Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. My plan to read the works of Bede has begun at the end of his earthly life, as told to me by his student Wilbert. Wilbert says, “Then at the ninth hour he gathered everyone together and gave away the earthly things he treasured — pepper, incense andContinue reading “#73.14 Thursday, October 30, 2025”
Author Archives: J.K. Marlin
#73.13 Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. By the time I can begin reading I will be so knowledgeable of Bede I might be able to read this history with his own voice. Now Wilbert says he, himself, was the scribe for the elder monk on his death bed. “I was called to his bedsideContinue reading “#73.13 Wednesday, October 29, 2025”
#73.12 Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Elderly Wilbert is telling me of the life of the Venerable Bede who wrote the book I came to read. My condition of life and life again makes me feel argumentative. I’d mention that such writings are limited by a monastic life from childhood through death with only aContinue reading “#73.12 Tuesday, October 28, 2025”
#73.11 Thursday, October 23, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Wilbert, the elder serving the library, sees my interest in Bede’s books of history and has taken me aside from the large hall to tell me something of the life of this man — his own spiritual guide. “The venerable Bede was delivered to the abbot at Monkwearmouth aContinue reading “#73.11 Thursday, October 23, 2025”
#73.10 Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. I shouldn’t be surprised by the practice of placing children out and into situations for learning at an early age. That is when a precocious nature of a child reveals itself. I’ve seen it happening through my own generations as a parent. I’ve seen infants sparked to learn newContinue reading “#73.10 Wednesday, October 22, 2025”
#73.9 Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Apparently, my simple sentence of purpose in the librarian’s log book reveals my long past connection with Luxeuil. What I thought was standard manuscript lettering is now only one of several styles used by monks. The style of lettering used can reveal when and where a manuscript was copiedContinue reading “#73.9 Tuesday, October 21, 2025”
#73.8 Thursday, October 16, 2025
Historical Setting: Jarrow, 793 C.E. Today I’m still owned by God, but that’s my secret. I’m dressed as a student, not a monk. I find Jarrow’s renowned library has a magnificent collection of books. It is well-known among the monastic communities and that reputation enables this monastery to borrow more and more books toContinue reading “#73.8 Thursday, October 16, 2025”
#73.7 Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Historical Setting: Monkwearmouth-Jarrow, 793 C.E. Monkwearmouth-Jarrow is a double monastery with both monks and nuns under one abbot, living in separate communities but sharing in some things. It makes common use of books and inks and abbess, and sometimes church. St. Paul is on the River Tyne, and St. Peter, Monkwearmouth, on the Wear. It’sContinue reading “#73.7 Wednesday, October 15, 2025”
#73.6 Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Historical Setting: Northumbria, 793 C.E. Here is this stout little fellow coming down from the village just now with a traveler’s pack over his shoulder. He’s wearing a loose linen tunic, just long enough to reach his bare knees, hiked up with a sash that his belly hangs over. His calves aren’t wrapped, IContinue reading “#73.6 Tuesday, October 14, 2025”
#73.5 Thursday, October 9, 2025
Historical Setting: Northumbria, 793 CE. Here, in this Northumbrian village I do find some merchants’ stalls set out selling sacks of grains for winter stores, beets and chard; but today there is no one here dealing in fabrics. I ask at a wine seller’s stall where I can find Cloothar, the merchant who isContinue reading “#73.5 Thursday, October 9, 2025”
Lazarus Ink 