One day Peter the Shepherd returned from the common with his flock and some news he could hardly contain as he ran to seek Edwin. "What haste, Peter," said the fletcher.

"Ambrosius is come. He rests in the coppice. After darkness falls he will come to the your house. All who are with us mun be there, but he says they must be with us to death."

"Then say nothing to any other Peter, if anybody has seen thee with Ambrosius tell them it is a travelling friar who would pass this night in the coppice."

Edwin found Ralf and they began to tell the others who were willing to act; Wat, Peter Harelip the cowherd, Tom Smith, Jan of Netherton, Erik the cartwright and Leofwin the swineherd who had been called from the fields. They would gather that night with Peter Shepherd and Huw the carpenter who was at the market.

Geoffrey was not happy when Wilfrydda, Tom Smith's wife and Guthrun, wife of Edwin asked Hilde to join the other wives as they talked of the Harvest Fair. When the Reeve said sardonically that when the tithe and the Baron's levy had been paid and his own share taken the villagers would have little to live on without wasting good produce on God, Wylfridda had challenged him.

"All the villages on Baron Chollerton's estate make a show at their church for harvest, sire. Vanning is noted for its harvest shows. The produce is distributed to the poor, it is a time for rejoicing in the harvest," the woman said.

"Let the good brothers donate their tithe to the poor, you shall all stay here and work for your worldly lord's prosperity." The though of people being happy seemed to offend Geoffrey.

Guthrun spoke then, addressing the Reeve as an equal as was her right. He was neither a Knight nor a Gentleman, "Good sir, you are new to the district. If I may give you advice, it is expected that the village a Reeve makes his own will bring a goodly portion to the harvest fair. How will people respect thee if they see thy village is poor?"

"What do I care for people's respect so long as they fear me," Geoffrey snapped.

Guthrun and Wylfridda stood their ground however and eventually Hilde was granted leave to meet with the other wives. To show her gratitude she served supper with generous measures of Ralf's best brew, enriched this time with herbs brought by Peter Shepherd from Ambrosius.

Only minutes after the last of the men had entered Edwin's house the crude door swung open once again and the firelight framed a gaunt figure in a monk's cloak. All the gathered man stood as Edwin greeted the visitor and the two foresters who followed him in. "Welcome Ambrosius, I am grateful you heard our plea."

"That stew smells appetising Edwin of Vanning," Ambrosius stepped towards the fire. Edwin nudged his son Robin to serve stew, bread and ale to the newcomers hospitality was customary.

Seating himself Ambrosius spoke again. "Are we thirteen?"

"Aye," said Edwin, " young Robin is a boy yet, he is not part of our council. Having served the food and drink Robin dutifully left the hut.

While Ambrosius and the foresters ate, the village men told of Geoffrey's malevolence and injustices. When all had aired their grievances Ambrosius cleaned his bowl with a sop of bread, took a draught of Ralf's ale and looked at each one in turn.

"Men of Vanning, what would you have me do? Geoffrey is a trained soldier, a fighting man in his prime who kills without remorse. I am an aged hermit who seeks only the solitude of the woods and the company of the creatures that live there. Would you pit me against a man all of you dare not fight?"

"Doest not know a potion Hilde can put in Geoffrey's supper, some forest plant that would rid us of him?"

"There are many such things but if I commit murder for you would you have me hang for you too?"

"I will fight him with a sword for all of us?" Wat burst out, "soldier or no, he is a savage."

"So you will not help us?" Edwin said, his voice heavy with defeat.

Ambrosius raised a hand to command attention. "I did not say that I will not or cannot help you, but know this; should I, should anybody rid you of Geoffrey another would come in his place and another after that. I can only help if you will help yourselves. I will not do murder in defiance of the king's and the church's law. All laws made by men are subordinate to a higher law,"

"God's own law?" Jan interrupted.

"Laws and Gods are both made by men. I speak of a law that will make a bond between us all and through that bond give you justice, the law of The One. The One is in all of us and in all things. The One is in us all, within it the dead and the unborn live side by side, The One contains all within it and yet its whole is contained within all things, even the very smallest of things. The One will judge those who stand in judgement and binds all those who seek it. If you come together, make yourselves one within The One, you may defeat Geoffrey."

When Ambrosius arrived he had looked old, but now there was a compelling energy in him that obliterated the signs of his great age and compelled the attention of those who listened. Nobody could have doubted this stooped old man was stronger than Tom Smith and swifter that Wat who won the running races at the summer fair. Nobody would have doubted that he could stay the river's flow with his hand, call down rain from the clouds or command the flowers to bloom in winter. And so, in the long silence that followed his speech the men of Vanning held their tongues, waiting for their visitor to continue.

When Ambrosius was sure he carried them all with him he spoke again. "Long ago when the lawgivers came from the sea bringing the gifts of learning, healing, music and poetry; teaching the craftsmen their skills and showing the farmers how to work the land, all of which raised humans above the animals. Even then some men clung to the idea that strength could overwhelm justice and power was greater than law. such war lords would come among a community as strangers and by force impose their will. Such action is as abhorrent to the one as to kill another creature for any reason other than in defence or from need. Before they left us the lawgivers decreed thus; that if an outsider insults the conventions of a community or defiles its members he also insults The One. Then the stranger has forfeited his right to natural justice and the peoIn Vanning a dark mood had settled on the villagers. Even though it was high summer the sound of whistle or pipe never pleased the ear, people did not gather at the well or in the roundhouse. Wat grew more angry at Geoffrey's violations of his beloved Hilde. Geoffrey delighted in his ability to taunt Wat and Hilde's humiliations became more public. Tom Smith grew more taciturn as his impotence festered within him. Most people tried to stay out of the way of he bully but a few preferred to court favour with obsequiousness. Either way Geoffrey ruled their lives, he occupied their waking thoughts and was the shadow that haunted their darkness. Weeks passed.

One day Peter the Shepherd returned from the common with his flock and some news he could hardly contain as he ran to seek Edwin. "What haste, Peter," said the fletcher.

"Ambrosius is come. He rests in the coppice. After darkness falls he will come to the your house. All who are with us mun be there, but he says they must be with us to death."

"Then say nothing to any other Peter, if anybody has seen thee with Ambrosius tell them it is a travelling friar who would pass this night in the coppice."

Edwin found Ralf and they began to tell the others who were willing to act; Wat, Peter Harelip the cowherd, Tom Smith, Jan of Netherton, Erik the cartwright and Leofwin the swineherd who had been called from the fields. They would gather that night with Peter Shepherd and Huw the carpenter who was at the market.

Geoffrey was not happy when Wilfrydda, Tom Smith's wife and Guthrun, wife of Edwin asked Hilde to join the other wives as they talked of the Harvest Fair. When the Reeve said sardonically that when the tithe and the Baron's levy had been paid and his own share taken the villagers would have little to live on without wasting good produce on God, Wylfridda had challenged him.

"All the villages on Baron Chollerton's estate make a show at their church for harvest, sire. Vanning is noted for its harvest shows. The produce is distributed to the poor, it is a time for rejoicing in the harvest," the woman said.

"Let the good brothers donate their tithe to the poor, you shall all stay here and work for your worldly lord's prosperity." The though of people being happy seemed to offend Geoffrey.

Guthrun spoke then, addressing the Reeve as an equal as was her right. He was neither a Knight nor a Gentleman, "Good sir, you are new to the district. If I may give you advice, it is expected that the village a Reeve makes his own will bring a goodly portion to the harvest fair. How will people respect thee if they see thy village is poor?"

"What do I care for people's respect so long as they fear me," Geoffrey snapped.

Guthrun and Wylfridda stood their ground however and eventually Hilde was granted leave to meet with the other wives. To show her gratitude she served supper with generous measures of Ralf's best brew, enriched this time with herbs brought by Peter Shepherd from Ambrosius.

Only minutes after the last of the men had entered Edwin's house the crude door swung open once again and the firelight framed a gaunt figure in a monk's cloak. All the gathered man stood as Edwin greeted the visitor and the two foresters who followed him in. "Welcome Ambrosius, I am grateful you heard our plea."

"That stew smells appetising Edwin of Vanning," Ambrosius stepped towards the fire. Edwin nudged his son Robin to serve stew, bread and ale to the newcomers hospitality was customary.

Seating himself Ambrosius spoke again. "Are we thirteen?"

"Aye," said Edwin, " young Robin is a boy yet, he is not part of our council. Having served the food and drink Robin dutifully left the hut.

While Ambrosius and the foresters ate, the village men told of Geoffrey's malevolence and injustices. When all had aired their grievances Ambrosius cleaned his bowl with a sop of bread, took a draught of Ralf's ale and looked at each one in turn.

"Men of Vanning, what would you have me do? Geoffrey is a trained soldier, a fighting man in his prime who kills without remorse. I am an aged hermit who seeks only the solitude of the woods and the company of the creatures that live there. Would you pit me against a man all of you dare not fight?"

"Doest not know a potion Hilde can put in Geoffrey's supper, some forest plant that would rid us of him?"

"There are many such things but if I commit murder for you would you have me hang for you too?"

"I will fight him with a sword for all of us?" Wat burst out, "soldier or no, he is a savage."

"So you will not help us?" Edwin said, his voice heavy with defeat.

Ambrosius raised a hand to command attention. "I did not say that I will not or cannot help you, but know this; should I, should anybody rid you of Geoffrey another would come in his place and another after that. I can only help if you will help yourselves. I will not do murder in defiance of the king's and the church's law. All laws made by men are subordinate to a higher law," "God's own law?" Jan interrupted.

"Laws and Gods are both made by men. I speak of a law that will make a bond between us all and through that bond give you justice, the law of The One. The One is in all of us and in all things. The One is in us all, within it the dead and the unborn live side by side, The One contains all within it and yet its whole is contained within all things, even the very smallest of things. The One will judge those who stand in judgement and binds all those who seek it. If you come together, make yourselves one within The One, you may defeat Geoffrey."

When Ambrosius arrived he had looked old, but now there was a compelling energy in him that obliterated the signs of his great age and compelled the attention of those who listened. Nobody could have doubted this stooped old man was stronger than Tom Smith and swifter that Wat who won the running races at the summer fair. Nobody would have doubted that he could stay the river's flow with his hand, call down rain from the clouds or command the flowers to bloom in winter. And so, in the long silence that followed his speech the men of Vanning held their tongues, waiting for their visitor to continue.

When Ambrosius was sure he carried them all with him he spoke again. "Long ago when the lawgivers came from the sea bringing the gifts of learning, healing, music and poetry; teaching the craftsmen their skills and showing the farmers how to work the land, all of which raised humans above the animals. Even then some men clung to the idea that strength could overwhelm justice and power was greater than law. such war lords would come among a community as strangers and by force impose their will. Such action is as abhorrent to the one as to kill another creature for any reason other than in defence or from need. Before they left us the lawgivers decreed thus; that if an outsider insults the conventions of a community or defiles its members he also insults The One. Then the stranger has forfeited his right to natural justice and the people may make their own justice. The laws of men protect the strong for they are made by the strong and so justice must be done away from the eyes of the law. People would take the stranger to a far field and there make themselves free of the oppressor forever. All must strike a blow or make a thrust and then under they laws of men all are equally guilty and so they are bound to each other for none may further his own interests by accusing he others. All will hang if any one speaks.

I tell you this, men of Vanning, be brethren in The One, together you are strong. When people turn away from each other evil will rule." ple may make their own justice. The laws of men protect the strong for they are made by the strong and so justice must be done away from the eyes of the law. People would take the stranger to a far field and there make themselves free of the oppressor forever. All must strike a blow or make a thrust and then under they laws of men all are equally guilty and so they are bound to each other for none may further his own interests by accusing he others. All will hang if any one speaks.

I tell you this, men of Vanning, be brethren in The One, together you are strong. When people turn away from each other evil will rule."

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