56. Nothing is Free in This World
Those who live off the labor of others will inevitably make enemies.
The monasteries that had sprung up in the Principality of Powys were no exception.
Of course, monasteries run by religious orders served important functions. They made delicious cheeses and wines, and they taught people to read. And people who could read were useful in all sorts of ways.
But there was less demand for clerical workers in these brutal, barbaric times than one might think.
Peasants to till the fields were in short supply, so who needed clerks? And even those who could read and write were often barely literate. Most couldn’t recite a single psalm without tripping over their tongues.
This was no accident. The monasteries that had been founded after bribing the previous bishop, Barnard, were hardly likely to be run properly. They had been established for the purpose of feathering their founders’ nests, not for prayer.
I could easily guess why. The privileges enjoyed by the religious orders were enough to make a modern man’s head spin: exemption from taxes, military service, and public duties.
So when the Church authorized the establishment of a monastery or religious order, it carried out a thorough investigation, and the criteria for approval were extremely strict.
In the first place, there were two kinds of religious orders, as I discovered after a thorough investigation before fleecing them. Not all religious orders were created equal. There were the ‘real’ ones, the authorized orders.
Religious orders that had produced stigmatists, had a long tradition, and exercised a positive influence received the blessing of the Pope and were given an official name in Latin.
The Pope chose the name based on which vows the authorized order most closely observed, and rumor had it that the names contained clues relating to the Miracle of the Stella Lux. The Church was very mystical and kept this a secret, revealing only part of it to the public.
The meaning of this was simple enough.
Of the religious orders that had set up shop in our Principality of Powys, very few were legitimate. Most were inhabited by perfectly ordinary people who had no religious convictions but simply wanted to eat and drink well without having to work.
So of course they didn’t pay taxes or tithes. And while it was true that literate administrators were in short supply, that was only true to a point. In a world where 381 men tilled the soil, there was no need for 89 to sit at desks.
This wasn’t a service economy or a financial center. In an era where the height of secondary industries was hammering on iron, those who didn’t want to pay taxes holed up in monasteries.
Monasteries not only enjoyed tax-exempt status but also dodged military service, which was a drain on the nation’s resources. They also lured away men who should have been farming, which had a negative impact on the economic activities of local lords.
As if that weren’t enough, in the midst of repeated pagan invasions, they gathered up able-bodied men and armed themselves illegally under the pretext of evading military service and ensuring their own safety.
And despite accumulating so much wealth and influence, they refused to pay tithes.
They had the gall to gorge themselves while others starved. And when we came looking for our due, they tried to bribe us, which made me even angry. So I resolved to crush them thoroughly.
To this end, I joined forces with the local lords, knights, and even serfs who were crying foul, and we staged an armed demonstration.
The results were highly satisfactory.
I couldn’t help but laugh as we turned the monasteries upside down.
“Brothers, if you find any books that are swollen but haven’t changed color, bring them to me!”
“Oh? You mean things like this?”
“Yes, that’s it. Well done, brother. Now it’s time to remove what they’ve hidden between the pages.”
As one would expect from an experienced hand, Foros, a priest with a shady past, did an excellent job.
The double-entry bookkeeping was so cleverly done that I wouldn’t have been able to find it if I hadn’t thoroughly examined the accounts of our diocese and checked the debits and credits.
I still remember being impressed by the way they had spread out the manipulation so that no one item stood out.
But I hadn’t brought Foros with me simply because of his skills. I had done so because Foros had repented and completely changed his ways. Praise could make even a whale dance.
I couldn’t help but recall the time when I had realized the transformative power of language.
“I’ll pretend I don’t know anything… Good. I’ll stop suspecting you.”
“…”
“I’ll skewer you and your family and roast you slowly over a sacred fire.”
“Yes, I will confess my sins!!!”
When I looked at the changed Foros after that, I felt a pang of something.
“Brothers, it’s best to keep the general market price in mind. Transactions that are significantly out of line with the market price may have been manipulated, so be careful.”
“Aha! …But Father, you really know a lot.”
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Poros was busy directing his comrades who had come to find the double-entry ledger together.
Look at that upright figure. I wonder if I might have been made for priesthood or education. Yet, I lived as a mere office worker. My heart aches a little when I think of the countless lives that may have wandered because of that.
I… have lived in sin…
But it’s not too late yet.
From Noble mtl dot com
Poros and the entire entourage are my first step towards atonement. If people cannot be corrected, they should be thrown into a furnace, taken out, and re-forged.
If they melt in the molten iron, then they will have atoned for their sins in death, so it’s no problem.
I moved to check if the other entourage members were doing well.
It was a rapid success after that.
As we headed to the underground storage, the monk Germa, who was confident enough to recommend wine to me, inspired confidently.
“Yes! The guys here, the wine is fine! It’s delicious! I’ve learned the secret recipe too!”
“Weren’t you from the Order of Saint Margaret? I came here because it was where you were.”
“hehehe, since Your Grace has just declared its abolition, everyone has become mere serfs. I decided to become a monk of the Order of Saint Narva starting today.”
“Hmm.”
The Order of Saint Narva. I decided to be lenient because their will to live was admirable. Also, they were drinking under the pretense of tasting. However, there was someone who made even the passion shown by our entourage pale in comparison.
“These guys, their stout physiques show the disposition of farmers! hahahahaha!”
It was Sir Germain, the knight who laughed heartily at the sight of the former monks who had returned to secular life today.
***
The division of the monastery’s property proceeded very, very smoothly.
In any case, our entourage’s transport capacity can’t handle all of the goods. We mustn’t forget that our purpose is to sweep everything clean as we make our rounds. So, we handed over all of the cherished goods to Sir Germain.
As a result.
“Oh my, Master! What is all this?”
“New members have arrived. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves to the fullest today! Praise His Grace the Bishop!”
Sir Germain, who was in a very good mood, immediately held a festival with the goods from the monastery.
It made sense, in fact. It had been almost 20 years since he had been stockpiling wealth under the protection of the former Bishop Barnard. The amount of gold coins that came out of just one monastery was roughly 600 melks.
That’s 600 melks, and if you consider the value of other items besides gold coins, it would actually far exceed 600 melks. From the perspective of a knight who was always short on money, it was natural to be delighted since it was like swallowing almost everything in one gulp.
However, I wonder if it’s too soon. It’s not good to be so happy already…
I watched silently as Sir Germain gave instructions to prepare for the festival, with a bitter smile. I tried to ignore the entourage who were glaring at me with subtle gazes.
However, how can you demonstrate leadership if you ignore the thoughts of your subordinates? In the end, I raised my hands and feet first. I approached the carriage with trembling hands and distributed the prepared items, one for each person.
Of course, I added some warm encouragement.
“Yes. Sir Germain is so happy over there, so we can’t be the only ones working. Everyone, take one each.”
“I… Your Grace.”
“Hmm?”
“This… Why is the ledger from the monastery now…”
Now that I think about it, it was the head deacon Germa, who was in charge of wine tasting, who expressed his doubts.
Oh-. Do medieval people really not notice?
It’s sad to see how they have no idea what an amazing surprise I brought.
Well, Germa is no ordinary person, and he has lived his life drinking without being able to play properly. I’m not criticizing him. Germa didn’t know because he had lived in an environment that lacked stimulation.
I was able to smile gently because I understood fully this background.
“Hm. If you compare the income and expense items in the ledger, there will be some discrepancies. You can have fun finding that difference.”
“…Fun?”
“Yes.”
A new product of civilization brought from the modern Earth of the 21st century, which had numerous entertainments after much progress.
It was the advent of Sudoku ver. Middle Ages.
“Even when you play. Everyone is always drunk and can’t play, so I’ll issue a permanent prohibition order in the future, so be aware. Just as you do your best when you work, play your best when you play. That’s all!”
“”….””
Since there was a lot to do, I couldn’t help but say more. I left my friends who were enjoying Sudoku ver. Middle Ages and approached Sir Germain. Sir Germain was laughing heartily as he watched the procession of carts carrying a lot of goods.
“Oh, Your Highness.”
“It’s nice to see you smiling.”
“hahahahaha, is that so?”
Apparently, Sir Germain couldn’t help but smile at the thought of changing all that into money or using it somewhere.
Laughter is contagious. I also laughed brightly and followed suit with Sir Germain.
“I’m glad. Now that you have been officially recognized as the successor to His Majesty the King, there will be no problem if you solve the inheritance problem in the future.”
“…Yes?”
“Are you going to continue playing with the land that the monastery had? Looking at the vineyards they cultivated, it’s clean without a single pebble, and it’s fertile farmland.”
“I, Your Highness. What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
But the more I followed suit, the more Sir Germain’s expression hardened.
Oh. This was an unexpected setback. It seems that I am not good at flattering others. So I stopped the flattery that didn’t fit and brought up the main topic in a more businesslike tone.
“According to the oath of allegiance, in order to receive the protection of the lord, you must first be recognized for the succession to the title and the inheritance of the territory, right? You can’t just play with the land donated by the monastery.”
“No, since the monastery is gone, that land…”
“Then it must go to His Majesty King Athelstan, the highest-ranking lord of the vassal. There aren’t enough people here to leave it as a church territory. You can’t play with the land, and you can’t leave it as it is, so shouldn’t you follow the principle?”
Fortunately, Sir Germain was a knight who was very quick-witted.
After considering the pros and cons of the proposal in my words, Sir Germain carefully opened his mouth.
“How much are you thinking?”
“One-tenth of the produce. I will only receive the tithe. Instead, I would like the Church to act as a guardian to help with the succession to the title and the inheritance of the territory. It’s a kind of solidarity guarantee system to help protect your legitimate rights against any whims of the lord. Of course, I’m not taking all the land donated to the Church, but I plan to return half of it to His Majesty the King in accordance with the principle.”
“Hmm…”
This is not a threat, but a very generous offer.
In the end, the reason why the minor lords and knights gave their land to the monastery was because of the instability of the succession to the title. It was because they were worried that if the lord changed his mind or if the lord changed due to a coup, it would be difficult to guarantee their rights.
This problem cannot be overcome until Lord Athelstan, the lord, has a strong foundation.
-Unless a third party, the Church, intervenes.
This instability is completely resolved as soon as I, who am related to King Athelstan by blood and am also the pillar of the local church, come forward. It may be a stopgap measure for now, but precedent becomes custom as it accumulates.
Setting that precedent was the most important thing.
However, Sir Germain was hesitant despite such a generous and wonderful offer. Don’t worry. I already know what our customer… no, what Sir Germain is worried about.
“Of course.”
“Of course?”
“If you can prove that you are a devout and loyal vassal, you can boldly omit some procedures or some variables. Then…”
I smiled confidently at Sir Germain, who was agonizing over the possibility of dividing the land and the workers.
“Can you prove it?”