53. Everyone is Honest
If a country doesn’t have money, the first thing to do is to check if there are any thieves.
I think it’s a really good saying. The reason I decided to examine the orders and monasteries was because of Barasta.
Barasta is a coastal city located at the westernmost point of the Principality of Powys. Although it does not have a river that flows directly into the sea, it has many small and deep tributaries nearby, making it easy to transport goods by water.
The name of the river where the tributaries meet is Seny, and there is a road connecting the river and the city, so products from nearby towns and estates are gathered in Barasta.
The main products are transporting timber from sawmills that cut down the nearby forest and various agricultural and livestock products. In addition, because it is easy to accumulate logistics, it is also the first place where lords’ tributes and church funds sent by local churches are collected.
The population is even around 3,000.
Of course, for someone who lives next to a country that can mobilize 100,000 people at a moment’s notice, they would think it’s ridiculous to make a fuss about just 3,000 people. That’s what I thought at first. If I hadn’t looked through the church records and estimated the average number in this world, I would have continued to think that way.
To put it simply, in this world, at least in our principality, a population of 3,000 is quite a large scale. The population of Powys proper, where King Athelstan reigns, is estimated to be around 6,000 to 8,000.
As you can see from this, it is a place where there should be a lot of money. But the amount of money collected was not that much. Of the 34 local parishes that I arbitrarily grouped into six or seven, the church funds paid by Barasta and the nearby local churches were particularly low.
If I were to speak abstractly, it might not be clear, so let’s objectify it with numbers…
The average annual church tax revenue for each district that I have marked is around 102 gold marks. However, the church funds paid by Barasta and the nearby churches were only about 84 gold marks.
Some people who are lenient and generous might think, ‘Why bother nitpicking? Just give them 20 gold marks.’ But let’s put aside that person’s kindness and convert this gold into silver, which is more commonly used and practical among the people. The story changes a lot.
Gold is so valuable that when converted, it is not 10 to 1, but 12 to 1. Of course, 12 parts are silver, so if you convert 102 gold marks, you get about 1224 silver marks.
However, if you convert 84 gold marks, you only get 1008 silver marks. 200 silver marks just disappeared in Barasta. According to the market price I had someone check, a cheap chain mail costs about 18 silver marks…
It’s like 10 soldiers who were supposed to be armed and ready to defend against raiders and ensure public safety have just disappeared.
Does that make sense? The Principality of Powys was losing ten soldiers at a time without even doing anything. I was shocked and went through the organized materials, trying to figure it out.
Why is such a ridiculous thing happening?
The reason for this was the orders and monasteries. It was a conclusion I came to without any personal ill feelings or prejudice, based purely on statistics and evidence. Bishop Ganista, who had come to help me, nodded his head in agreement with my conclusion .
The key was the numerous privileges and benefits given to the orders.
Bishop Ganista spoke, slyly putting away the charts in front of him.
“Heh heh. I think I know where the previous bishop, Barnardo, got the funds to live in luxury. It seems that he embezzled private property in exchange for passing the order’s examination.”
“Is there a reason to establish an order to that extent?”
“Hmm. It seems that it’s time to tell you about the orders and the monasteries they run…”
In this world, the origins of the orders date back to the descent of Lux Stella.
At that time, the humans who had encountered Ise’s fierce counterattack were sometimes scattered or completely isolated, facing the crisis of annihilation. And Ise’s races intended to completely eradicate or exterminate the humans who had attracted the alien god, Lux Stella.
In the end, the humans felt the need for self-sufficiency in order to survive, and they began to practice repeatedly in order to receive the miracles of Lux Stella, who was the only one who could help them.
The isolated religious communities in this area were the origin of abbeys and monasteries.
“So they gained many privileges from the church and the secular world on the condition that they would not only have considerable autonomy, but also cultivate excellent believers and strengthen their faith. Exemption from military service and tax benefits are typical examples.”
By this point, you can probably guess.
No matter how impressive and wonderful the narrative may be, the lesson is that it often goes awry when it is linked to vested interests.
“Monasteries are good places to accumulate wealth, especially if they collude with local lords or wealthy landowners. There are frequent cases of those who want to donate their land because they are deeply religious, or who have to work hard to be recognized as heirs, colluding with local abbeys.”
To explain this, you need to know about the feudal system in this world.
Originally, land and titles were not hereditary.
Feudal contracts can be broadly divided into two types: one is the case where a traditional local ruler swears allegiance and is recognized with autonomy and various rights in return. The other is the case where a superior lord or sovereign lends the right to govern the land in his or her own name.
In principle, it is a concept close to [rent].
Of course, if you act rashly, your successor may not be recognized as an heir. This led to the division of vassals who could be capricious towards their lords and vassals who had to grovel.
The way to ambiguously distort this principle is to donate land to an abbey.
“In principle, it is the lord’s land, but nominally it belongs to the vassal or his successor who received the grant, and in reality it is the land operated by the abbey. …Secular and religious matters are often inviolable.”
“Your understanding is excellent.”
The lord who lent the land, even if he is annoyed by the vassal, will not pay attention to it and will tacitly approve it, as it was not his land in the first place.
In return for avoiding the lord’s interference, the vassal is placed under the influence of the abbey, and the abbey acts as the vassal’s assistant or guardian, exploiting the land and sharing the proceeds with the vassal.
The only one who can destroy this absurd symbiotic structure is the local bishop who has the authority to examine the abbey… As you know, the former bishop, Barnardo, was the one who colluded with the abbey to live a comfortable life.
No wonder the country is in such a mess and King Athelstan is always crawling around.
After hearing Bishop Ganista’s story, I felt an extreme anger that made my whole body tremble.
These… these filthy blood-sucking bastards.
How, how dare they!
“How dare there be a group that embezzles and misappropriates funds that are to be used for my development and efficiency daughters!”
“Your Grace, please say that you felt indignant when you saw the group that had lost faith and were blinded by vested interests, even if only this time.”
I guess he looked too worldly for a bishop, who is supposed to be the face of the church.
I reconsidered and rephrased my words, reflecting on Ganista’s tearful voice.
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“It is truly lamentable. Even if the abbey is a pillar of power that creates high-value specialty products, preserves knowledge, and keeps the local lords in check, it cannot hide its guilt for not voluntarily paying its ecclesiastical dues.”
“….”
Of course, it is true that the abbey has tax exemption privileges. However, are ecclesiastical dues taxes? If they were truly devout believers, they would have emptied their pockets and made their offerings with joy.
Even if they were local saints, they would be accused of heresy if they did not make offerings. It was clear that the end times were upon us when mere abbeys did not pay their ecclesiastical dues. A famous saint once said that it is very difficult and painful for a rich man to enter heaven.
It is the mission of a shepherd to guide lost sheep to the right path, even if he has to beat them.
I felt a passion and a sense of spirituality that I had not felt in a long time, and I rose from my chair.
“Bishop, I think I should go and relieve the karma that their souls carry.”
“Why do you only use priestly vocabulary when it suits you? …hahahaha, but it was something that was needed someday. This old man will come with you.”
Then Bishop Ganista also began to get up from his seat, grinning.
Of course, I did not understand the bishop’s sudden behavior.
“? Why are you getting up?”
“Your Grace, this old man must assist you. hehehehe…”
“No. You can just sit here and relax, Bishop.”
I said, putting the diagrams that Ganista had put away back in place.
“…were you watching?”
“Bishop, you shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying yourself. Lux Stella, the starlight of mankind, would also like to see people with smiling faces. Please keep working hard and having fun, at least until I return.”
Bishop Ganista’s somewhat resentful expression was truly unfortunate. If he only knew how to enjoy himself, there would be no greater pastime. I added a word to encourage Bishop Ganista.
“Before I give the order.”
***
-That is why I decided to become a monk.
It was also a decision I made just a month after being ordered as a bishop, around February 2, 1212.
Originally, I would have continued to play, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch as the parasite sucked my precious funds dry. People can’t just play forever, after all.
I would have prepared plenty of entertainment for Bishop Ganista, who had come to play with nothing to do, so I was able to get to work with a light heart. Of course, it would be a terrible thing for a superior to play while leaving his subordinates to work.
If we’re going to talk about it, we should all play together to create a sense of unity.
I called all the monks and priests of the cathedral to the chapel to share this good news. I glared at them to see if there were any unfaithful stragglers who would skip out on community life.
Fortunately, this church was a community woven together by a strong faith. Unlike the cutthroat Sertel faction that came before, they didn’t seem heartless enough to turn their backs on their brothers.
My heart warmed as I looked at the monks and priests, who had gathered as quickly as an army and were standing at attention with pious and solemn expressions.
I skipped the boring sermon for their sake.
I got straight to the point.
“On February 17, about two weeks from now, I plan to form a delegation to visit the diocese to learn about the local situation.”
In an instant, the chapel fell silent, even the sound of breathing ceasing.
It was the calm before the storm.
“….!!!!!”
“!!!!”
They couldn’t cheer due to the rule against making noise.
However, the joy and jubilation they expressed with their wriggling bodies strolled me that I had made the right decision. In a rigid, hierarchical structure like the Church, the presence of a superior must have been overwhelming.
I would be satisfied if they could relax a little while I was away. I used their joy as a springboard to announce the first ever welfare policy for men, or rather, for the Church, in the Middle Ages.
“And I have prepared a variety of materials for you to enjoy during my absence, so that you won’t get tired of your unchanging routine. These materials are categorized by period, and by the bishops or parishes that served during those periods. will be a useful and enjoyable time to refer to the transcribed records and check for any errors.”
The people of the Middle Ages, who didn’t know how precious paper was and were busy with their work, wouldn’t know about it.
The game of finding the wrong picture in the corner of a newspaper, which was enjoyed by people who had a little free time. I had given much thought to how I could adapt this simple pastime.
The result was a medieval version of “Find the Wrong Picture.”
“Originally, the faithful who turned their backs on the secular world had to discipline themselves… but recently, I have seen many people who chase after stimulation and resort to drinking. Therefore, I have prepared a pastime that is healthier, more creative , and productive, so please enjoy it to your heart’s content with Bishop Ganista.”
“”….””
Ah-. Are they really people of the Middle Ages, too busy with their livelihoods to be sensitive to such things?-.
It was unfortunate to see them blinking their eyes, not knowing what to make of the entertainment that had been so thoughtfully provided. I made a new vow. Just as I had once brought laughter to people with my jester’s bells, I would bring them all Sorts of entertainment this time too.
I would show them entertainment that they could enjoy even in this primitive, gray Middle Ages.
But this wouldn’t do. The people of the Middle Ages, who didn’t know what “Find the Wrong Picture” was, might give up before they even learned how to play.
I had no choice but to add a little carrot and stick to help motivate them.
“However, anyone who feels that playing is a sin should volunteer for the delegation. I will accept applications starting tomorrow.”
***
And the next day, everyone in the parish volunteered for the delegation.