The Two Confessions by John Whitbourn (good books to read for adults .TXT) 📕

a duty-brother is always available to render aid. No book should everelude you, for otherwise we have failed in our duty and vows. Some texts areproscribed or restricted and in the latter case can only be consulted under supervision.Too frequent requests for such books will merit interview with a seniorbrother: you have been warned. Please do not mutter as you read, trace thewords with a fingertip or turn down page corners....’

Samuelcouldn't dive into this beckoning sea straight away. First, he must be assessedfor allocation to a suitable 'orientation acolyte'. Regrettably,Trevan's precise position in the social hierarchy not being crystal clear, theygot it wrong. For a whole morning a young brother of the Library orderinstructed him in the ordering of books, the filling in of request chits, anduse of the elephantine catalogues. The necessity for grease-free fingers, theprohibition on spitting and partaking of victuals whilst reading, theavailability of limitless scrap paper, were explained in words of one syllablewhilst Samuel bit his tongue. This was another indignity, cruelly imposed onhim by a... thoughtless Church; that he - he - should be requested tohave a handkerchief about him - and make use of it, not his sleeve or thefloor, when necessary! The few others with him, prodigy churls rescued fromobscurity by Mother Church, or servant types indulged by their masters,solemnly took it all in and were grateful.

Butwhen he was finally set free, and the Master Librarian he'd first spoken toreturned, Samuel's spirit soared. There was... everything here, and thus, byimplication, the one thing he sought. It was somewhere nearby, up in the highgalleries or the reserve stores below, waiting for him. All he had to do washunt it down.

Themonk apparently recognised that intoxication, even if he couldn't suspect itssource and end. He again asked for and consulted the Abbot of Hartland'sletter, and thought on for a worrying while. For that space Samuel feared anotherlast minute disaster. It would be in keeping. He held his breath.

Finally,the Librarian stored the scroll away and, raising a thin arm, indicated onequadrant of the massive circuit.

‘Welcometo the Great Western House of Wisdom,’ he said, unafraid to speak at normalvolume. ‘History and Geography are yours, Mr Trevan. So long as you do notstray from them, you will remain welcome. So long as you are welcome I shall beyour guide.’

************

Itwas a requirement, right from the Tudors' dying days, that every publishinghouse, of every size, should lodge copies of their publications with the seniorcathedral churches. When Elizabeth I ('Black Betty' to be) wasfrantically casting round for ways to endear people - anybody - to her regime,it had seemed like a good idea. Some bolstering flattery to a national,'Protestant', Church dying on its feet from lack of conviction and badconscience could only help. Unfortunately, a lot of the books being churned outin those fervid, anticipatory times were far from acceptable to the 'Churchof England by law established'. The increasingly confident underground'papist' presses took great glee in supplying copies of their (untraceable)efforts. In the end the usurped cathedrals were burning as many books as they accepted.It was a major distraction during the short slice of history allotted them,just sorting the literary wheat from chaff. Then, soon enough, they and allEngland were otherwise occupied with more serious bonfires.

Thus,it was not until the great changes were at last put behind the nation, whenpeople could be sure what was Holy and what was not, when they'd had a civilwar, and London was burnt and rebuilt, and people traded instead of raidedagain, that the law was re-enforced. The efforts of later, settled, times wentsome way to filling in the 'Reformation-Devastation' gaps, but scholars had toaccept that the record would never be complete. Historians considered this notthe least shame of that... inexplicable era when even the devout queried theAlmighty's stayed hand.

Fromthen on everything English presses had to say, for good or ill, was gathered inand preserved. Other nations saw the sense in it, or at least couldn't bear tobe left behind. By 1750 Scotland followed suit and Ireland soon after. Afterdecades of stately consideration, Rome (deciding it approved) ordered an 'AllChristendom’ library to be constructed. One centre in each country wasobliged to surrender its stock and see it safe to the Vatican.

HighKing Calvach of Ireland, a fanatical bibliophile, refused to part with hispride and joy, the 'Bibliotheca Fuath-na-Gall' at Skibbereen, and waspromptly deposed (and cut in two) by his pious people, even before the Papalinterdict arrived. A new ruler, with more realistic priorities (and Ireland'sfirst ever Over-Queen), was in place ready to greet and placate the RomanLegate when his warship sailed into Dublin harbour.

Otherwiseall went swimmingly, and the titanic 'Campion Library' (named, inpointed recognition of its inspirer, after one of Elizabeth's victims) tookshape in the north-east corner of Rome, replacing all twenty-seven acres of thestill spectacular ruins of Emperor Diocletian's Public Baths. Amongst the fairminded of either civilisation it vied with the Damascus-Caliph's 'Allah'sGarden’ library as recognised successor to Antiquity’s Royal Library ofAlexandria.

Exeter,a prosperous though hardly first rank city, situated in a region where Englishnessstarted to... thin, couldn't aspire to such heights, but it did its best.Samuel Trevan was quietly confident that it was up to serving him.

U[U[U[U[U[U[U

cHAPTER 21

It had snowed the daybefore but failed to settle. Now the sun made recompense by soaking up theremaining damp. Samuel welcomed her kiss and undid his coat. Someone dared tospeak to him.

‘Whatd'ye make of that then, mister? Her's an Iroquois ship!’

‘Really?And there's me thinking she was out of Swansea....’

Samuelheard himself say it, and wondered at the need for such sarcasm. The Devondockside-loafer agreed.

‘MissMass this morning did we?’ the man asked. ‘Should 'ave gone I reckon; it mighthave sweetened y' temper.’

Trevancould have taken that further: in fact was half minded to. Thereagain, thereought to be proper cause for falling out. He had to guard against this growingsourness. The locals were only making conversation - and besides, there was noshortage of them. They'd band together, no questions asked, against a rough-tongueduplander. He moved on further up the quay.

Thetea-clipper was indeed a fine sight, as big and well constructed as anythingthat put