At the "Sign of the Golden Fleece"

by Emma Leslie

But the priests and monks had already began to denounce this Greek Testament, for it was altogether different from the Latin Vulgate, which was the only translation hitherto known, and from which all others had been copied.

But Erasmus had gone to the original Greek for his translation, and he had based it on the literal meaning of the original text, without any reference to any of the dogmas of the Church; and behold it was altogether a new book, for Christ Himself was set in the place occupied by the Church in the Vulgate, and the whole book was designed to call men's minds from theologians to the Founder of Christianity Himself. Christ was the central figure in this Greek Testament, and all the need for mediæval superstitions and image worship seemed to fade away as the vivid picture of the living Christ presented in this book grew upon them, in this year 1520.

No wonder the lads looked at each other in wondering amazement as they sat holding the book between them, and slowly reading the Greek characters which were the key to open such divine knowledge to their wondering eyes. One of the lads was to be a priest, and, after reading one of the Gospel stories, he said, "I shall teach that it is no longer needful to deck statues of the Lord Jesus Christ, for this is a better way to worship Him than through any image of wax or wood, for we can see into His very heart of love here in His tenderness for the multitude of poor folk who followed Him hungry and footsore."

"Let us read on while we can," said his friend, for the further he read the more eager was he to learn. And so they sat until their poor tallow candle burnt itself out, and then stretched themselves on the floor to get an hour's sleep before it was time to waken their friend and help him to prepare for his journey.

They were up before it was quite daylight, and had roused Miles Paton from his uneasy slumber, and proceeded to help him to get into his clothes. As soon as his cloth doublet was fastened he asked for his precious Testament. "There are a few old monkish books at Paton Hall, but I shall sorely miss the life and stir the new learning bath brought to Oxford, and my only light will be here," he said, as he securely fastened his treasure close to his side.

They managed to carry him out to the college gates, which were just being opened as they reached them, but a horse, with one of the family servants in attendance, was already waiting outside, and they helped Miles into the saddle, though it was evident that every movement was agony to the lad.

It was a dull, grey morning, and anything more uninviting than the streets of Oxford then presented cannot well be imagined. The road was cut up into ruts and holes, and the horse had to be led by the servant, so as to avoid these as much as possible to spare the rider pain. The high-gabled houses, with their stories built to project one beyond the other, left but a narrow space between them at the top, so that only a narrow rift of sky could be seen from below, just enough to light up the open sewer that streamed down the middle of the street. There were no footpaths for passengers walking, but they had to do their best to dodge the horses and laden mules, as well as to avoid having the refuse of the houses and shops thrown over them as they passed, for all was thrown into the street, which was thus plentifully spread with all sorts of offal and refuse.

In some of the streets poles were stretched across from house to house, and here the dyers and fullers hung their cloth to dry; and Miles had to duck his head more than once as he rode towards the inn, to avoid a slap in the face from the wet cloth flapping in the wind.

They found the reeve waiting for them at the door, with the welcome news that breakfast was ready for them; they had not waited for the regular college breakfast, and the morning air or the night's reading had made two of the party hungry, though Miles declared he could not eat more than a morsel of pasty and drink a horn of ale.

But the rest managed to clear the board in a very short time, for the reeve was eager to set out on his journey, that they might reach home safely before nightfall, and thus avoid meeting the bands of beggars that roamed the country and usually plundered any unfortunate traveller that might come in their way.