An extract from A Dainty Dish
This is the tale of a medieval realm and a young prince, the younger of a brace of brothers, as such were things at the time, rulers being almost always men, the king was exceedingly happy that his goodly wife, whose eyes shone with purity, had borne him two sons, an heir and a spare.
The kingdom had been peaceful for many years, his father, the king, having made an advantageous marriage to the daughter of the French king. Her dowry better than adequate, their royal parents, on both sides of the British Sea, remarked that the match was better than good, and the bitterness, which had fuelled the wars in the years before the celebrated union and the birth of the handsome, healthy, much loved and adored twin princes was long forgotten.
The kingdom had been peaceful for many years, his father, the king, having made an advantageous marriage to the daughter of the French king. Her dowry better than adequate, their royal parents, on both sides of the British Sea, remarked that the match was better than good, and the bitterness, which had fuelled the wars in the years before the celebrated union and the birth of the handsome, healthy, much loved and adored twin princes was long forgotten.
An extract from 'Knaverie'
The king was in his counting house, counting out his money and having reached the sum of one hundred half angels, two hundred half groats, one hundred and fifty half nobles, and fifty half ryals, he paused, scratched his beard, and made a quick mental calculation. Ignoring the stockpile of half pennies decided that he would have to carry on counting for a while yet.
Lord Elpus, the King’s right hand man, proven to be the noblest of men that ever did serve any man upon the earth, his life’s work in doing as King Godwin bid, stood by, ready to store each recorded purse into the coffer.
There was only one matter which caused discord betwixt Lord Elpus and his King, that vexation being Elpus’s grave reservations regarding the most esteemed Lord Wimarc, which although rarely vocalised was well known to the king who could not fathom the reasons for the animosity between his two most trusted servants and loyal subjects.
Lord Elpus, the King’s right hand man, proven to be the noblest of men that ever did serve any man upon the earth, his life’s work in doing as King Godwin bid, stood by, ready to store each recorded purse into the coffer.
There was only one matter which caused discord betwixt Lord Elpus and his King, that vexation being Elpus’s grave reservations regarding the most esteemed Lord Wimarc, which although rarely vocalised was well known to the king who could not fathom the reasons for the animosity between his two most trusted servants and loyal subjects.
Wexford Tales Artful Calumny
 Cover Image, © Prillfoto | Dreamstime.com
There came to the town of Plucks Gutter a storyteller, a man of mystery, of remarkable charm and grace, who carried himself with an air of dignity. A man of excellent learning and wit, discovering treasure in all things hidden, a teacher of grammar, logic and rhetoric, but he was penniless and poor making his living sharing tales from lands far from the realm, across seas much wider than the British Sea, which separated the land from other kingdoms. Word of his wondrous tales passed from mouth to ear, so that on his arrival in any town, although unknown by his face or apparel, a welcome was guaranteed. |
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