Caldecott Etheldreda

1. Auflage 2005
ISBN: 978-1-84319-316-6
Verlag: Mushroom eBooks
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 240 Seiten

Etheldreda, Princess of East Anglia, Queen of Northumbria and Abbess of Ely, was a remarkable woman who lived in restless, violent times not unlike our own, when old beliefs were dying and new ones were struggling to emerge. Pagan clashed with Christian as the seven kingdoms of the Germanic tribes warred against each other and against the native Celts. Occasionally an uneasy peace was bought by the skilful use of the 'diplomatic marriage', and twice Etheldreda, though vowed to chastity, submitted to marriage for political reasons. When her second husband refused to accept the 'arrangement' between them, she fled south, her escape to the Island of Ely apparently aided by storms that intervened on her behalf. She lived only a few years as abbess of the religious community she founded at Ely before dying of plague. Ever since, pilgrims have turned to her for miracles of help and healing.
But this is not just the story of a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon saint. It is about the general human struggle to comprehend the enigma of existence and to come to terms with Christ's God, faced as we are by a violent and cruel world. It is about the periods when we give up the struggle, reverting either to the darkest negativity or to superstition - and the rare but wonderful periods when we are lifted high by the inrush of spiritual certainty.
This edition also contains several pages of chronology, genealogy, place names, notes and a map.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Caldecott, Moyra

Leseproben

Chapter 2
The marriage of Saxberga
King Anna looked gravely down upon the mutilated bodies of three Mercian soldiers that had been laid proudly at his feet as he entered Garbaldisham. ‘I would rather these men were alive,’ he said quietly. ‘My lord,’ protested the young man who brought them to him, ‘they killed my mother and my wife.’ The king nodded sadly. ‘They kill your family, so you kill them. Their family must kill you in revenge for their death, and your kin must kill their kin in revenge for your death. And so it goes on. When will the killing stop if we do not stop it now? Why do we speak of being born again into a new life, if we do not change our ways?’ ‘But my lord, my wife and mother must be avenged!’ ‘“Vengeance is mine,” said the Lord. “I will repay”,’ the king murmured, almost under his breath. There was an uneasy silence among the people gathered before him, until at last one spoke, a challenging spark in his eyes. ‘Is it true, my lord, that your own daughters have been killed by the Mercians?’ A shadow passed over Anna’s face and a muscle twitched in his cheek. He took a long time to answer this, and when he did his voice was full of pain. ‘It is true.’ ‘And do you still say we must not take vengeance?’ There was another long pause. He shut his eyes and took a deep, slow, breath. Those who were near could see his knuckles white as he clenched his fists. But when he opened his eyes again, his gaze was steady and clear. ‘I do,’ he said simply. The crowd murmured and shifted restlessly in front of him. ‘Take these men away,’ he said, straightening his shoulders and suddenly speaking in quite a different tone of voice. ‘I do not believe in vengeance, but I do believe in self-defence. We have driven the Mercians from our land, but they will be back. Next time they must not penetrate the dykes. I want every man, woman and child in the country to pledge two days out of every week for digging at the dykes until I am satisfied that they are too high and strong for Penda’s men to take. Those who live far from the place may work their days off in groups of ten, returning to their homes for the intervening weeks. Make this known,’ he commanded, and leapt upon his horse. After he had gone there was murmuring, some complaining about having to work on the dyke, others relieved that King Anna, though Christian like King Sigbert and willing to forgive his enemies, was shrewd enough at least to see the necessity of strong defence. They remembered also that he had delivered them from Penda. The council of elders and priests, thegns and earls, had no hesitation in confirming Anna’s claim to the crown, and people flocked to him from far and wide willing to take the oath of allegiance. It is said that when the news of his daughters’ safe return was brought to him he fell down on his knees in the mud and wept. Later, at Rendilsham, he heard the details of their escape and was introduced to Ovin, who, only with the greatest difficulty, had been persuaded to come out of hiding and throw himself on the king’s mercy. When Anna had listened to his story he sent for the man who had been Ovin’s master. That night the youth tried to run away, feeling sure that he had been betrayed, but he had gone no further than the stockade that surrounded the royal buildings when he found himself seized by the belt of his jerkin. He spun round, his fists at the ready, to find that he was looking into a child’s face. ‘My lady ’Dreda!’ he gasped. ‘You are not going to run away again?’ she hissed. ‘I have to,’ he whispered miserably. ‘Please, my lady, let me go.’ ‘No, I will not let you go to live in a hole in the ground again like a hunted animal, or become a wolf’s-head outlaw, harrying the countryside for food. My father will not give you back to your master.’ ‘He has called for him.’ ‘He has called for him to punish him for how he has treated you. Come back with me and you will see.’ ‘He will give me back. He has to. It is the law.’ ‘He has promised me that he will pay the price for you. He will buy you. You will see how different masters can be.’ ‘My lady,’ Ovin’s voice broke slightly. ‘I am grateful, but...’ ‘But what?’ she asked sharply. The night was dark and they were in shadow. She could see people moving, silhouetted against the house fires, the guards talking near the gate. She hoped that she could persuade Ovin to return to the slaves’ quarters before he was missed. ‘I can’t go back to being a slave, no matter how kind the master.’ ‘Why not?’ Ovin shook his head in the dark. ‘I can’t!’ he repeated vehemently — forgetting caution. Etheldreda put her hand upon his arm. ‘Ssh,’ she said. ‘I will persuade my father to free you. But it must be done correctly or you will always live in fear.’ Ovin looked at her. Was this possible? Was the nightmare he had lived for so long finally going to end? ‘Come,’ she said, tugging at his arm. ‘Trust me. Please! I owe you my life. Let my father give you back the one my people took from you.’ He allowed himself to be led to the slaves’ quarters, but he hesitated to go in. ‘It will only be for a little while,’ she pleaded. ‘I promise you.’ He sighed and disappeared through the low door into the darkness. * * * * It turned out that Ovin’s master and most of his family had been killed in the fighting. Only his wife and one small child were left, and they were brought before King Anna. They were offered a good price for the slave, and accepted readily. Had the husband been alive he might have demanded Ovin’s life, but his wife was destitute and preferred the money. ‘You see!’ cried Etheldreda joyously. Ovin bowed his head glad that half of the promise had been kept, but he would not rejoice until he had the whole of it. He was taken to the crossroads and there the ceremony of manumission was performed. The record of it was entered into King Anna’s gospel book and witnessed by two priests and two thegns. After the signatures, the curse was written in against anyone who would deny Ovin’s freedom in the future. ‘May he have the disfavour of God who at any time perverts this grant of freedom.’ It was signed by King Anna and the witnesses. Ovin took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. He had never seen it so high and wide before, so full of splendour. He leapt into the air and ran like a young colt over the fallow field to the west. The group at the crossroads watched him quietly, Etheldreda slipping her hand into her father’s. ‘It must be a terrible thing to be a slave,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘I hadn’t thought of it before.’ ‘Most people are slaves, my child, in one way or another.’ ‘I am not!’ she said fiercely. ‘The strange thing is,’ her father continued, ignoring her, speaking as though to himself, ‘More often than not the only way we can prove we have our freedom is to give it up voluntarily.’ Ovin came running back, his eyes alight, his breath short. ‘Well, my friend,’ the King said. ‘We are at the crossroads. You are free to go. Which way will you choose?’ Ovin looked around at the vast landscape, the fields of grain, the forests in the distance, the paths spreading out from where they stood. In every direction freedom lay. He looked down at Etheldreda standing beside her father, still thin from her recent ordeal, but her cheeks now warm and glowing with happiness. The sunlight caught her hair and it shone like gold. Her eyes were full of caring and concern. He suddenly flung himself on the ground and kissed the hem of her skirt. ‘I ask to stay and serve the Princess Etheldreda as a free man,’ he said, with a catch in his voice. She cried out with delight and would have flung her arms around him, had her father not pulled her sharply back. ‘My daughter is very young and has not yet learned fully the constrictions of her place in life. You too will find your new role confusing. If I give you permission to serve her, have I your oath that you will not abuse my trust?’ He looked hard at the lad. Ovin stood up and met his gaze, eye to eye as a free man would, then he bowed his head as a free man bows. ‘You have, my lord,’ he said quietly. * * * * Not long after this, Saxberga was called into her father’s presence. The message was so formal Saxberga was alarmed, and insisted that Etheldreda accompany her. But when they arrived they found him sitting in his favourite chair with his wife upon his knee, his head resting on her hair. They looked so happy together the two girls hesitated to draw attention to their arrival and thought to turn around and creep out. But Anna noticed them and held out a hand to draw them close to him, encompassing all three with his arms. Tears came to Etheldreda’s eyes to think that they were all together again, and the nightmare of war was over. After a while he pushed them gently away from him and they could see that it was time to speak of the reason he had sent for Saxberga. They stood patiently in front of him, Saxberga beginning to feel a little uneasy as he gazed long and thoughtfully at her. She looked questioningly at her mother and was met with eyes half full of tears. ‘What is it?’ she cried, suddenly frightened. Anna raised his hand...