Historical setting: 589 C.E. Ana’s cottage in the Vosges Mts.
Thole is grateful for Ana’s promise. Before Tilp and Thole’s baby is due Ana wants to search out the resources from the ancient times when medicine was a science and things she needs to know now had been written down. We make a plan to visit to the nuns of the Holy Cross Abbey in Poitiers. As well-endowed and famous as that place is they will surely have ancient books of medicine. And maybe she will be able to observe the latest that is known among women of medicine dealing with a possible difficult birth.
Thole will arrange for us to use horses so Ana and I can travel more efficiently to the places where she can learn what is needed. And he suggests a path for our journey back to the Loire through more Christian places. I’m definitely pleased that I won’t have to encounter those hunters again; neither of us wants to leave here the ways we came.
Thole goes on as we sort out the necessary preparations and make a completely new plan for the summer season now here. I’ll be finished with the roof in a day or two, but now more than ever I see the need for some kind of stable or shelter for beasts. Also we need to speak to Brother Servant to arrange for our gardens and the crop of grain to be harvested and used while we are away.
With all these new plans we’re making this cottage can become useful to the monastery as a place for travelers to spend a night, as we put aside our own hopes.
When the servant monk hears of our plan to travel to other monasteries on horseback he tells us of a particular need of Father Columbanus.
“The iron merchant is at Annegray today and he has delivered to Father Columbanus messages from bishops in cities all around us. It seems the pilgrims visiting from distant monasteries are complaining about our community. It seems it is not enough we are all Christians together, with the same God, the same Creed, the same Trinity and the Psalms. They want to see the same hair cut. A messenger on horseback is needed now take letters of response to these complaints the father has been receiving.”
Brother Servant says I need to go and meet with the father and hear more of his need for a messenger. So now I may also have a purpose for our journey.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 