gaze.
Yet, theology is first among all studies, through which a man might know all such marvels better and more notably – not for
vain glory and worldly wealth, but for the salvation of souls.’
‘Master Grosseteste, well I ween all knowledge to be theology’s handmaiden,’ Roger said haltingly. ‘Nor do I run after knowledge
for greed or pomposity, but out of the lust to know, which I count holy. Even in the Proverbs be we commanded to love wisdom
for its own sake; for whatever is natural to man, whatever becoming, whatever useful, whatever magnificent, including the
knowledge of God, is altogether worthy to be known,
integritas eorum quae ad sapientiam completam requiruntur.
No more can I answer thee’
For a moment, Grosseteste seemed taken aback; then he smiled gently. ‘Which will suffice for the present,’ he said. ‘We’ll
not compel thee to Paris, Roger, an it be not thy will and desire. Only be not hasty-firm in thy choice, which thou mayst
repent no matter how it goeth. Enough for now thatthou’lt give us a book for Philip de Greve—’
‘How long a book?’ Roger said with new, sudden misgiving.
‘How long is a book?’ Adam asked reasonably. ‘No longer than the subject; that’s all that’s proper. Put down what’s known
of the postponement of old age – which is next to nothing, surely – and such conjectures as thou thinkest worthy so to dignify.
A fair summary of Aristotle on thilke subject will be thy meat, and all else be subject to thy discretion.’
‘There be books of Scripture a copyist with a fine hand might encompass with a single sheet,’ Grosseteste said. ‘Should what
thou’lt add to Aristotle be no more than that, none could think ill of thee on that account; though I hope that thine ambition
will let itself be bolder.’
And deep in Roger’s heart came again the voiceless whisper of the self:
Thou kennst me over-well, Seynt Robert.
And there it was, awaiting the copyist whiling his day’s pittance of working time on a letter to himself: Greece, Rome, Chaldea,
Arabia, Zion; fire, air, earth, water; Aristotle, Galen, Avicenna, Rhazes, Haly Regalis, Isaac, Ahmed, Haly super Tegni, Damascenius;
cold, heat, moisture, dryness; aloes, balsam of Gilead and Engedi, basil, wild cabbage, calamint, camomile, wild carrot, cassia,
the greater celandine, cinnamon, saffron, dittany, elder, fennel, fumitory, hellebore, hound’s tongue, mace, marjoram, myrobalan,
olea, penny-royal, pomegranate, radish, rhubarb; blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile; the seven
occulta,
ambergris of the whale, the pearls of Paracelsus, the skin of vipers, the long-lived anthros or rosemary, Galen’s body heat
of the healthy animal (whether child or fat puppy), the bone which forms in the stag’s heart, the fat underflesh of dragons;
and the precious incorruptible underground sunlight of gold, that
aurum potabile
which being itself perfect induceth perfection in the living frame ….
The copyist looked away; the quill scratched; the letters flowed slowly and formed in small clots:
ii: Marlsco will have us alle politick’g, scilicet the Capito & that Roher card Bachon, inside a xii-month.
This was not a new thought, for he had scarcely escaped from within the breastwork and bastion of Westminster Hall that furious
April of 1235, more than a year ago, before the self was whispering it; yet, he was no more comfortable with it now than he
had ever been.
At first he had thought he had been reprieved. He had expected to be hailed by Adam
ex studio
to the King’s proclaimed parliament with his surly barons; and though he had never before been to London, the prospect did
not gratify him – one exchange with Henry had been more than enough for Roger. But for reasons unknown, Adam went alone to
the 1234 meeting, which apparently had proven as unproductive of earls and barons as had the Oxford conclave.
Not long after that began the rebellion of Richard
Yet, theology is first among all studies, through which a man might know all such marvels better and more notably – not for
vain glory and worldly wealth, but for the salvation of souls.’
‘Master Grosseteste, well I ween all knowledge to be theology’s handmaiden,’ Roger said haltingly. ‘Nor do I run after knowledge
for greed or pomposity, but out of the lust to know, which I count holy. Even in the Proverbs be we commanded to love wisdom
for its own sake; for whatever is natural to man, whatever becoming, whatever useful, whatever magnificent, including the
knowledge of God, is altogether worthy to be known,
integritas eorum quae ad sapientiam completam requiruntur.
No more can I answer thee’
For a moment, Grosseteste seemed taken aback; then he smiled gently. ‘Which will suffice for the present,’ he said. ‘We’ll
not compel thee to Paris, Roger, an it be not thy will and desire. Only be not hasty-firm in thy choice, which thou mayst
repent no matter how it goeth. Enough for now thatthou’lt give us a book for Philip de Greve—’
‘How long a book?’ Roger said with new, sudden misgiving.
‘How long is a book?’ Adam asked reasonably. ‘No longer than the subject; that’s all that’s proper. Put down what’s known
of the postponement of old age – which is next to nothing, surely – and such conjectures as thou thinkest worthy so to dignify.
A fair summary of Aristotle on thilke subject will be thy meat, and all else be subject to thy discretion.’
‘There be books of Scripture a copyist with a fine hand might encompass with a single sheet,’ Grosseteste said. ‘Should what
thou’lt add to Aristotle be no more than that, none could think ill of thee on that account; though I hope that thine ambition
will let itself be bolder.’
And deep in Roger’s heart came again the voiceless whisper of the self:
Thou kennst me over-well, Seynt Robert.
And there it was, awaiting the copyist whiling his day’s pittance of working time on a letter to himself: Greece, Rome, Chaldea,
Arabia, Zion; fire, air, earth, water; Aristotle, Galen, Avicenna, Rhazes, Haly Regalis, Isaac, Ahmed, Haly super Tegni, Damascenius;
cold, heat, moisture, dryness; aloes, balsam of Gilead and Engedi, basil, wild cabbage, calamint, camomile, wild carrot, cassia,
the greater celandine, cinnamon, saffron, dittany, elder, fennel, fumitory, hellebore, hound’s tongue, mace, marjoram, myrobalan,
olea, penny-royal, pomegranate, radish, rhubarb; blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile; the seven
occulta,
ambergris of the whale, the pearls of Paracelsus, the skin of vipers, the long-lived anthros or rosemary, Galen’s body heat
of the healthy animal (whether child or fat puppy), the bone which forms in the stag’s heart, the fat underflesh of dragons;
and the precious incorruptible underground sunlight of gold, that
aurum potabile
which being itself perfect induceth perfection in the living frame ….
The copyist looked away; the quill scratched; the letters flowed slowly and formed in small clots:
ii: Marlsco will have us alle politick’g, scilicet the Capito & that Roher card Bachon, inside a xii-month.
This was not a new thought, for he had scarcely escaped from within the breastwork and bastion of Westminster Hall that furious
April of 1235, more than a year ago, before the self was whispering it; yet, he was no more comfortable with it now than he
had ever been.
At first he had thought he had been reprieved. He had expected to be hailed by Adam
ex studio
to the King’s proclaimed parliament with his surly barons; and though he had never before been to London, the prospect did
not gratify him – one exchange with Henry had been more than enough for Roger. But for reasons unknown, Adam went alone to
the 1234 meeting, which apparently had proven as unproductive of earls and barons as had the Oxford conclave.
Not long after that began the rebellion of Richard
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