Historical Setting: Jarrow, 794 C.E.
At the house of the ealdorman, the furnishings and personal items are being loaded onto a cart. Inside the house I’ve found Ousbert in his full military garb in command of this project.
He says after the proclamation was read in the King’s court, he was appointed to investigate the work of the ealdorman assigned to Jarrow. That led to the ealdorman being summonsed, by King Ethelred, removed from this post to await his trial in the King’s dungeon. Now Ousbert must fill this post with a temporary ealdorman until the King hears the case and decides to replace him — may it be so.
Among the things taken for the trial is the logbook.
Ousbert says, “If you want to know any king’s weaknesses look at the ones he appoints.”
“So, what does the appointment of this ealdorman say of the king?” “It is a whole tawdry tale, my friend, of power stolen with brutality and lies, not by rank or righteousness. You’ve not been in Northumbria long enough to know of the power battles of the kings.”
“I’ve known of the Merovingians, though, so I can guess.”
He says, “Ethelred won a war against King Osred’s brother and he slay the King’s sibling who had been the king’s guard. Osred was unprotected thus forced to relinquish the throne and Ethelred ordered him to be tonsured.” [footnote]
“You mean, Osred was forced to become monk?”
“Indeed.”
“So, tonsure is forced on a deposed of a king to render him powerless?”
“Indeed, ’tis the crown of humble suffering for a failed King.”
“But I would think it would require more than a haircut to make a monk of a king.”
“Tonsure imposes humility and obedience with God the enforcer.”
“But how is it possible to force someone to literacy and prayers and keeping the hours. Forced ‘tonsure’ would seem an impossible path to sanctity.”
“I guess the King leaves the sanctity in God’s hands.”
The logbook on the stand before us reveals the festering need for sanctity.
Ousbert says, “The man was barely literate. His hand with the inks is worse than mine, and I’m only a soldier. But the appearance of the letters do correctly define the content of the log entries. They are messy.”
I stand here at the logbook, deciphering the scrawls to read the stories of these villagers while Ousbert’s men finish the task of removing the furnishings from this house.
[footnote] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_I_of_Northumbria retrieved 6-18-25
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 