"We are not quite certain how it happened, Your Majesty." "Whether it was a hidden rock or a storm, but there were no survivors." "Not even my son?" "I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty." "I'll many, Father, and have a baby boy." "That's very sweet of you, my little Maud." "But I don't think I'll live long enough for him to come of age." "Who will rule once I am gone?" "There's Gloucester." "The King's bastard?" "He will never inherit." "There's the King's legitimate daughter, Maud." "A child." "And female," "Then, I suppose, there's me." "But I'm only the King's nephew." "And grandson of William the Conqueror," "This shipwreck puts you in direct line to the throne, my good Stephen, which we will support, when the time comes," "Since, unlike the King, you hold the Church in high esteem." "The Church has been very good to me, Your Eminence," "Father Waleran here can attest to that." "Still, there are whispers." "The shipwreck was quite convenient." "Rumors born of jealousy, Your Eminence." "What happened was ordained by God." "It's to the Church's benefit that no one survived." "Brother Cuthbert!" "Philip!" "A sight for old eyes!" "Not that old, my friend." "So good to see you," "So good to see you." "We didn't expect you," "I've missed you, Philip." "When did the tower collapse?" "Last winter." "Brother Remigius says we haven't the funds to repair it." "Brother Remigius?" "He's acting prior now, soon to take over." "Prior James, I fear, won't last the week," "Father, it's Philip." "Pump?" "I mm Remigius no send for you." "I have something to confess," "I was sent for?" "Many years ago, the man survived the shipwreck," "but I was ordered to arrest him." "Sorry, I don't..." "He was innocent." "He was innocent," "Who?" "The Frenchman," "He saw what happened to the ship." "HE knew." "HE knew too much." "Welcome, Philip." "Brother Remigius." "The Prior told me he asked you to send for me." "I was about to." "Poor Father." "His mind is gone," "Some children are"," "They're born willful, my good Percy." "I must warn you, my daughter has turned down more suitors than there are stones in Shiring Castle." "You need to be more forceful with her then," "I have tried." "But I made a promise to Aliena's mother." "The girl could choose her own husband." "I've never heard of such a thing." "This marriage would be advantageous to all, Lord Shiring." "Yes." "My son would gain a title, and your daughter, some of the richest farmland." "The way to my daughters heart is through affection, not advantage." "isn't that true, Richard?" "Then we needn't worry." "Our sweet William will work his charms on her, and true love will win the day." "A dog will suit you better for a wife, Lord William!" "A dog, for your safety, with no teeth!" "Fighting with cats, Lord William?" "Oh, dear," "You're a fool, William!" "All this could have been ours if only you'd just..." "Hey!" "Aliena." "Father," "I love you so." "Quickly, boy!" "Quickly!" "All right, Jack, you can offload here." "Alfred, take over, will you?" "All right, men, stack them neat, Don't just drop them on the floor." "A sloppy worksite means careless building." "Bring me an ax-hammer!" "Bring me an ax-hammer!" "How you feeling, love?" "It doesn't like hard work, that's for sure, which means it's a boy." "There's magic inside." "See?" "They're Da's tools," "We're building a grand house for Lord William, who's getting married, and my Da's building it bigger and higher than other builders would because he understands pilaster strips and counterforts and equilateral arches." "It's like they use at the big cathedral." "Pig!" "Martha!" "Teach that little bitch to watch where she's stepping!" "And pack up while you're at it." "This house is no longer needed." "Lord William, you hired us for the year, sir." "I got a look at the bride and she turned my stomach." "I have to pay my workers, sir." "I have to feed my family on what you owe us." "Let go of my horse." "Pay me what you owe me." "Walter!" "Back off, Builder," "God will see the right of this!" "You'll bum for if, My Lord!" "You win pay in Hell!" "We're safe." "I'm hungry, Ma!" "What did I tell you, Martha?" "Sing." "It'll take your mind off eating." "It's not working." "If you'd stayed at Exeter, you might have been master builder." "It was a dull job, Agnes." "It was a castle that would have fed us for a lifetime," "Now we'll starve, unless you ind food for the winter." "Don't fret, love," "You'll have nothing but curdled milk left for our babe." "I want a home, Tom." "A roof over our heads, food on the table," "There's a cathedral going up near Wells." "You and your cathedrals!" "Why can't you be content with building houses?" "Look around you." "We're in a cathedral." "Nave, columns, heavenly light." "No cathedral I've been in looks like this." "That is why I must build one." "Now, with your support, my love, your skill, Alfred, and God's good grace, it will be beautiful." "What about me, Da?" "What will I do?" "You, Martha."" "You will be the master measurementater" "The what?" "The master measurementater." "What's that?" "The measurementater?" "You will decide the height, the width and..." "And the chancel and the high altar?" "Wherever you decide it is, that's where it goes!" "Here!" "A bit further than that," "Here!" "Further than that." "Keep going about three miles." "At least it's taking her mind off eating." "No!" "Da!" "Stop!" "Jack, let's stop him!" "Martha!" "Leave her!" "Get the pig!" "Save the pig!" "Get away!" "We did ii, Da!" "We fought three of them, didn't we?" "Aye, that we did, Son," "She won't live," "She'll be fine." "She'll wake up and be sick, and then she'll be tine." "We'd better get her out of the storm." "Can you carry her?" "Be gentle." "Oi, give that here." "Give that here!" "Jack," "Which way?" "Here." "I don't trust them, Ma." "She sounds like a foreigner." "My name is Ellen, by the way," "Tom." "Tom the Builder?" "You're an artist, I see," "Jack is, not me." "Your son did these?" "He was reading and writing by age 5." "Who taught him?" "Who do you think?" "Who taught you?" "My father," "He was a Saxon knight who brought me to England to improve my education." "He placed me in a convent." "I'm a renegade nun." "Novice, really." "I never took vows." "I ran away because..." "One day, on a beach, I met Jack's father," "He was a Frenchman who survived a Ere at sea." "I hid him in the cloister's barn and helped him recover." "We fell in love." "They don't allow pregnant nuns in the Convent." "No," "Why doesn't he speak?" "Is he mute?" "No, Only to strangers." "When he was young, he saw a terrible thing." "Ma, Ma, Ma." "Ma, wake up, Ma, Ma." "She's a witch!" "You mustn't leave." "She needs her rest." "We don't abide with witches," "I'm not a witch!" "It's medicine." "I used it to cure your daughter." "God help her then." "Medicine is sin," "There's work at the Bishop's Palace." "It needs repair." "It's no cathedral, but it will see you through winter." "Thank you." "Because I am weary with age and have no male heir," "I've gathered you here to swear allegiance to my daughter" "The Princess Maud and her husband expect a son, the soothsayers assure me." "I ask you, the lords of the land, to pledge before God that until this son comes of age, you will recognize Maud as your ruler." "Along with her bastard brother." "Do you swear, my good Gloucester?" "I so swear..." "I so swear, Uncle," "Lord Stephen!" "You stepped before me, sir!" "The grandson of William the Conqueror takes precedence over a bastard." "The King's bastard, whom he loves as much as the son who drowned." "How fortunate you weren't on that ship, Stephen." "I have no pretensions to the throne, cuz." "But the Church behind you does," "And with you and the Pope in power, think now the people win suffer!" "I'm cold, Da," "Where's the road?" "Are we lost?" "Hush now." "Da," "Agnes." "Agnes." "Alfred!" "Ma!" "You're all right, You're all right, I've got you." "What do I do, Da?" "What do I do?" "Make a bed." "Lay her down." "Right." "Hot water!" "Where's the girl?" "Deep breaths, my lady." "It won't be long." "Short breaths now, my lady," "Why didn't you say something?" "I thought it would stop." "It's a boy." "It's a boy." "You have another son," "Hold me, Tom." "I'm cold," "You're a good man." "You deserve something beautiful." "I have you." "The cathedral, build it," "Promise me," "Ma," "Ma," "You sense it, too?" "Something's wrong, Go and find them, Jack." "Quick." "Here's to my grandson, Henry II of England." "Perhaps I'll live to see him grown." "I may even outlive you, old friend." "Lampreys!" "My favorite!" "He's so little." "He came too early." "How are we supposed to feed him?" "We can't," "No, we can't." "Alfred, will you take your sister?" "I'll join you shortly." "But you can't leave him, Da." "It's God's will." "He won't starve," "He'll just fall asleep, and his ma will take him," "You run along, I'll be with you soon." "Go," "God keep you, Son." "You sleep with your ma," "What's wrong with him?" "Get the physician!" "Hurry!" "Make way!" "The King is dying, Your Eminence." "As Archbishop of Canterbury, you alone can crown the next king." "You will favor the Church in all your dealings," "I'll give you whatever you want." "Stay here." "I can't..," "I can't leave him," "Da?" "The King is dead." "Long live the King." "Look at him." "After 18 years, he still hasn't helped us." "He promised!" "I want a title," "Our son deserves a title," "When Waleran becomes bishop, he'll have more power, and so will we." "If heâs bishop." "I'm beginning to lose faith in that fellow." "Stephen has the support of the Church and the backing of any who fear being ruled by a woman." "Which is most of the men in this country." "He's only king because your brother was drowned." "An unfortunate accident." "Unfortunate, yes!" "But an accident?" "Not, I think, an accident." "Stephen has broken his oath to you, Sister," "When kings die, oaths die with them." "Except, perhaps, here at Shiring Castle." "I loved your father." "He had my complete support." "And so, therefore, do you." "You have my word." "As do you, Gloucester," "I knew we would, Bartholomew," "We'll raise an army together and take Stephen by surprise." "And if he thinks he's fighting a spoiled princess, he's wrong." "I'm now a mother defending her son." "And her rightful realm." "Brother Francis!" "Praise God!" "It's good to see you!" "Philip!" "It's been too long." "You're well?" "The monastery's well, which keeps me busy and happy, You?" "Well enough, I'm Lord Gloucester's secretary." "I heard, I heard!" "Our mother and father would be very proud, dear Brother," "I need a favor, Philip, which is why I sent for you." "A new king has been crowned." "King Stephen, yes," "Opposed to him is Maud, King Henry's daughter." "A woman cannot take the throne," "Maud, supported by Gloucester and Earl Bartholomew, is secretly raising an army against Stephen to regain the throne." "Stephen must know of their treachery," "But if word came from me, Gloucester would have me hanged." "You're asking me to do this?" "I'd never get an audience," "Your bishop would." "If Maud wins, the Church will be the loser," "Politically, we must back Stephen," "But I don't believe in politics, Francis." "I believe in the will of God," "It's the Church's will, Philip." "Second to God, remember?" "Matthew Farmer, two pigs." "Widow John, three dozen eggs." "Michael Miller, a stone of wheat," "It certainly needs repair." "If they have money." "It's a bishop's palace, Tom Builder." "There's always money." "Ellen!" "Five jars of honey." "How are you, Martha?" "Ma died," "I'm sorry." "I've come to see the Bishop." "The sentry said he's away and I'm to speak to his assistant." "Please," "Who are you?" "I'm Philip, Father." "I come from the monastery of St.-John-in-the-Forest." "Philip of Gwynedd," "You're the Welshman that turned a monastery of lazy monks into a pious, successful business." "I merely put things in order, Father." "And who are you?" "I'm Father Waleran Bigod." "How can I help you?" "I have a message of a private nature to convey to His Eminence." "I have the Bishop's confidence." "Take 3 $631," "Thank you." "When will the Bishop be returning?" "The news is quite sensitive." "You can trust me, Philip." "To be blunt, the Bishop has never been the most attentive man to affairs of church and state." "That's why the Archbishop of Canterbury sent me here." "You trust him, don't you?" "Yes, of course." "Three days ago, a gravely ill soldier came to my monastery, and he had a secret that he wished to tell before he died," "His master, Bartholomew, Earl of Shiring, is conspiring with Robert of Gloucester to raise a rebellion against the new king." "Was he telling the truth?" "He was a dying man." "Who else knows this?" "No One," "See that it remains that way," "Do you go directly home?" "Yes, by way of Kingsbridge, Prior James there is ill." "I'd heard that." "How do you know him?" "He raised my brother and I after we were made orphans in the latest war." "He was sent to Kingsbridge some 20 years ago." "After he was made prior, we followed." "Father, is there something wrong?" "I'll see the Bishop gets the message." "Good day to you, Philip of Gwynedd," "Good day," "Father?" "Those people out there, send them away." "They're not to spend the night within a mile of here." "Yes, Father," "Why turn us away?" "They have plenty of work and money." "Now we're facing a long winter." "What now?" "Here you are, Martha." "Alfred," "Why are you here?" "Because Jack needs a master builder to apprentice him." "The boy's practically mute." "But he's not stupid." "Give him a voice," "We won't be a burden." "I promise," "We?" "I'll travel with you." "I'll help you End work and food, and I'll nurse Martha back to health," "We're not married." "People will talk." "And who will tell them?" "Our hearts are pure, Tom Builder," "God, protect me from her!" "Prior James, I've come back," "Tell me, who's that fellow there with the baby?" "Johnny Eightpence." "He's the newest addition to our community." "He found the baby on a grave and brought him here, and now he's turned from thief to wet nurse." "Well, how can we be in debt?" "The priory has more land than ever." "As well as bad tenants, lazy monks, poor finances, and a church in such disrepair the pilgrims won't visit." "People come here to be awestruck by the majesty of God." "Brother Remigius couldn't care less." "Then why elem mm prion" "Who will run against him?" "Well, there is one candidate who could turn this place around, but I doubt he'd accept." "Who's that?" "You." "You grew up in a priory." "You've been running a small monastery for three years, completely reformed it." "It's clear to everyone, the hand of God is on you." "A proud monk is a bad monk, and pride is my chief temptation." "Then let me tempt you." "Prior James mentioned something about a shipwreck." "A survivor." "No names?" "No." "A delirium Of death." "You were a great comfort to him, Philip, I'm certain of that." "You're a good man." "The most intelligent young priest in the diocese from what I hear." "Are you ambitious?" "To do something meaningful with my life, yes." "So what's the plan?" "You wish to, what?" "Become a bishop one day?" "No, no." "No, no, no," "That would work against everything I believe in." "Which is?" "Purifying, sanctifying God's community on Earth." "So becoming Prior of Kingsbridge would satisfy your ambition?" "Well, be direct, Philip." "As the Bishop's representative, I can sway the election." "If that's what you want from me, say so." "Yes." "Good, good." "But politics is a bargain between beggars." "When the Bishop dies here, the monks here elect the new one," "So if you make me prior," "I, when the time comes, make you bishop?" "You knew I would have made the same promise." "You owe me this, Father," "I don't like being told I owe anybody anything." "But since we're being blunt," "Philip is the better man for the job." "He's one of those rare priests who actually believes what he preaches." "I admire that," "Besides, you owe me, Remigius, remember?" "Sodomy!" "An ex-communicable offense," "And as your confessor, I hold your eternal salvation behind sealed lips." "Here's what I want you to do." "Philip is idealistic, which is generally commendable, but occasionally awkward." "You will be my eyes and ears and tell me everything." "On this day, as harvest ends and winter approaches, there's reason to celebrate, as well as mourn." "Philip of Gwynedd has been elected our new Prior of Kingsbridge, to replace the late Prior James." "May St. Adolphus, whose relic sanctifies this church, help guide him." "At the same time, sadness descends." "Our good bishop, who led his flock for so long, died quite suddenly while saying mass Saturday last." "The monks will now choose a successor." "And Prior Philip, with God's help, will show them the way." "Such a shame about William and Aliena," "What man thinks best, God knows better." "Your patience has paid off, Lord Bishop." "I'm not bishop yet." "We're still waiting for our title." "You gave us your word!" "Did I?" "I fear you misremember, Percy, but not to worry," "I have interesting news for you." "Bartholomew has sided with Maud against King Stephen." "Bartholomewf's turned traitor?" "You may win that title yet." "Excellent!" "We'll arrest Bartholomew, and the King will give us Shiring." "Who needs a wife when you can have a title without her." "Do shut up, Father." "And Bartholomew will embrace the King, deny the plot, and you shall be hanged as a thief." "I hadn't thought of that." "Once again he's setting us up to test the waters, Percy." "If we sink in the mud, he stays immaculate." "So what do we do then?" "Well, we must first End proof." "We'll follow anyone suspicious leaving the castle and encourage them to talk." "With whose money?" "My dear, you don't need money to loosen tongues." "Do you, William?" "Quick as you can!" "Take them inside!" "Are you Mathew?" "Yes." "The sentry told me to ind you." "I'm a mason." "These are my apprentices." "We come looking for work." "I'm sorry." "I could help repair the castle." "I could work at the quarry." "We don't need any quarrymen." "Thank you." "I hope you're not planning on doing battle soon." "Why do you say that?" "All the mortar on your keep gate is crumbling," "It'd just take a crowbar to bring that down." "A keep has an undercroft with a wooden door." "If I were attacking, I'd just set light to that." "And if you were earl, how would you prevent it?" "Well, I'd hire a mason," "I'd have him standing by with stones to block up that doorway in case of trouble." "Hire this man!" "See that he's housed and fed," "Where's my sword?" "Come on, quickly now!" "Yeah?" "A message for you from the Earl of Gloucester and the Princess, sire." "He will take my answer back to Maud." "Here, take it. it's all I have." "It's not money we want." "This man has confessed that Bartholomew," "Earl of Shiring, is conspiring with Robert of Gloucester and Princess Maud to raise arms against the King." "Maud is going to France to gather troops." "We must defend the King!" "We will loot Shiring Castle, slaughter the men, and show the women what true soldiers are capable of!" "Saddle my horse and bring me an escort, I'm going to the King." "Now this gate is gonna need an arch to make it stronger." "What an arch does, it distributes the weight evenly into two supports, and then down into the ground." "You understand?" "Never mind, What I'm gonna need from the quarry is stones to match these ones already in place." "So knock out the loose ones." "If they're whole, just re-mortar them." "If they're cracked, leave them in piles every 10 feet or so." "All right?" "You heard what he said!" "Let's get to work!" "He's witched you, that's all." "Just like his ma." "Don't be a bloody fool." "Alienal" "Who is that?" "The Earl's daughter." "I met her last night after supper." "Her mother's dead, too." "Hello, Martha." "You're up early." "Da makes me work." "Alfred, too," "He's my brother," "Hello." "Hello," "My lady, an honor." "Thank you." "And this is?" "That's Jack." "He doesn't talk much." "But look, he made a likeness of me." "It's remarkable," "Your brothers quite gifted." "Oh, he's not my brother," "Jack's a bastard." "Lunch, everyone!" "He's a gifted bastard." "Come to court again, Lord William?" "As a matter of fact I have." "Only this time, I'm courting you." "Oh, here you are," "Are you coming?" "Jack!" "Quick!" "We are under attack!" "Your Majesty!" "Your Majesty!" "I have urgent news." "Get inside, everyone!" "They must be somewhere." "Alienal" "Percy!" "Get up!" "Da!" "No!" "Surrender, traitor!" "I'd rather die for Maud." "Then so will every man, woman and child in this keep!" "Halt!" "Halt!" "Hear me out!" "Hall!" "Hall!" "Stop the fighting, in Lord Percy's name!" "Spare my people." "Stephen knows you covet my title." "He may, therefore, doubt my guilt." "If you spare my people," "I will confess guilt 10 his face." "Thank you, Earl of Shiring," "Maud's fleeing to France along with her precious son." "Stop them!" "Bring them here." "I want that child dead at my feet!" "The ship's ready to sail, Your Majesty." "The messenger from Bartholomew should have returned by now." "We can't wait longer, Sister," "We must sail to France where your son will be safe." "Da!" "It's no use calling, I saw him fall." "It'll take more than that to kill me." "Da!" "Had you scared, did I?" "Tom!" "We have to leave here as quick as we can." "One of the workers said there's a new prior at Kingsbridge" "New priors have work." "The Kingsbridge prior's dead?" "So they say," "Good." "May the Devil take his soul." "You knew him?" "Yes, I met him once." "Come," "Don't fuss," "You're getting soppy, are you, lad?" "Where do you want this then?" " Lay that down here." " All right." "Steady, Brother Paul." "Afternoon, Brother." " I'm looking for the new prior." " In the church." "Don't be long." "I don't want to stay if there's no work." "What's that?" "St. Adolphus." "It's his cathedral." "Is that his real head?" "The Romans cut it off, threw it in the river." "His headless body pulled it out and carried it here." "Forgive him, Father." "He's..." "He's just a curious lad." "Which should be encouraged in the young." "How can I help you?" "I'm Tom Builder." "This is my son, Alfred." " We'd like to repairy our church." " Well, I'm Prior Philip." "And I want it repaired, but I can't hire you." "We haven't a shilling." "Sorry." "Martha!" "You!" "Get away from me!" "That man nearly killed my daughter!" "No!" "I saw him that night." "What night?" "What are you talking about?" "The night that your woman died." "He took it." "He took what?" "Please, I won't hurt him." "I promise." "I'm no good to you, am I?" "I'm no good to anyone." "He's better off here than he is with me, but I don't want to leave." "I left him once before." "I can't do that again." " You have little choice." " I know that." "You think I don't know that?" "I'm useless." "I can't support my family." "I can't stay with my son." "Why can't God give me work just this once?" "My God!" "There's a fire in the roof!" "How could this happen?" "What do we do?" "St. Adolphus, save your church!" "The roof's afire!" " God save us!" " What do we do?" "Hurry, hurry!" "Quick, quick!" "The chalices and the vesper!" "Quick!" "Quick!" "Philip!" "Philip!" "Come out!" "No, the relic!" "I must save the relic." "Philip!" "Philip!" "St. Adolphus, save your blessed church!" "This is the Devil's work." "Jack!" "What happened?" "We can stay now." "At least no one died." "I prayed for this last night." "God help me." "It was lightning." "Without a storm?" "All my life I've waited for work like this." "Now it's here, they can't afford to pay me." "We could work for free." "They give us food and lodging, you could stay with your little boy." "It's gone, smashed." "We're finished." "You can't rebuild a cathedral without its relic." "A skull's a skull, Philip." " We don't even know it was his." " What about the miracles?" "I've been praying to that skull for years to save my poor sister from the street." " Useless." " It does take belief, too." "Yes, but what if people believe another skull is his?" "One from the ossuary." "There's thousands." "And who's to say the monk whose head we choose isn't a saint?" "Because that would be a lie!" "Not a lie, a leavening, a means to an end." "And the end is God's glory." "Well, at least the crypt was spared." "You can use it for services, can't you?" "Until the new church is roofed." "What makes you think there'll even be a new church?" "Because I will build it." "You house us, you feed us, and I will defer payment." "This may be the Devil's work, but it was God that sent you a master builder." "My dear Bishop." "Undoubtedly, you have heard of our misfortune." "But God has blessed us with a rough-handed angel to help us through this crisis." "Tom Builder is his name, and he is determined to give us a new cathedral." "There is much work to be done and workmen to be hired, and, of course, this brings up the question of money." "I don't wish to burden you as you begin your office, but perhaps, with your permission, I could approach our new king and ask his favor in this trying time." "The plans for the expansion of the palace, Your Eminence." "We're repairing all of the old buildings, as well as the chapel, of course." "And we're adding an entire new wing over here." "Did you scratch it?" "Yeah." "You shouldn't wear it picking up heavy rocks." "Is it worth a lot of money?" "Hey, Jack, give it here." "I'll put it in a safe place." "Jack..." "May I speak to you for a moment?" "I want you to make a statue of St. Adolphus." "Me?" "I've never worked in stone." "That's not true." "I saw the carvings you did in the walls of the cave." "I think you'll manage." " I wouldn't know where to start." " Take your time." "Experiment." "Listen." " To what?" " To the stone." "You're a distraction, you are." "I've seen the monks watching you while they work." "They don't know what to make of you." "Oh, I think they do, Tom Builder." "Are you jealous?" "No, I'm not jealous." "We'll have a wooden ceiling, like the old church." "I'd prefer it in stone, but it's far too heavy." "Also, it's hard to find long pieces of timber, so the nave will have to be only 32-feet wide." "But it'll be high." "It'll be very high." "How will the walls support the weight?" "Well, have a look at this." "Pointed arches?" "I've never seen such a thing." "It'll bear the weight better." "Which, along with the buttresses, will allow the windows to be tall." "Tall enough to let in the light." "A cathedral..." "It's God's anteroom." "It's halfway to Heaven." "And the light..." "The light is everything." "How long will this take?" "It depends how many people you employ." "But if you were to hire 30 masons with enough laborers, carpenters and smiths to service them, that's 15 years." " Have you done this before?" " No." " How do you know it'll work?" " It'll work." "What do you think?" "I think it's extraordinary." "It's from Bishop Waleran, Prior." "He wants me to meet him at Shiring Castle on my way to see the King." "I don't know why." "I shouldn't be long, Remigius, but until I return, as subprior, you're in charge." "Safe journeys." "Where's my ring?" "Jack!" "Jack!" "I hung it around my neck, and you stole it in the night!" "Why should you care?" "You said it was worthless!" "Calm down!" "You said he took your ring." "How do you know?" "Maybe it fell off during the night." "I looked everywhere." " What's wrong?" " He took my ring!" "I don't want his bloody ring!" "Where is it?" "Look at me, boy!" "You can't witch me!" "You killed my ma and you stole my da, but you can't work your charms on me!" "Is anybody here?" " Who are you?" " Philip, Prior of Kingsbridge." "What is your business here?" "I've come to see the Bishop, on my way to the King." "Let him go, Matthew." "I'm Aliena, daughter of the Earl." "I saw you at the harvest service." "My lady." "And I'm Richard, his son and heir." "Welcome to Shiring Castle." "Does anyone know you're here?" "Why should they?" "Have you seen our father?" "I hear he's in Winchester, in prison." "He's not a traitor, you know." "He loves his kingdom as much as anyone." "Once I learn who libeled him," "I'll have the sheriff give the brute a public hanging." "How did you escape, my lady?" "Show him, Richard." "It's a secret passage." "Would you like to see it?" "No, thank you." " You're going to see the King, you said?" " Yes." "Then you must demand our father's release." "Tell him to give us back our castle." "I don't think that will be possible, my lady." " Hello, Philip." " Good morning, My Lord Bishop." "You really want to rebuild your church?" "Yes, Father, I do." "The cathedral is God's shadow over history, Father." "We..." "We live in a world that is striving for order, which is art, which is learning, which is people creating something that will bring God's heart into their community, that will survive wars and famine, that will survive history." "I thought I was ambitious." " Father, I only want..." " Philip, Philip, Philip!" "Look around you." "This is the smallest earldom in the kingdom, but it has a huge quarry which produces first-class limestone, and its forests, good timber." "If you had this land, you could rebuild your church." "Why would the King give me land instead of money?" "You unmasked the traitor." "Bartholomew confessed." "Maud and Gloucester ran away to France." "Stephen owes you his crown." "Think about it." "Why did Waleran meet the Prior of Kingsbridge in Shiring Castle?" "It's our land, isn't it?" "He should have asked permission." "Why do you say it's our land?" "You're not earl yet." "It's a mere formality." "The King will give me the title within the month." "He owes it to me." "Well then, I think we should remind the King of what he owes." "And I think we should do it soon." "She is a witch." "I saw her." "Doing what?" "Say it." "Making a potion out of dead frogs." "She gave it to my ma and it killed her." "Then she bewitched my da and made love to him on my mother's grave." "You swear to that?" "On your soul?" "Yes." "Brothers, the boy speaks true." "I knew this woman years ago, when I first came here." "She was condemned for witchcraft and a price put on her head." "She disappeared with her son, and the people said the Devil had taken them home." "It was she who started the fire." "She must burn." "Leave the talking to me, Philip." "And if the King does ask you a question, answer plainly." "Whatever you do, don't beg." "Make room!" "Here comes the traitor, Bartholomew!" " Hey!" "Shame on you!" " Traitor!" "What the devil are they doing here?" "Shame on you!" "Yeah!" "String him up!" "My Lord Bishop." "It's been a long time since our paths crossed." "Welcome to Winchester." "Who's this?" "Philip, Prior of Kingsbridge, Your Majesty." "You seem worried." "Why?" "I don't have a clean robe to wear." "Well, I like a monk to look like a monk." "I heard about your fire." "How soon will you rebuild?" "As soon as I find the money, sire." "I hope you haven't come to beg for it." "We're paupers here." "I think I have found a way to rebuild without further diminishing your coffers, Your Majesty." "Give Shiring and all its land to the diocese of Kingsbridge, and we will give you a new church." "What a clever idea." "Unfortunately, I gave Shiring to Percy Hamleigh less than an hour ago." "Well, it's not official." "Well, not yet." "Present a strong argument for your case, and I might reconsider." "We could rename the church after a saint of your choosing, Your Majesty." "St. Stephen, perhaps?" "Or St. Elmo, the patron saint of sailors lost at sea." "Come back tomorrow." "You'll have my answer then." "You're working hard." "I thought you might be thirsty, Tom Builder." "Thank you." "What are they staring at?" "Their turn to be jealous." "You need to send her away." "What's that?" "Remigius says she's a witch." "He sent a letter to the Bishop last night." "Why'd he do that for?" "It's just gossip." "It's worse than gossip." "It's malicious and it's dangerous!" "He has a witness." "His Majesty will now see Lord Harefield and the Bishop of Lancaster." "Your Eminence, I'm told you're seeking an emissary to Rome." "I would be happy to volunteer." "You are too new to the post, my good Bishop." "Rome demands a more experienced politician." "Perhaps a visit to my palace would convince you." "I have worked changes to the diocese." "It's hardly a palace, when I visited years ago." "More like a ruin with a roof." "Excuse me." "Not a ruin for long." "How could you be so stupid?" "Waleran is using you and your burned down church to get the earldom for himself." " That's a lie." " Is it?" "Then why did he tell the King to give Shiring to the diocese of Kingsbridge and not the priory?" "It was a slip of the tongue." "Besides, he only means..." "What it means is that he will control the purse strings." "And believe me, monk, a church is not where he wants to spend his gold." "He's hired this man to triple the size of his palace." "Show him." "He'll need Shiring's forests and quarry to fulfill this design." "Your good Bishop doesn't care a whit for your precious cathedral." "Thank you, master builder." "William." "Side with us, monk." "We will make a generous contribution to your building fund." "No." "We go to the King instead and divide the earldom equally, with you getting the better half." "What do you mean?" "Which is more valuable, arable land or forest?" " Arable land." " Then I'll have the forest." "I need the forest to hunt." "You can hunt there, but I want the timber." "And which would you prefer?" "The income from the markets or the quarry?" "What if I said the quarry?" "You won't, though, will you?" "And when Waleran objects?" "If he's told the King that he needs Shiring to finance the cathedral, how can he object on the grounds that he wants to build his new castle instead?" "You're a keener politician than I gave you credit for." "Politics is a bargain between beggars, my lady." "And I have..." "I have one other request." "I must have protection for the lady Aliena and her brother Richard." "You've seen them?" "They're hiding in the castle, starving and penniless." "They need to be taken care of." "But of course." "We'll see to that." "Your Eminence." "Beloved Lord Bishop, we have a witch among us." "A woman, as you know, long wanted in these parts." "A witness has come forward." "Why did you say that?" "Answer me!" "Why'd you say that?" "She's been good to me, that woman!" "Better than I deserve." "Don't make me choose between you, boy." "Brother Remigius has been claiming you're a witch." "He's got Alfred here to give proof to the lie." "It's not a lie." "Not entirely." "See that this woman is arrested immediately and that she speaks to no one." "Jack's father had a secret." "Something to do with the ring he had." "He wouldn't tell me what it was." "He wanted to see the King, to tell him what he knew." "But I was only a naive novice." "How could I help?" "I hid him in a barn on our convent property, where he asked me for a quill, paper, sealing wax and ink." "I then went to my priest confessor." "I found him on the beach, Father." "He needs your help, your support." "He has a secret he will tell no one but the King." "The next day, he was taken from the barn and accused of stealing the Kingsbridge Priory's chalice." "He was tortured, confessed," "and his tongue was cut out." "He was held for nearly three years before he was brought to trial." "The prior whose chalice was stolen testified against him." "The Lord of the District served as his judge, and my priest confessor passed sentence." "Then, a remarkable thing happened." "I curse you, all three of you!" " Stay back!" " Touch me and you'll be dead by morning." "Your church, dear Prior, shall burn to the ground." "Your children, My Lord, shall die on the gallows." "And you, good Father, the confessor whom I trusted, you shall one day climb very high," "only to fall." "...only to fall." "What was the secret they didn't want him to tell?" "I never learned." "I found his ring, the one Jack wore, until it was stolen, but no paper." "So, yes, I'm a wanted woman, Tom." "I'll leave in the morning." "No argument." "You're staying here." "And you are staying with them." "I've made the decision." "My loyal subject, Percy Hamleigh, today becomes the Earl of Shiring." "He shall have the castle and all arable lands and low-lying pastures." "All other farmlands, I give to the Priory of Kingsbridge for the building of the new cathedral." " And the quarry?" " Belongs to the Hamleighs." "But you may take what stones you need." " But..." "But that's not..." " Enough." "My decision stands." "You'll pay for this, Philip." "I don't take kindly to priests who steal." "And God doesn't take kindly to bishops who lie." "I swear by all that's holy, you'll never build your church." "Open the gates, in the Bishop's name!" "I'll show you where the witch is." "Follow me." "No!" "No!" "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine..." "Allie?" "I'm over here!" "Allie!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No, please!" "Don't hurt her!" "Let me go!" "Lie still or the boy dies." "Cut off his ear, Walter!" "No!" "You see, bitch?" "I'm a better man than you deserve." "Get away from the horse!" "Fucking bitch!" "Come here." "Looks like it's your lucky night." "Look what you've done to me!" "Kill him." " You fucking bitch!" " Shut him up." "How?" "I don't know how." "Just cut off his head." "Kill him before anyone can hear." "Allie, please." "You have to do this, Richard." "Don't!" "Where is the woman?" "Locked away, Your Eminence." "As you wished." "Good." "Prepare for a trial this evening." "But we don't have a witness anymore." "The boy will not testify." "I'll be the witness." "I want this thing ended quickly." "A woman in a monastery is like a mare in heat." "Even a gelding would misbehave in her presence." "Monks may be celibate, but they can still smell cunt." " Halt, woman!" " You, too, boy." "Richard, listen to me." "You mustn't tell Father what happened." "I'll tell the King then." "He'll have both their heads." "No." "You mustn't tell anyone, ever." "Aliena?" "Father." "Philip, the Bishop is here." " And Ellen has been arrested." " Yes." "I received word on the way." " Where is she?" " In one of the basement cells." " They won't let anyone see her except..." " Where is Tom?" "In his work shed." "Waleran has us building a pyre." "We've come to see the King, to ask if he will grant mercy." "He will do nothing for me." "Listen," "I hid 50 gold coins in a belt under my shirt." "They're being held for you in safekeeping by a priest who heard my confession." "We can use it to buy your freedom." "My freedom is not for sale." "Well, is it true?" "Is she a witch?" "No." "I swear by all that's holy." "She's not the mother of your children, though, is she?" "No." "Are you living in sin?" "You can't burn her for that." "If I save her, you must marry her..." " I will." "...and bring her back to the Church." "That's her decision." "It's not mine." "It's God's will." "It's my condition." "Whatever." "Whatever you say." "Beware of the witch, Brother." "I ain't supposed to talk to you." "But Prior Philip told me to let you hold the baby one last time." "Be careful of his bottom, though." "He's carrying a bit of a load." "This woman here stands accused of consorting with the Devil." "The Bishop himself bears witness against her." "Do you want to say anything before we pass sentence?" " Such witchcraft!" " She's the Devil!" "Avert your eyes from the witch." "Piss on you, Lord Bishop!" "Don't touch her!" "Let the Devil pass out of here." "Your Eminence!" "There she is!" "Was she a virgin?" "Oh, yes." "And did she struggle?" "Frightfully." "And you showed her what a fine young man you are down there, didn't you?" "Father, just as Maud and Gloucester are raising an army to reclaim the throne, so too will I claim back what is mine, what is ours." "I swear by Jesus Christ and all His saints that I will not rest until Richard is the Earl of Shiring and lord of the land that you once ruled." "Do I have your blessing in this?" "Always and forever." "I swear, no matter where your affections fly, you shall always rule my heart," "sweet William." "We've begun."