Hour Before Dawn

Penelope Wilcock

Description

At St Alcuin's Monastery, in 14th century Yorkshire, Abbot John is in shock after learning of the rape of his sister and murder of his mother.The refugee Father William is discovering his own vulnerability. As they support their leader and their barely-welcome guest, the community of brothers undertake the task of nurturing the grace of God in their souls.The Hour before Dawn explores the psychological impact of grief and trauma, and the possibility of healing. Wilcock deftly weaves themes of the resurrection and ascension throughout the story, exploring the process of having survived suffering, but not yet having moved on. Based on solid historical research, Wilcock's representation of monastic life is authentic, rich with poetic prose and a sense of time and place.

Sujets

• Historical fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Lion Hudson
• Date de parution: 17 juillet 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781782641513
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Text copyright © 2011 Penelope Wilcock This edition copyright © 2015 Lion Hudson The right of Penelope Wilcock to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
All the characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Published by Lion Fiction an imprint of Lion Hudson plc Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road Oxford OX2 8DR, England www.lionhudson.com/fiction
ISBN 978 1 78264 150 6 e-ISBN 978 1 78264 151 3
This edition 2015
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Cover illustration © Brian Gallagher
 
 
“Once again Penelope Wilcock drew me back into fourteenth-century monastic life with a fine mix of descriptive details and evocative language. The peaceful world of St Alcuin’s Abbey is quickly shattered by a violent tragedy and its aftermath, creating genuine heartache, tension, and spiritual angst. The timeless themes woven throughout the pages of The Hour before Dawn spoke to my heart, in particular William’s journey of faith and John’s hard-won understanding of the power of the Ascension. Even in the darkest moments of the story, hope tarries in the wings. A wonderful writer, a wonderful read!”
Liz Curtis Higgs, New York Times best-selling author, Mine is the Night and Bad Girls of the Bible
 
“ The Hour before Dawn takes Penelope Wilcock’s saga of life at St Alcuin’s Abbey to the next level. The emotions are real, vivid, and raw. Gritty realism and heart-wrenching suffering are layered into this story, counterbalanced by redemptive tenderness and noble self-sacrifice. Wilcock weaves a tale of complex interpersonal relationships against the backdrop of a medieval monastery. This novel is a brilliant exploration of what it means to be human—and more importantly, what it means to be a human remade in the image of Christ.”
Bryan M. Litfin, Professor of Theology, Moody Bible Institute; author, The Sword , The Gift , and Getting to Know the Church Fathers
 
“Penelope Wilcock has created a wonderful cast of characters for her medieval series. The Hour before Dawn deals with the universal theme of evil and the Christian response, and sets the tale in a marvelously accurate fourteenth-century monastery. For the lover of medieval mysteries this is a book not to be missed.”
Mel Starr, author, The Unquiet Bones, A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel, and A Trail of Ink
 
“ The Hour Before Dawn shows vividly how the wrenching horror of cruelty can be overcome by the unspeakable beauty of restoration. I know of no other writer who sees so clearly into the souls of her characters as does Penelope Wilcock. And sees with such humour and love. Her prose is like rich, dark chocolate poetry. This book offers a deep well of mercy and grace and forgiveness—even forgiveness of self. Drink from it.”
Donna Fletcher Crow, author, Glastonbury: The Novel of Christian England and The Monastery Murders
 
 
 
 
FOR JULIE BALMER and JEHANE HARLEN,
 
friends far away who have encouraged and supported me with humour and kindness, patience and gentleness, prayed me through dark times and difficulties, walked with me in spirit, listened to my doubts and fears, reminded me of my faith and how well placed it is in a God who, no matter how bad things look, will never give up on us, never desert us, and brings us through to new hope, new life, new possibilities.
The Hour Before Dawn
In that last hour before dawn, when hope still lay hidden by the darkness, Jesus said to Mary, who had come to the tomb where his broken body had been left:
 
“Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go instead to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:17
 
Open are the gifts of God Gifts of love to mind and sense Hidden is love’s agony Love’s endeavour, love’s expense. W. H. Vanstone
 
He has stumbled on this hole in the bad hour before the dawn. William Butler Yeats
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
The Hour Before Dawn
 
Acknowledgments and More
The Community of St Alcuin’s Abbey
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Glossary of Terms
Monastic Day
Liturgical Calendar
Acknowledgments and More
The verse of W. H. Vanstone’s hymn included with the quotations in the front of this novel is taken from Love’s Endeavour, Love’s Expense by W. H. Vanstone, published and copyright 1977 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd., London, and used by permission of the publishers.
Special thanks to Alice and Hebe Wilcock, whose tireless and ingenious researches in the field of medieval monastic and medical detail helped so much and whose intimate familiarity with the life and times of the Benedictines of St Alcuin’s Abbey saved me some unfortunate gaffes.
And I am given to understand that Brother Conradus would like to offer his most humble and hearty thanks for the recipe he found in my Country Living magazine for sorrel and spinach quiche. He says nettles will do just as well as spinach, but you do have to pick them young—and please use only the tops.
The Community of St Alcuin’s Abbey
(Not all members are mentioned in The Hour before Dawn .)
Fully professed monks Abbot John Hazell formerly the infirmarian Father Chad prior Brother Ambrose cellarer Fr. Wm. de Bulmer cellarer’s assistant (formerly an Augustinian prior) Father Theodore novice master Father Gilbert precentor Brother Clement overseer of the scriptorium Father Dominic guest master Brother Thomas abbot’s esquire, also involved with the farm and building repairs Father Francis scribe Father Bernard sacristan Brother Martin porter Brother Thaddeus potter Brother Michael infirmarian Brother Damien helps in the infirmary Brother Cormac kitchener Brother Richard fraterer Brother Stephen oversees the abbey farm Brother Peter ostler Brother Josephus acted as esquire for Father Chad between abbots; now working in the abbey school Brother Germanus has worked on the farm, occupied in the wood yard and gardens Brother Mark too old for taxing occupation, but keeps the bees Brother Paulinus works in the kitchen garden and orchards Brother Prudentius now old, helps on the farm and in the kitchen garden and orchards Brother Fidelis now old, oversees the flower gardens Father James makes and mends robes, occasionally works in the scriptorium Brother Walafrid herbalist, oversees the brew house Brother Giles assists Brother Walafrid and works in the laundry Brother Basil old, assists the sacristan—ringing the bell for the office hours, etc.
Fully professed monks now confined to the infirmary through frailty of old age Father Gerald once sacristan Brother Denis scribe Father Paul once precentor Brother Edward onetime infirmarian, now living in the infirmary but active enough to help there and occasionally attend Chapter and the daytime hours of worship
Novices Brother Benedict assists in the infirmary Brother Boniface helps in the scriptorium Brother Cassian works in the school Brother Cedd helps in the scriptorium and when required in the robing room Brother Conradus assists in the kitchen Brother Felix helps Father Gilbert Brother Placidus helps on the farm Brother Robert assists in the pottery
Members of the community mentioned in earlier stories and now deceased
Abbot Gregory of the Resurrection Abbot Columba du Fayel (also known as Father Peregrine) Father Matthew novice master Brother Cyprian porter Father Aelred schoolmaster Father Lucanus novice master before Father Matthew Father Anselm once robe maker Brother Andrew kitchener
Chapter One
“ Tom! ”
Brother Thomas thought he had never heard a monk shout so loud.
He stopped and turned round. He had never seen Brother Martin run before, either. Brother Martin did not have the physique for running, and Brother Thomas watched in fascination. The sight was decidedly comical. He remembered that moment, afterwards, as the last time he found anything funny for a very long time.
“Tom!” Brother Martin was puffing now and bent down to get his breath, his hands on his knees. “Tom, for the sake of all holy, make haste over to Father John’s lodging. Go now.”
Brother Thomas asked the obvious question: “Why?”
And when Brother Martin told him in puffs and gasps what had happened, “Oh Jesu Christe ! Oh mother of God!” Tom murmured in horror and shock as he listened, then said nothing further, but turned back toward the cloister, going with all speed to the abbot’s house. Outside the door, which was closed, he stood for a moment. He realized that he needed courage to go in. He prayed, silently: God, help us now… help us now… He lifted the latch but didn’t knock.
On a stool that stood randomly in the centre of the room, Abbot John sat as he had sunk down when he heard the news. His face was so white it looked almost green. His hand was pressed against his mouth. He stared without seeing. He responded not at all to Tom’s entrance. He was shaking all over. He was alone. Brother Martin, who had run to relay the news to him, he had sent away with a disconcerting impression of complete calm: “Will you leave me, Brother? I think I need to be by myself a little while.”
His voice had been quiet, but his tone admitted no question of argument or remonstrance, to Brother Martin’s mind. As Martin withdrew unobtrusively, leaving his superior in privacy, it came to him that this calibre of being was what made an abbot: the capacity to stand like a rock however mighty the breaker that crashed down. Even so, amid his admiration he had the sense t