Historical Setting: Jarrow, 794 C.E.
Today I rule a cottage known by the very poor to be the “castle.” It is the assigned post of the ealdorman. Ousbert, the king-appointed captain of the guard in this region found the ealdorman who was here to be corrupt, and had him removed to await the king’s judgment. So, I’m here temporarily, filling this post of the judge and tax collector. In lieu of any written laws I plan to simply rely on the love laws Jesus taught, as I do anyway.
Yesterday the baker brought me a fresh loaf of bread just when I was hungry for bread. And today, the baker comes for his basket to tell me his side of an issue he has with his neighbor. Before I even have a chance to obtain ink and quill to make a report for the king, he’s at the door.
“I appreciated the bread” I tell him returning his basket empty now.
He says, “I have a wicked neighbor who demands I supply bread without payment. We’ve just come through a terrible drought and wheat is scarce. It is costly to meet this demand.”
I wonder if this bread was delivered to me yesterday, not as a bribe as I had assumed, but for me to provide the payment for it. I worry the ealdorman receives the bread regularly and actually was that negligent neighbor, so I ask.
“Was the ealdorman the unpaying neighbor?”
“Of course not. I gifted that bread to you so you would rule in my favor and demand that my neighbor pay for the bread.”
Good. It was just a bribe. And it hardly seems a complicated issue. May all my judgements be so simply solved. We should just visit the neighbor and I will demand fair payment.
I say, “Although I appreciated the bread, I don’t intend to rule by bribes. I promised the king’s man I would try my best to be fair, so if your plea is righteous, I will freely judge in your favor. Now let me go along with you to your neighbor, and I will speak up for you, and demand the payment for the loaf you bring him.”
He says, “It isn’t one loaf now and then. I’m required to deliver two score loaves, every week.”
“That seems like a lot for one neighbor. So why do you continue to deliver it?”
“They have swords and they own my soul.”
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 