mother was greatly concerned for the lack of grandchildren. He hoped to marry, but running the business and being alderman seemed to take all of his time and interest.
'It will be a gud dee for the crossing, me Lord. We 'ave a gud wind,' said the captain. 'We will be off soon.'
'nay soon enuf,' replied John. 'I still 'ave a long ride after we reach Dover.'
John preferred traveling by horseback and he expected that it would be a five or six day ride to Stamford if the weather held up. He hoped to be in Stamford for the capping of the new steeple on the All Saints' church. The steeple would be capped with a stone cross. His father had funded the construction of the steeple several years earlier, but did not live to see its completion. Being there to see the cap placed meant a great deal to John. He knew that his father would have loved to be there and so he wanted to be there for him. He had left instructions that the cross was not to be placed in his absence. He was concerned though that the overly anxious old priest may give direction to the contrary.
The crossing of the channel was uneventful and John found his horse well fed and cared for in Dover.
'You 'ave made this 'orse fat and lazy,' John jokingly said to the stable owner. ''e will likely nay take a rider now.'
'Aye, me Lord, I 'ave taken gud care of your 'orse and 'ave ridden 'im every dee just as you instructed,' replied the stable owner.
''e is a 'andsume 'orse, is 'e nay?' replied John.
'Aye, me Lord. And 'e is a powerful animal. 'ow far will you go todee, then?'
'It is late,' replied John, 'I will stop at Canterbury tonight.'
John mounted his horse and galloped away.
______
Stamford
'Careful you clumsy ox,' said the old priest to the mason who was preparing the stone cross to be hoisted into position at the top