#James Wardroper

[teecupangel]

I have a poll now and I've seen a lot of AC polls already up so let's try something a bit 'wtf'.

[duardius]

wardropism

james wardrop was a curator of manuscripts in the national art library, victoria & albert museum, london, from 1929 until his untimely death in 1957. he wrote brilliant articles—alas, scarce few—on renaissance scribes & humanistic scripts. scattered throughout his essays are numerous expressions certainly worthy of the term maxim, which i, for purpose of posting, have dubbed wardropisms.

the setting copy is from wardrop’s posthumously published The Script of Humanism [clarendon press, oxford, 1963, p5]. for typeface details vide ‹tagliente italic›; for details of the fleuron pair vide ‹harmony›.

letterpress on sekishu white. new to my studio, sekishu is amongst the most ancient types of japanese, handmade paper; very thin—not quite tissue, very strong. necessitated lightly inked, just-a-kiss impression. the printed artifact is sumptuous, far more visually pleasing than the scan.

[errolkwong]

Errol Kwong Melbourne || Australia's Top Iconic Architectural Sites

Australia maintains a strong connection to its past through its architecture, despite being far from Europe, says Errol Kwong. There are remnants of Colonial, Gothic, and even Classicist era architecture all around the nation, as well as some of the most intriguing modern buildings and structures, especially in some of its largest and busiest cities. We're taking a look at Australian architecture today and letting you know which ten structures you really must see on your next vacation to Oceania.

Sydney Opera House

Any discussion of renowned Australian architecture is sure to mention the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House, which was built in 1959, is among the most recognizable examples of Australian design. Initially, the plan was so intricate that J.R. Utzon, the architect, was derided for his "impossible design." The Sydney Opera House revolutionised the use of computers for future structural problems that had not yet been fully understood. It became one of the first structures to do so with computers, says Errol Kwong Melbourne. It was erected in 1959 and the architect of this building is Jorn Utzon.

Council Building (Perth)

City officials lived in Perth's Council House during the majority of its existence. It was praised when it was first built in the 1960s as a spectacular example of contemporary Australian architecture. It eventually fell into ruin over the years, though, and in the 1990s there were some thoughts of demolishing it. Luckily, it was renovated instead, and its steel frame enclosed in concrete is still in place. The building was built in 1963. Howlett and Bailey Architects are the architects, and the building is in Perth.

The Memorial Shrine

The Shrine of Remembrance was initially constructed in memory of Victoria's First World War soldiers. The Shrine of Memory, like many notable instances of western architecture, draws inspiration from Greece, specifically the Parthenon. developed in 1934. James Wardrop and Phillip Hudson are the architects. Melbourne is the location.

Western Australia's Council House

"The Council House in Perth is a unique illustration of a success tale in the preservation of twentieth-century Modernism in Australia.

"It is a remarkable example of international Modernism tempered by geography and climate because of the glass entrance and water elements, as well as the façade of T-shaped, mosaic-covered sun shading fins. Early in the 1990s, it was considered to be an eyesore or just "in the wrong location at the wrong time," and it was in danger of being demolished.

Nonetheless, a determined campaign resulted in its preservation and thoughtful renovation, and it is today praised as an architectural "landmark" in the Perth CBD.

Baker House, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria

The geometry of this home, constructed for a mathematician in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, has an essentialness. An organised symmetry gives way to substantial variances in how the house functions and is perceived. Straightforward, but not basic. Self-evident, but full of surprises and unexpected relationships.

"The Baker House must be Mr Boyd's most sophisticated and natural home—a true 'ideal' city layout at the scale of a family residence. The house merges modern sensibilities without using modern materials, with the exception of the concrete floors, and has all stone walls, straw ceilings, and concrete floors.

"This unconventional courtyard home flips the traditional inward gaze out back out to the surrounding bushland, with the flyscreen covered.

The Australian National University's Academy of Science was finished in 1959 in Canberra, the country's capital territory.

A big conference hall with raked seating, a council room, offices, and a fellow's room are all contained in this building, which is also referred to as the "Shine Dome." The building is made of concrete and is covered in copper.

"The arches offer a 360-degree panoramic sequence of 16 views of Walter Burley Griffin's capital city and the hills beyond from the promenade between the moat and the inner walls. Some of the sound problems caused by the circular structure were addressed by a sophisticated system of acoustic baffles suspended from the ceiling and incorporated into the walls, but this system produced an entirely unanticipated issue. Architects are Roy Grounds Construction: Civil & Civic/ Structural engineers: W L Irwin & Associates.

Read More: Australia's Top Iconic Architectural Sites

[maher-leather001]

The History of Leather Jackets: Where did leather jackets originate?

Since its inception, the women's leather bomber jacket has been a favourite Wardrop item for both men and women. You can choose from a variety of hides to make these classic outfits, including cowhide and sheepskin as well as goat leather, sheepskin or lambskin, horsehide and kangaroo. This amazing men's leather jacket is made by most of the major manufacturing companies in cowhide or sheepskin. Cowhide is a durable, tough and rouged leather that's unlike any other types. Many styles and designs were created by the new producers of this iconic outerwear that maherleathers have at their online store. There are many styles to choose from, including asymmetric collars and zipped or hooded options. The biker jacket for women has a shorter body with a more stylish cut.

These hides are made from natural animals such as horses, goats, sheep, pigs and cows. The leather is strong and resistant to abrasions. It is also used by large corporations to make motorcycle racing suits, bags, and shoes. It provides a lot of protection and safety for those who wear it on challenging race tracks.

Leather Jacket History

The crucial period of World War I, July 28th 1914 to November 11th 1918 is well-known around the world. The US military's air corps flew fighter planes at over 25000 feet. There was no appropriate clothing that could protect the pilots from the extreme cold at high altitudes. At that time, their planes didn't have an enclosed window system. The air temperature was too low and the freezing cold constantly attacked the US flight crew. The outfit needed to be warm and durable so it could withstand the cold winds at high altitudes.

In 1917, the American air force clothing division made a leather jacket with horsehide for their pilots. These pilots were the first to wear leather jackets. These outfits were also known by the names flight, aviator and bomber jackets. Because of its durability and warmth, it was very popular. The front had buttons to close the door. To keep the wearer warm, a cotton inner lining was also added.

These outfits were subject to many modifications by the US aviation clothing board. They named them according to the series or users of the outfits. These names included A-1, B-2 and B-3 as well as M-1 and other. These outerwear items were also manufactured by local American organizations. They used horse hide, while others used cow or sheep leather. They all had a durable look and lasted a long time.

Introduction to the Fashion World

In 1928, Irvin Schott was an American citizen with extraordinary talent who created the first fashion-oriented leather coat. His classic motorcycle leather jacket is the most loved design in the modern world. This outfit was sold in New York by the Harley Davidson Dealer for $5.50. This was the lowest price ever paid for this iconic design. To enhance the look of the outfit, he added a zipper to the front. His design gained too much popularity, not only in the United States of America, but all over the world.

Hollywood Interaction (the 1950s-60s)

Many companies began making fashion-inspired jackets in other styles and designs after the initial fashionable jacket became popular. Leather-made clothes became a common choice for everyday wear. These outfits were in great demand. These garments were soon in demand by Hollywood stars of the 1900s. These outfits were first used in Hollywood's top movies starting in 1950. Marlon Brando wore a leather jacket in "The Wild One", a Hollywood movie. This was the first time a leather jacket had been worn in the film industry, in 1953. He played a dangerous member of a gang. He wore a leather jacket and a huge dressing sense, creating a tough look for a biker.

1955 was another big year for the outfit when "Rebel without a cause", the movie, was released. James Dean was the lead role in this movie. He was an American actor. His romantic movie character, the movie hero, wore a red leather jacket.

You will find Tom Cruise, the beloved actor of the 1980s. In his remarkable Top Gun movie , Cruise wore a flight bomber jacket and was a total bomber pilot presence. After the success of Hollywood's Top Gun movie, this bomber jacket was in high demand around the globe.

Women Enrolment

Women also updated their clothing during the period of changes in men's outerwear. The women are seen updating their fashion wears with some of the most iconic leather jackets of the 1970s and 1980s. Leather-made clothes were popular among women in the United States and European Unions. Women prefer to wear garments that were once worn by men. Joan Jett and Blondie, a well-known rock & roll band, wore the women's cowhide classic leather jacket. Their acts were a major boost for the demand of leather jackets for women. For the concert, they added some modifications to the outfit, such as buttons, studs and pins.

Today's leather jackets

The demand for leather jackets has not diminished and their sales graph has remained constant throughout the world. These timeless wears have not been out of fashion since their introduction in the fashion world. These wears are subject to modifications and other changes, but they still have the great favouritism both of men and women. At the moment, there are many styles, designs, colors, and options. These outfits are trendy, fashionable, fashion-oriented and warm.

[color-and-shine]

Ready for your Autumn/Fall Wardrobe?

Chalodya Madarasinghe

10/17/2022

Before you step into the beautiful autumn, here are a few trends that can transform your Wardrop for the better. 

COLOR-BLOCKING

Want to stand out from the crowd? This season color-blocking is back in a big way. Mixing warm shades and cool tones are always the way to go. Always add a bold hat, bag or shoes to complete the look. Be bold and bright!! 

@larissaleall/Instagram 

Priyanka Chopra photographed on March 21 on the NYC streets 

Victoria Beckham by James Devaney 

BLACK CUT-OUT TOPS

This season, cut-out tops are an excellent addition to your wardrobe. These tops can be styled with many other pieces. Elevate your look to win hearts this autumn. The best trend to wear anytime during the day. 

Photo from ShowPo

Photo from Pinterest

DENIM ALL OVER Head to toe denim is back in trend and back in the market. Style yourself with your favorite denim jeans, oversized jackets, dresses and even a mini dress to get the 60s look. Make one of these your staple pieces in the wardrobe.  

Photo from Hollywood Life

Photo from Hollywood Life

Photo from Hollywood Life

Photo by Broadimage/Shutterstock

These trends make a great comeback for this autumn/fall season. From color-blocking to cut-out tops and head-to-toe denim, make your wardrobe so you can dress like a queen. As we dive into autumn season, get ready to see more and more of these styles on the street.  

[kwebtv]

James Wardroper, David Kelly, Colin Welland and Roy Kinnear in “Cowboys”

[rogaire-a]

When you think that Shay could have easily killed William Johnson at the Congress of Albany in 1754, but he wasn’t his current target so he let him away :’D

[strechanadi]

Spitfire

Adam Cooper, James Leece, Neil Penlington, Arthur Pita, Ewan Wardrop, Richard Winsor

choreography Matthew Bourne

Can’t believe I haven’t seen this one yet! It’s positively hysterical. (Also if anyone need another reason to love Adam Cooper... you know)

[bankaizen]

— ASSASSINATING JAMES WARDROP

[drunk-on-starlight]

I like that Shay protests killing innocents so much that he joins the Templars and British Empire and starts helping oppress people across the globe.

Remember those "good men" Gist was talking about? Lawrence Washington, whose death had Shay feeling so conflicted? Lawrence Washington the slave owner. James Wardrop? Evicted native tribes, responsible for numerous massacres.

And Gist himself, also a slave owner. Gee, Shay, where's that concern for innocents? Where's your concern for the French or Native civilians who would end up so fucked over by the British here?

[scotianostra]

Makars' Court.

Lawnmarket Royal Mile Edinburgh.

Makars' Court is either from Lady Stairs' Close or Wardrop's Court in the Lawnmarket Royal Mile or from North Bank Street on the Mound across from the Bank Museum. The Makars' Slabs are to honour each Makar.

If you take a walking tour around the Old Town you are more or less garunteed to be brought here, it’s a large open court and it’s not unusual for several tours to be on the court telling their tales at the same time.

A Makar was originally a reference to poets of fifteenth and sixteenth century Scotland. It now includes more recent writers.

These pics are of the slabs with a wee bit info on the Makar, and an explanation of any Scots words.

"Sing out the silence, fill for ever and ever the emptiness"

                                                                              James Allen Ford.(1920 – 2009)

Born in Auchtermuchty, Fife, Ford was brought up in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal High School. He joined the Royal Scots reaching the rank of Captain, he served in the Far East during the war and was captured by the Japanese, where he saw out the war, his  brother was executed at the prisoner of war camp at Sham Shui Po.

At the end of the war Mr Ford returned to Edinburgh and resumed work in the civil service and studied law part-time at Edinburgh University. In 1966, Mr Ford became registrar general for Scotland, operating from New Register House in Edinburgh, he held several other high profile roles in the civil service during his career.

In the 1960s and early 1970s Ford wrote five novels. His first two were deeply personal: The Brave White Flag recounted the despairing days leading up to the fall of Hong Kong, and two years later came Season of Escape, about the life and death of his brother Douglas, which won the Frederick Niven Award.

He followed these with three more novels about his subsequent and more agreeable life in Edinburgh, A Statue for a Public Place, A Judge of Men and The Mouth of Truth.

The inscription is taken from the final chapter of his 1965 novel A Statue for a Public Place

As well as being a UNESCO World Heritage site, Esinburgh is the world's first UNESCO City of Literature. 

More posts to follow.........

[royalpain16]

Greater than Buckingham Palace

In the second volume of his magisterial life of W.B. Yeats, Roy Foster records a visit made by the poet to Markree Castle, County Sligo in late summer 1929. The house was then owned by Bryan Cooper, sometime poet and playwright, and for the previous six years a T.D. in Dáil Éireann. According to Foster, the visit was not altogether a success. Peter Cooper, one of his host’s sons, remembered it as ‘a great nuisance…he was deposited by his long-suffering wife, with instructions not to let him go out in the wet grass in his slippers, and she then disappeared off to Galway with the children.’ Bryan Cooper’s daughter Ursula was, it appears, equally not impressed when Yeats read her a poem he had just written. On the other hand, Bryan Cooper’s wife Lillian was delighted to hear from the poet that he had ‘realised the ambition of my life…as we have always looked on the Coopers and Markree Castle as greater than the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace.’ 

The first of the Coopers to live in Ireland is said to have been an English soldier who married the famous Máire Rua O’Brien after her second husband Conor O’Brien of Leamaneh Castle, County Clare was killed in 1651. Eight years later, Charles II granted Cooper land in County Sligo which had previously belonged to the McDonagh clan; it was based around a fort guarding a pass on the river Unsin, and this remains the site of Markree Castle. At some point in the 18th century, a classical house was constructed here, of three storeys with a five-bay entrance front (with three-bay breakfront) and the garden side with a single bay on either side of a curved bow. However, in 1802 Joshua Cooper commissioned Francis Johnston to transform the building into a castle. At that time Markree was also greatly enlarged, what had been the main facade extended to more than twice its original length and centred on a curved and battlemented tower; this now become – as it remains – the garden front. The entrance was now moved to an adjacent side, to which Johnston added a porch, while elsewhere an office wing was constructed, joined to the rest by a canted link. Further changes were made by Joshua Cooper’s nephew and heir, Edward Joshua Cooper, a keen astronomer who built an observatory in the demesne. Inside the castle, London architect Joseph Gwilt transformed the office wing into a private gothic chapel. Gwilt was also responsible for redecorating the interiors of the rooms overlooking the garden, in what Mark Bence-Jones described as ‘an ornate Louis Quatorze style; with much gilding and well-fed putti in high relief supporting cartouches and trailing swags of flowers and fruits.’ (These spaces are now used as dining rooms). In the mid-1860s, the next generation to live here, Colonel Edward Henry Cooper, initiated further changes, this time employing James Maitland Wardrop who gave the exterior its present heavily fortified appearance. The entrance was moved once more with the construction of a vast porte – cochère (with billiard room directly above). Inside, a baronial stone staircase leads up to the reception rooms and here a second Imperial staircase in oak, lit by a great arched window filled with heraldic stained glass with portraits of members of the Cooper family and monarchs, leads to a top-lit gallery off which open the main bedrooms. Francis Johnston’s former entrance was turned into a long gallery divided by pairs of marble Ionic columns.

The history of Markree Castle for much of the last century was one of seemingly irreversible decline, personified by the fact that in 1988 it was used for the filming of a television series based on J.G. Farrell’s novel Troubles, and that same year its staircase hall featured on the cover of Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland. Until the last quarter of the 19th century, the castle had stood at the centre of an estate running to more than 42,000 acres, but most of this was sold by Bryan Cooper under the new land acts after he inherited the property from his grandfather in 1902. He then spent much of his time in Dublin, especially in later years so that Markree became only occupied during the summer months. When Bryan Cooper died in 1930, his eldest son Edward Francis Patrick Cooper was left the place; he and his family lived there until 1952 when it became impossible for them to maintain such a large house. As a result, many of the original contents were auctioned, and the Coopers moved into the old service wing, leaving the rest of the building empty. In the early 1980s, Markree was passed to the next generation but the eldest son, Edward, did not wish to live in the house, and eventually it was taken over by his younger brother Charles who had trained in hotel management and therefore decided to turn the castle, by now in very bad condition, into an hotel. He and his wife Mary embarked on a programme of restoration and ran the business until 2014 when, wishing to retire, they put Markree Castle on the market. The following year it was bought by the Corscadden family who already owned a number of other hotels located in historic properties and, after further refurbishment, the castle has been open to guests ever since.

[duardius]

wardropism no. 2

‹wardropism› defines the term. copy for this setting again from james wardrop’s The Script of Humanism [clarendon press, oxford, 1963, p.xiii].

for typeface details vide ‹tagliente italic›. the arabesque finisher/separator is composed of a monotype unit [english monotype 280]—for some history vide ‹granjon arabesque›.

letterpress on okawara.

[jurakan]

If everything is permitted, then no one is safe.

James Wardrop, Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

[lady-hammerlock]

Assassin’s Creed Rogue - The Novel - Chapter 14

30th July 1757

The next time the Morrigan pulled into port we bid farewell to La Vérendrye. We also received word that Hope wanted to meet us in Albany. The message did not say why, but Liam seemed optimistic that Hope would have word of James Wardrop for us. We heard also of a political conference that was due to be held at Albany in a few days’ time. I regret that I did not pay much attention to such things at the time, but looking back on it now, I can say that it was a gathering of some significance that signalled the beginnings of the war with the French in which we I now find myself embroiled.

Liam and I did not care about such things however, or waste any time discussing them. As far as we were both concerned the only tasks of any importance that might be waiting for us in Albany was the assassination of James Wardrop, and the recovery of the Precursor manuscript.

And of course, as we approached Albany, Liam made sure that he did everything within his power to convince me that James Wardrop was an absolute monster. He told me of the native tribes that James Wardrop had forced off their land, as though every man of standing in the colonies has not, in their own small way, been guilty of the same thing. He told me also of the laws that James Wardrop bent to suit his own needs, Liam’s old hatred of politicians still as strong as it had ever been. We were not even sure that I would need to kill James Wardrop, or that he would be at the conference, but Liam was not taking any chances.

I listened to every word that he said to me, and I tried to believe in them, and in my friend. I was sure that he was telling the truth, and yet I could not shake the feeling that killing James Wardrop would probably feel just as distasteful and unnecessary to me as killing both Washington and Smith had.

When we pulled into port I saw to the needs of the Morrigan and her men while Liam ran off to find Hope. I took my time, wanting to give Liam and Hope as much time alone together as they needed. It had been a few months since they had last seen one another after all. At least, I told myself that was why I stayed with the Morrigan. In truth I was not looking forward at all to potentially having to kill another Templar.

Eventually I ran out of excuses to stay with the Morrigan and her crew, and headed off in search of my friends. They had clearly been talking for a while when I arrived, and Hope was so enraptured with whatever it was that Liam had been saying that she did not notice my arrival, and I accidentally startled her when I placed a hand on her shoulder in greeting.

“You’re here,” she said, sounding rather more surprised than I would have expected of an Assassin. We were always supposed to be alert and aware of our surroundings after all.

“The Congress is still in session,” she continued. “George Washington and his militia have fired on French troops under Jumonville. The French are calling it an act of war.”

At the time I did not know how important that first act of war would turn out to be. All I could think of was the name Hope had mentioned; George Washington. I had known Lawrence’s brother was a high-ranking member of the military, and it seems as though his importance in such matters is only increasing these days, but at the time all I could picture was the concerned face of a young man as he watched his elder brother slowly fading away thanks to the illness that ate at him.

“You mean Lawrence’s younger brother?” I asked Hope, barely able to believe it.

“Yes, it’s the same,” Hope confirmed. “Speaking of Lawrence Washington, since you eliminated him, James Wardrop has moved up the ranks. All the Templar resources are at his disposal now.”

So my target had become one of even more significance than before. I was under no delusions. It was not as though I was going after the Grandmaster himself. No, by all reports the Colonial Grandmaster had not been seen in the colonies for months at that stage, and Lawrence Washington and James Wardrop were only leading in his absence, and were, of course, in charge of the operation involving the Precursor box and manuscript.

“What about the manuscript?” I asked Hope.

“My sources in New York confirm that Wardrop has it,” Hope replied. “I also learned that he is here, at the congress, under heavy guard.”

Liam’s guess had proved correct. He would undoubtedly view the news as good, although I was probably not as excited by Hope’s revelation as I was expected to be.

Liam had remained silent while Hope and I talked, but at that moment he turned to me.

“Shay, find Wardrop,” Liam told me. “Get that manuscript.”

No matter how I looked at it, Liam’s words were nothing more or less than an order. My friend had dismissed me. It stung, but I nodded nevertheless and made to leave.

“This place is thick with Templar troops,” Hope added before I could leave. “Liam and I will make sure Wardrop doesn’t escape.”

I was sure that the two of them wanted to spend as much time alone together as they could. Since the outbreak of typhoid fever in the homestead Liam and Hope had been closer than ever. It felt as though the two of them had dismissed me all too easily, but I could hardly begrudge my friends wanting to spend a little bit of time alone without me. Or at least, I tried not to begrudge them this, but I was all too aware of the fact that I was growing slightly jealous of the both of them, and of their bond.

I took my time as I wandered around Albany. It was easy enough to find my way to the buildings in which the congress was taking place. It seemed as though nearly every person in the colony was interested in the political meeting in one fashion or another.

I soon found a rather large gathering of people. They were all watching a man on a raised platform in front of them as he orated rather passionately. He was trying to convince his audience of the importance of the colonies joining together to create one government, and doing a remarkably good job of it. Even though I was in the crowd for a reason other than the man’s speech, I found myself taken in by his words.

At the time I was aware of the speaker only by reputation, but before long I would come to know him rather a lot better. His name was Benjamin Franklin, and he had a way of speaking that made you want to listen. From the time I have spent with him I can also report that he is a friendly, intelligent individual, although not, perhaps, as observant as you might expect of such an academically minded man.

As I stood there amongst the crowd, enraptured by Benjamin Franklin’s words, I spotted one of James Wardrop’s allies. William Johnson, another high-ranking Templar, was also in the crowd, and appeared to be just as absorbed by Franklin’s speech as anyone there.

When Franklin had finished Johnson applauded the loudest, and immediately moved towards the podium to greet Franklin as he stepped down. I kept a close eye on Johnson, thinking that he might eventually lead me to James Wardrop, or that he himself might actually be in possession of the manuscript or know where to find it.

“A rousing speech, Mister Franklin,” Johnson commented as he fell into step alongside Benjamin Franklin. “But do you truly believe Great Britain will grant her colonies autonomy?”

The two began to walk off together and I followed them, careful to stay far enough back that they would not spot me. As they walked they continued to discuss Master Franklin’s speech for a short while, before Johnson swiftly changed the subject.

“Let us leave politics for another day,” Johnson said. “I wanted to thank you for your research.”

This peaked my interest. What sort of research could Benjamin Franklin possibly be doing for the Templars? The answer seemed obvious to me at once. Benjamin Franklin had been assisting them either with translating the manuscript or with trying to work out the secrets of the box.

I continued to follow along after them, hoping that I would hear more. They did not make it easy for me. Templar presence around the congress was a lot heavier than that of my Assassin brethren. It appeared that the other side paid a lot more attention to politics than Achilles’ brotherhood did.

“Of course,” Benjamin Franklin said, somehow making even those two simple words sound so passionate and genuine.

And here I must take a moment to address whoever it is that may be reading this; if you have not had the good fortune to converse with Master Franklin I highly recommend seeking him out or at least finding an opportunity to watch him speak. The man is a brilliant orator, in possession of a magnificent mind, and quick to make friends.

But I should return to my tale.

“In the brief time I could examine that box,” Franklin said, and by this stage I was sure that I had stumbled across something grand, and actually growing quite excited, “I could tell that it was something unique. From Ancient Egypt you said?”

Master Johnson nodded in response to this.

“Well,” Franklin continued, “as I mentioned in my letter, I am quite ready to electrify it.”

At this stage I had no idea of Master Franklin’s experiments, and no idea what it was that he might be talking about. All I knew was that Master Franklin suddenly seemed a lot more excited about their topic of conversation, and eager to proceed with whatever it is he and Johnson had arranged.

“Excellent,” Johnson replied, looking just as pleased. “We will have the box delivered shortly. As for the manuscript…”

Master Johnson paused and gestured to a nearby British officer who had been standing close by for the latter part of the conversation.

“Captain!” Johnson called, and the man came scurrying over.

He hung his head, and looked rather nervous as he approached the high-ranking Templar.

“I apologise sir,” the British officer began, “but Master Wardrop refused to hand it over. He said the risks were too great.”

I frowned. Apparently Wardrop at least had anticipated that we might be coming for him and the manuscript.

“The risks?” Johnson exclaimed, before letting out a cry of frustration. He shook his head and then turned to Benjamin Franklin once more.

“I apologise,” he told Master Franklin. “You will have the manuscript and the box in the briefest of delays.”

Master Franklin nodded politely in return and began to walk off, but before he left he fixed the officer who had delivered the bad news with a less than friendly glare. Clearly he had been looking forward to getting his hands on the manuscript.

As soon as Franklin was out of earshot, Johnson turned his attention to the officer once more and offloaded all of his anger and frustration on the poor man.

“You mangy excuse for a uniform!” he hissed, leaning in close as he did. “Run to Fort Frederick and tell Master Wardrop he had better cough up the manuscript post haste, else I will have him scalped!”

The officer nodded and then ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. I followed him, knowing that ideally I would be able to stop the man before he reached Wardrop and took the manuscript. I sprinted and jumped across the rooftops, until I found the perfect spot and pounced on the poor man, my blade sinking deep into his neck.

I now knew where to find Wardrop, and Fort Frederick stood almost directly in front of me. I had stopped the messenger just in time. Any closer to the fort and my kill would surely have been spotted by the men stationed there.

With the messenger out of the way I turned my attention to the fort itself. Both Johnson and the manuscript lay somewhere inside. Fort Frederick was not particularly large, and was old enough that the wall had begun to crumble in places, the broken and uneven stonework making for an easy climb.

I scaled the walls easily, but as soon as I was inside it was a different matter. Fort Frederick was not large, playing host to only a few dozen troops at the time, but nevertheless a couple of them spotted me as soon as I stepped foot on the rampart.

I dispatched them as quickly and quietly as I could, before looking around for my target. I soon spied James Wardrop speaking to a nearby soldier and slowly approached.

Whether my fight with the soldiers had alerted him, or whether it was my slinking towards him, James Wardrop immediately looked up, his eyes fixing on mine. All was still for a couple of moments, and then the man began to run.

There was nowhere for him to go though. I stood between James Wardrop and the entrance of the fortress’s doors. I ran after him along the wall of the fortress, and leaped down on top of him, plunging my blade into his chest, just as I had done with Samuel Smith. I hoped that this time my target would die quickly, or that he might give me some reason to not immediately regret his death.

The man was still holding the manuscript in his hands, and I grabbed it from him before he had even finished falling to the ground, not wanting to get the precious book covered in Wardrop’s blood.

“No!” he cried out, trying to reach for myself and the manuscript, despite the blood that was flowing out from the wound in his chest and staining his clothes.

We had settled into that strange place between life and death again. He did not have long to live; seconds only; and yet he fought just as hard to reclaim the artefact as Samuel Smith had with the box.

“You have no idea what you’re doing fool!” James Wardrop spat at me.

“I’m keeping the people free from your control,” I told Wardrop as I tucked the manuscript into my coat. That was at least what Liam had tried to convince me I was doing.

“How free will you be when the French undermine these squabbling colonies?” Wardrop argued.

“These colonies would be far better off without the Templars pulling the strings,” I spat back, trying to pretend that he didn’t have a point. The French or the Templars; from my point of view they both seemed just as bad as one another, and just as nebulous and distant an enemy.

James Wardrop could not have had much life left in him, and yet he used his dying moments, his very last bits of strength, to continue arguing with me.

“We bring order from chaos,” he declared. “If everything is permitted, no-one is safe.”

I tried to pretend that the words had not gotten to me. I tried to pretend that they had not made more sense to me than everything that Liam had been saying to me of late. It did not work, and in my anger I leaned down to glare at James Wardrop.

“Even the devil can quote scripture to suit his own purposes,” I hissed at him, but the quote was lost on him.

James Wardrop was already dead.

And so there you have it. The truth. I was responsible for…

No, that is putting it too mildly. Best to say it straight, without any mucking around. I killed Lawrence Washington, Samuel Smith and James Wardrop. I have no doubt that if I was given enough time with them I would come to realise that they were all excellent men in their own right, and did not deserve to die, by my hand or by any other.

Alas, my tale is far from over, and there are more important events that I must still recall; ones that weigh on my conscience even more than the deaths of Washington, Smith and Wardrop.

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[kwebtv]

Cowboys  -  ITV  -  September 3, 1980  -  December 14, 1981

Sitcom (13 episodes)

Running Time:  30 minutes

Stars:

Roy Kinnear as Joe Jones

David Kelly as Wobbly Ron

Colin Welland as Geyser

James Wardroper as Eric

Debbie Linden as Doreen (series 1)

Janine Duvitski as Muriel (series 2)