The First Book of Samuel, SAREJESS [ebook voice reader TXT] 📗

are but humble folk going about their business and yet you blast them from your pulpit every Sunday inciting hatred” shouted the count. The Jew Sniffer with an evil look on his face said "May I remind you sire that it is done on order of the Holy Father." "You have no right to speak shouted the count into the man’s face. You are the lowest of the low a pariah on humanity praying on the life’s blood of a people who were once blessed of God." He continued. “Now I want this humiliation of the Jews to stop. You may put them in the Judden strasser but in no wise will you find other ways to punish them needlessly" he said firmly.

Eventually after five years the Jew-sniffer William of Longmont had resigned his post claiming "poor health' and had left the city. The Count and the Jews of the city of Bremen had breathed a sigh of relief at his leaving since then the post of Jew sniffer had been carefully guarded and only people who could be trusted by the Count were appointed to the post, much to the disgust of the church.

Now the Count had finished thinking of the old days. He sat back, called for the child’s wet nurse and poured himself a glass of mulled wine. “Winters were getting colder” he thought “or maybe I am getting old”.


CHAPTER TEN
Spain 1492
Samuel was serving his customers the thick Andalusian stew which so many had enjoyed. Of all the people Samuel had ever served, the Spanish seemed to enjoy their food the most today.

Christopher Columbus was in a foul mood. He had come to see Ferdinand and Isabella, monarchs of Spain. After seven long years, his grand design for a voyage to the Indies had been rejected. Now as he ate his final meal at the inn where he had been a guest of Samuel Ferreira for seven long years, he bemoaned the fact that it had all been for nothing.

“Ah Samuel give me a little more stew before I leave” Columbus said throwing a few coins on to the table. Samuel served the man, and then returned with a bottle of red wine. Sitting down on a stool, he uncorked the bottle and poured the wine into to stone mugs. “Bah you want to know what happened,” said Columbus. “I will tell you, as it will make a good story. That is the thing about you inn keepers. you listen while people tell you their stories.” said Columbus.

“I was up early, dressed in my best suit of clothes and with my charts at the ready. I set off to the court. Today was to be the day I finally got what I wanted, a fleet of ships to sail west to the Indies..” Samuel moved restlessly. He had heard all about the voyage westward, Columbus never stopped talking about it. It was not that Samuel did not believe him, it was just that he was not sure that one could reach the Indies from the west.

Samuel poured another tot into the man’s mug “Continue sir” said Samuel. “Well my step was light and it seemed as if the sun would finally shine on me. The birds were singing in the roof tops as I made my way to the court” said Columbus.

“Oh cruel, cruel fate! How I looked forward to being the admiral of the Indies of the west!” he cried. “Now it is no more. The queen looked splendid in her dress of pearl, she listened and even asked some questions as I spoke. I grew convinced that she believed in me” said Columbus. “But alas she was confounded by a small group of councilors who stood by listening. When I had finished, she withdrew with the councilors and I was left alone while they spoke about my plans and made a fool of me.”

“Returning, one of her senior councilors informed me that she was not interested at this time, as there were more pressing needs. He even suggested that I should try the merchants of Venice for funding. Knowing my history do you think I would do that? The Venetians would want profit and grantees even before we set out.”

“Master Columbus do you not believe in your theory?” asked Samuel. “Why yes more then any thing in all the world!” said Columbus. “Then why not approach the merchants of Venice. Put before them your theory. You have charts which will convince them. Yes, yes I know you have tried before but try again make them believe in your plan as you do. Merchants are more level headed then high born nobles.” said Samuel. “Why yes Samuel you might have a point there. Maybe you have hit upon something that might work.” said Columbus. “How did you say it, the merchants of Venice might be more open to a scheme that might bring them a profit?” said Columbus. “Thank you friend, I think this will be the last time I see you. I wish you well in all your endeavors” said the future admiral of the west.

“I wish you well and I hope to hear a good report of your journey to Venice” said Samuel as Columbus rose from the table.

It had been some hours since the explorer had left the inn when a messenger from the court arrived at the inn. “I seek Master Christopher Columbus” said the man. “Pray call him I have an urgent message for him.” said the courtier. “He has left some hours ago,” said Samuel. “Quickly man tell me where has he gone, which road did he take” said the courtier. “I believe that he has taken the road to Venice” said the innkeeper. “By horse or cart?” asked the courtier growing increasingly agitated. “By donkey cart” said Samuel.

Leaving the inn the messenger raced down the street to the city gate the road from Córdoba to Venice was a long one and the messenger wished to complete his business before dinnertime.

Spain 1492 Samuel and Columbus talk
"Well Don Columbus you are going to get your ships" said Samuel. "Yes, Master Samuel I am to get my ships and more" said Columbus, as he broke a piece of bread from a loaf which lay before him on the table. "I am very glad for you Don Columbus. You have tried for so long and worked so hard on this project, I am surprised that you did not give up long ago, but then you are an exceptional man" said Samuel.

"Indeed master Samuel I have worked hard but I am convinced more then ever that I can reach the Indies from the west. I believe there will be much profit in this project. The king and Queen are the most far sighted sovereigns in the world. This project will show those foolish Portuguese that they were wrong to reject my plan" said Columbus.

"What titles you will have! What estates! You will be a grand Lord once you discover the route to the east by going west. I have much faith in you Don Columbus" said Samuel. "Ah yes the title, well I will have the title of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea of course and titles to any lands that I discover which are new, I will hold in their highnesses name" said Columbus.

"That day when you left here, my heart bled for you. I must tell you Don Columbus it was a dark day indeed. I thought ‘What a tragedy! Don Columbus has gone of to Venice to find backers for his project when all the time the King kept you on a string here. What a waste of time!’ well then a little later in comes a courtier. And I think to myself ‘Hello what can he want’ then he says ‘I want Don Columbus I must see him right away’ well I say ‘Don Columbus why he has left for Venice.’ Well that was the quickest I have ever seen one of them courtiers move. He ran out into the yard jumped on his horse and rode off like the devil was chasing him."

"That must have been quite funny" said Columbus. “I was just making my way through the countryside, downhearted at the rejection I had at the court, when all of a sudden I see a dust cloud rising behind me. Well I get off the road thinking it is a group of horsemen on urgent business or even bandits. Well as the cloud got closer, I saw it was a courtier and he did not look any too happy. He was beating his poor beast into a lather, then he saw me and he pulled up." "The Heavens and St Anthony be praised" said he "I am glad to have found you Don Columbus. By order of Ferdinand and Isabelle, King and Queen of this realm, you are ordered to return with me, as their majesties await you in council". "Well at that time I had already had enough of their ordering and nearly did not follow but then I thought well I can hear what they want and I can always leave once they had finished speaking. So we returned. The Courtier was none to happy at having to ride almost half way across Spain. He did a fair bit of complaining on the way back. Anyway we arrived early in the morning and so we had some time to rest before they were ready to see me.
Her majesty I must tell you is a beautiful woman. I was called at half past one o’clock so I entered the chamber and there they were, the king and the queen. I could see that they had been arguing. Some of the nobles did not seem happy. The Queen, well she was radiant, and the King he was his usual formal self. The queen said to me "Well met Don Columbus by our order you are given permission to go and seek your route to the east. We grant you three vessels and crews for this voyage, on the understanding that any lands you might discover you will claim in our name and for Spain. Also know this Don Columbus that wherever you reach it is your sworn Christian duty to convert the infidels and unbelievers to the one true church and the one true faith. To this end we assign you a number of priests who will accompany you on this voyage."

"Well I was so surprised that I did not know what to say for a moment, but when the moment passed I noticed that the King and the Queen were smiling at me. I tell you Master Samuel, there is nothing quite like the benevolent smile of the most righteous Sovereign in all of Christendom"

"I can but dream" said Samuel. "May I pour you some more wine Don Columbus?” “Ah yes that would be most welcome" said the great explorer, pushing away the empty bowl of breadcrumbs and fried fish bones. Samuel liked the man but he did so wish that he would pay for the food and drink he consumed.


CHAPTER ELEVEN
Spain 1534 A heretic burns

It was already hot even though it was not yet eight o clock in the morning. There was a slight breeze but this did nothing to alleviate the coming heat of the day. Samuel moved out in to the street. It was already full of people moving towards the square.

Samuel tried his best to blend in with the crowd. It wasn’t too difficult, his olive complexion tended to be