Lord of the Abbey (14 page)

“
William Dulac married Ann Dulac, his second cousin. You are still Dulacs. And Fotherbys. Or should I say Del Acqs.” He spelled that name aloud, as well as the next he provided, “or Du Lacs.”

Everyone sat waiting for Micah to enlighten them to the significance of what he just told them.

“
Which means…?” Harry raised an inquiring eyebrow.

“
Ah, so sorry. I forget not everyone knows about genealogy, noble lineage and Arthurian bloodlines as I do. It appears, ladies, that your ancestors have been here since somewhere around A.D. 37. Of course that is the time when Joseph of Arimathea, your ancestor, by the way, came to Glastonbury permanently. He was here before that time. It is even mentioned in the Bible that his title was
Nobilis Decurio,
minister of the mines. It is a historical fact that tin was mined in Somerset and Cornwall at that time. Tin was used in making alloys. And the Romans used much tin. Joseph was in charge of the Roman tin trade. Also, Joseph was a voting member of the
Sanhedrin
. He was the uncle of Jesus, as well as a disciple. Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy and learned man who became the head of Mary’s household when Jesus’ father Joseph died. His line, as well as his nephew’s, Jesus, intermarried with the Del Acqs line.”

Micah looked up, noted their blank stares. “Avallach. Avallon. The house of Avallon Del Acqs. Viviane Del Acqs, the Lady of the Lake. Then through Lancelot Du Lac. The name later changed to Du Lac. Which over time became Dulac. One word.”

Rowena and Aunt Frances gasped in pleased surprise.

“
I’d no idea.” Frances shook her head. A happy expression lit her features. “That is truly astonishing, Micah. Thank you so much for pointing that out. What a wonderful thing to discover. I am happy we are still Dulacs after all.”

“
Incredible. So the Dulacs
are
tied to Glastonbury for centuries. I made the connection to Del Acqs and Du Lacs, but I did not realize it was the same as the Arthurian Del Acqs. Of course, there are so many who think Arthur was just a myth. Unless you have researched. What a surprise!” Rowena smiled happily.

She glanced in Harry’s direction. She saw he too was smiling. He gave her a quick wink. She felt tingly all over. She quickly composed herself and returned her attention to Micah, whom she felt was far too animated for a man who had no sleep the previous night.

“
Anyone who is familiar with genealogy might also be aware of your lineage. I think just being tied to Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, the house of Avallon Del Acqs and King Arthur might present another reason why someone would be interested in your history and home. True, there might be other secrets the Dulacs protected, ones we know nothing about - yet. Not to mention the fact, and I do not mean to frighten you, ladies, that if someone wanted to marry into a noble line, your line is an ancient, highly noble, and therefore a much desired one. And Lady Rowena is as yet unmarried.”

“
But Micah,” Rowena spoke sternly, stricken for a moment at the mention of marriage, “many Kings claim to trace their ancestry to King Arthur, and many nobles have royal blood in their lineage. There are possibly hundreds of unmarried ladies with the same bloodline as I have.”

Harry saw Rowena pale at the mention of marriage. Hmm?

“
True, Lady Rowena, I am just presenting another possibility as to why someone might take an interest in the books which were stolen.
The History of the Dulacs of Glastonbury
does not go back as far as St. Joseph of Arimathea, but it does include Viviane Del Acqs, the first. It also mentions her daughters Viviane Del Acqs the second and Ygerna Del Acqs, who is Igraine from Arthurian legend, and who ultimately married King Arthur’s father.”

Micah rose. “In that same book I learned that the Dulacs or Del Acqs have always been tied to the Vetusta Ecclesia, the old church and later the Abbey, as well as the chapel in nearby Beckery, but mostly to the Tor.”

Pausing to draw a deep breath, Micah continued, “It is believed the original church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary by Joseph of Arimathea and some believe, by Jesus himself. There is also some speculation that the old church was built to honor Mary Magdalene, and then when the Virgin Mary Cult grew strong, the name of the old church was shortened to St. Mary’s. Interestingly enough, the original wattle church was believed by some to have been built the same year that Mary Magdalene died in France, A.D. 63, and by others well before A.D. 37.”

“
Why would it be dedicated to Mary Magdalene over the Virgin Mary?” Rowena asked, then searched her memory for theories she’d read regarding Mary Magdalene. “Ah, because it was believed she came here to Glastonbury too, in addition to France? Or because of her relation to Jesus.”

“
Because of her druidic ties in France, her relation to Jesus, yes, and also because of her supposed visit to Glastonbury. When the Oratory in Beckery was established in her honor. Then there are some who believe, and there are a few snippets of recorded history that suggest that Mary Magdalene was the mother of Jesus Christ’s children. Some say there was only one child, some say as many as three,” Micah uttered softly, unsure of the response he might receive from his last statement.

“
Yes! I do remember reading something quite like that, Micah,” Rowena acknowledged, unaffected by what Micah just said. “I was always intrigued by such a notion. I did not give it much thought at the time. I need to delve deeper and look at that theory again.”

Micah continued, “As you may or may not be aware, it is believed, in myth anyway, that Glastonbury was the Avalon mentioned in the Arthurian tales, and that the Lady of the Lake, Viviane Del Acqs, a druid priestess, headed one school of druids located here in Glastonbury. Some speculate her school was for women, possibly on the Tor or at Beckery or at Wearyall Hill, or Wirrall Hill as it was once known. Of course, it is a proven fact there were Druidic Colleges here in Britain for young men of the well to do from all over the known world at that time. And one for women as well, that is sometimes referred to as the monastery of holy virgins. Julius Caesar even mentions these Druidic colleges in Britain in his letters. It is believed Pontius Pilate himself was schooled at one of these colleges.”

He continued, “Remembering the Lady of the Lake’s school for women sparked my memory to certain recorded and fairly well documented ancient history of Glastonbury. I think I now understand what William meant in his letter. Oh, where is it?” Micah searched his pile of papers and pulled the letter out. He adjusted his spectacles before continuing. “William said regarding the sapphire and the cruets, that they were
taken to an underground chamber at a site removed from the Abbey, the place of an ancient lady saint, also a place of a miracle by St. Mary, which was according to the Abbot a truly ancient and holy ground,
and long connected to the old church and the Abbey
.”

The room was silent. All eyes again rested on Micah.

He searched the eyes of their party for a glimmer of understanding on any of their faces. Finding none, he said, “The Chapel of St. Bridget at Beckery.”

“
Of course. The place of an ancient lady saint!” Rowena acknowledged. “The chapel has been gone for centuries I believe.”

“
Yes, St. Bridget’s at Beckery would make sense.” Harry nodded thoughtfully. “For the Abbot was, even months before he was arrested, being watched and was at some point ordered to remain confined to his residence at Sharpham by Doctor Layton. Some months later, he was apparently allowed back to the Abbey for mundane, daily affairs. Beckery is on the road to Sharpham, and near enough for the Abbot and William to possibly get there unnoticed. Perhaps the Abbot and William even went there to pray while the Abbot was confined to Sharpham. And William’s letter did state that the place of the lady saint was off of the abbey grounds.”

“
Quite right, Harry. I did forget the Abbot was confined to Sharpham for a time.” Micah noted, “Then the Beckery theory does fit nicely doesn’t it? If you all remember before drainage was installed in this area, parts of modern day Glastonbury and its surrounds were all watery lakes, marshland and islands. Most pilgrims arrived to the Abbey by boat. Near Beckery. As we know there was a small chapel at Beckery, the first and smallest honored St. Mary Magdalene. A church not quite as old as the Vetusta Ecclesia at the Abbey, but surely built in the same century. I read that some believe it was an oratory that Magdalene herself founded.”

Micah walked alongside the library table as he spoke, “There was a long established pilgrimage to the Chapel at Beckery to honor Mary Magdalene before the arrival of Bridget. St. Bridget arrived in A.D. 488 to worship at the oratory of Mary Magdalene. After Bridget’s passing, the chapel was rebuilt, made larger, and renamed to honor her. Her bell, spindle and pouch were left behind. They were venerated and worshipped relics at the chapel.”

He drew a deep breath, then continued, “History records that Beckery was inhabited by a group of “Holy Virgins”, believed to be at either the chapel grounds or nearby Wearyall Hill. The area was even known as the
Women’s Quarter
, for as you know, no females were allowed to stay within the Abbey walls. It is also thought the Convent of Holy Virgins was possibly one of the three perpetual choirs mentioned from ancient times, the other two believed to have been in the area of Salisbury and lastly, North Wales. It is possible by Arthur’s time, roughly the fifth or sixth century, A.D. the choir ceased to exist. I did not find an exact year the choir was abolished. But the convent of the Holy Virgins remained.”

Still walking up one side of the library table and down the other, Micah went on, “Pilgrims coming to the old church stopped to hold vigil in the chapel or at the convent to purify themselves, before continuing their pilgrimage to the sacred old church, the Lady Chapel at the Abbey, truly the first above ground church in the world. For in A.D. 37 when Joseph of Arimathea came to Glastonbury, Christians were still worshipping underground in Greece and Rome and everywhere else Christianity reached.”

“
But, what of a miracle by St. Mary at Beckery.” Lyon questioned. “Any recorded history of that?”

“
Yes, from John of Glastonbury. Which is also very similar to many tales in the Grail Romances. Do any of you recall from the romances when Arthur is led to a chapel, which is identified in many writings as Becker, Beckerau, Beckery, or names sounding similar?”

“
Yes, and he has a vision of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus,” Harry contributed.

“
And she presented a crystal cross to him which he gifted to the Abbot of Glastonbury. Arthur went on to change his coat of arms from the red dragon of Pendragon, to a crystal cross on vert, with the image of the Virgin and Child in the corner,” Rowena added.

“
Which then was adopted as the coat-of-arms of Glastonbury Abbey,” Lyon pointed out.

Micah continued. “Yes. Correct on all accounts. Arthur was making a pilgrimage to the Vetusta Ecclesia, the old church, the Lady Chapel in the Abbey. Due to Glastonbury being surrounded by water at that time, and Ponter’s Ball being the defensive earthworks protecting the Abbey to the southeast of the Tor, one had to cross over Pont-Perles or Pomparles, a bridge, though the one remaining is not the original bridge, to reach the chapel at Beckery and the convent of the Holy Virgins at Wirral, or Wearyall Hill. From there, Pilgrims made their way to the
Vetusta Ecclesia
.”

“
Pomparles or the Perilious Bridge, in Arthurian legend,” Charlie expounded.

“
The same.” Micah nodded. “Arthur did not go to the chapel first. He went to rest at the monastery of the Holy Virgins. Arthur was told in a dream to visit the chapel at Beckery. He went to St. Bridget’s Chapel, which also still honored St. Mary Magdalene and received a vision of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus. The Virgin presented him with a crystal cross, which as you said Lady Rowena, he presented to the Abbot of Glastonbury upon his later arrival at the Abbey.”

“
Yes! That makes perfect sense. But Micah?”

“
Yes, Lady Rowena?”

“
The Chapel of St. Bridget’s is in ruins. Beyond ruins actually. I think perhaps some of the outline of the foundations might still be seen, if even that. I don’t believe there is even much rubble left.”

“
I realize that. I rode there early this morning, just past dawn. There are some traces of the foundation left. Of both the Chapel and the later Saxon and then Norman Priest’s house.”

“
Didn’t William Dulac’s letter say that the items were placed in an underground chamber?” Harry asked thoughtfully.

“
Yes. There may be an underground chamber, long caved in when the Chapel was wrecked at the dissolution, or as the ruins decayed. Mayhap it was plundered over the centuries as the rubble was picked away stone by stone. Or, it might still be there under the foundation, chamber intact. History does record a basement area beneath the chapel.”