I’ve decided that, in the interests of continuity and for you to be able to see at any one time which way the storyline is going, I’m going to include the preceding strips in order. That way, if you come to this page for the first time or after a break, then instead of wondering what the characters are reacting to, you’ll be able to catch up instantly.
The story so far, then…
This is Brother Ralph setting the scene. As with all good stories, you have to get to know the characters. As do I. Even as the author and artist, I have to almost watch what happens in order to get some kind of inspiration for stories that could develop.
This strip is set in the 14th century but for fairly obvious reasons, I have refrained from any attempt at using the language of the time. In all probability, these chaps would have conversed in Latin, at least some of the time but I propose to keep that to a minimum. I’ll keep the odd phrase up my sleeve for comedic effect, though..
Well, what do you know, if anything, about 14th century England, I wonder?
Most people will think of poverty, filth, inequality and corrupt officials but that’s just from today’s news, as you know!
Well, the 14th century in England, or at least, the lives of ordinary people in those times, is a subject that has taken hold of me over the last twenty-five years or so. And if you want to get a better idea of life in those times yourself, I strongly recommend a great little book called “Life in a Medieval Village” by Frances and Joseph Gies. I bought it back in the days when I used to commute to London every morning from my home in Essex. In those days, the commute gave me around two hours a day doing nothing much, apart from observing my fellow travellers. More on that highly colourful subject on another day..
I bought the book in a bright, modern bookshop near Liverpool Street station, thinking that it might just divert me from my daily cares and carry me back to a time long past and, boy, was I rewarded?!
It’s a cracking read, which may be the biggest surprise for some folk, as history books can be dry and academic. But the authors have a very easy style and they focus on the lives of ordinary people rather than kings, queens and courtiers. And it’s so much better for that very reason.
They have concentrated on a small village called Elton, not far from Peterborough, which is in modern-day Cambridgeshire. Using the manorial rolls - the record-keeping system of the day - along with court records, church lists of births, marriages and deaths, they bring to life the day-to-day cares of the locals.
I could go on but just as an example of the kinds of joys to be unearthed, imagine being convicted of the delightfully named“hamsoken”? Or “leerwite”? These are crimes which either don’t exist any more or have simply taken on new names. By way of explanation, the first is the crime of assaulting somebody in their own home and the second is, if memory serves, indulging in sex when unmarried.
These would have been offences for which a fine was imposed but for me, well, I just found the names of them to be deliciously precise. And funny, of course.
I don’t think I can use such arcane expressions in the cartoon strips, though; that would be a bit opaque, to say the least.
I’m properly encouraged by the way my newsletter has been received, by the way. It does make the work of writing and drawing so much more rewarding when you see that others are happy to give a little time to follow what you’ve written.
I’d love to hear from you and perhaps get some suggestions on story lines for Merrie England, so please do drop me the odd note to keep me tagging along with you.
In the meantime, here’s another link to a cartoon drawing lesson on YouTube.
Want to see how Merrie England develops? It’s still free, so click and sign up!