#ladder of monks

[rthwrms]

hold up hold up

upon researching the number 0 i stumbled across this article which quotes Andreas Nieder as saying there are 4 psychological factors to understanding the number zero: 1. experiencing a stimulus going on and off 2. forming a behavioral understanding through action/reaction to stimulus both on and off (zero as a quantitative category) 3. recognition of the inherent value of zero as less than one and 4. being able to utilize the meaning of zero as a symbol to solve problems (usually in mathematics)

and i'm immediately like this reminds me of the fourfold method of study as outlined in the book Scala Claustralium from the twelfth century, which translates roughly to the Ladder of Monks, where the author Guigo II recommends approaching difficult tomes like one was climbing the steps of a ladder. Four steps, actually, and they follow as 1. reading; 2. meditating; 3. praying; and 4. contemplating.

& OK HEAR ME OUT FOR A SECOND--

reading -> intake of stimulus (what actually is this?)

meditating -> processing through behavioral and bodily understanding (how does this make me feel?)

praying -> recognizing that value is less than something (what do I want from this?)

contemplating -> utilizing concept as a symbol and a tool outside of the realm of the mind (how can I use this knowledge in my life?)

idk im losing my mind atm

[impoliticwestie]

Mural (detail), Moni Moundon, Chios, Greece, 2024.

[shoecrabs]

i honestly don't think anyone will care but I keep brainrotting over the idea of a pjo/rainworld au

I've turned the Seven into funky slimy cats dealing w concepts far beyond their comprehensions lmao

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Ficino was, obviously, heavily involved and influenced by the Camaldolese approach to theology

[bookofthegear]

You never met an informational plaque you didn’t want to read, so of course that’s your first stop.

Huh. It appears to be a clay tablet with the letters stamped into it. Interesting. There are three languages on it—one you know, one you sorta recognize, and one that you can’t even begin to place. The alphabet looks like a bird tap-danced over wet cement.

The plaque reads:

We regret to inform you that this is not a staircase, but an ambush predator known as a stairweight. We strongly advise that you do not touch it. Our best estimates are that it will enter its dormant phase in the Year of the Fanged Moon.

— The Monks of Perdition

You stare at the plaque. You stare at the staircase. Who…what…how…? Even your questions have questions.

Nevertheless, you are a trained adventurer! You believe in experimentation! You kinda want some of those rubies! You pull out a granola bar, break it in half, and toss it onto the first step.

The step splits in half lengthwise, revealing a flash of red gullet, then snaps closed over the granola bar. The central pillar seems to ripple as the red gems blink closed, then re-open. A moment later you hear a very quiet gulping sound.

“Stairweight,” you say to Jimmy.

“So I see, boss.”

Jimmy isn’t a bat so you have to scale the rickety ladder to assuage your curiosity. Halfway up, you can hold the lantern up and give him enough light to circle the top of the stairweight. He returns, shaking his head.

“It just runs straight into the ceiling. And it’s anchored there by these things like big ivory roots. And boss, I think it was watching me.”

You look over at the stairweight. One ruby very slowly blinks at you.

Yeah, that’s not okay. You back out of the room.

[dangermousie]

Fun fact: Zhou Lula who plays Bi Zhi played a hot royal monk in One and Only aka the drama with the infamous ending where Bai Lu takes a dive off the tower to be with Ren Jialun in death.

And now, a mere few years later, he himself gets a role where a beautiful noblewoman takes a swan dive off the battlements for him.

That’s what I call advancing on the career ladder.

[tagamantra]

God Obliterating Vajra is the Southeast Asian Naruto Disco Elysium Weird Wuxia web serial you didn’t know you needed. Imagine if Naruto’s ninja-world progression collided with Disco Elysium’s brain-melting philosophy, then got doused in a monsoon of Southeast Asian Hindu-Buddhist mysticism and anti-capitalist rebellion. That’s this story.

Swap “chakra” for Sapi (the Mystic Fires latent in every person) and “qi” for Nihawa (the vital winds of all things), and you’ve got a world where power isn’t just cultivated—it’s ritualized.

The vibe:

Naruto meets Sword Saints: The protagonist isn’t just a martial artist—they’re a Sword-Mantrika, weaving tantras into blade strikes and chanting mantras sharper than steel.A scrappy, underdog protagonist (think "ninja meets ascetic monk") climbs a power ladder in a world where martial arts and dharma-fueled abilities replace chakra. But instead of Rasengans, they’re throwing vajrastras that shatter illusions and corporate greed.

Disco Elysium’s existential spice: he MC doesn’t just fight enemies—they battle their own inner voices, trauma, and philosophical contradictions. Think skill trees replaced by Buddhist precepts and dialogue choices that ask, “Do I dismantle this corrupt god-king… or dismantle myself first?” The MC’s progression isn’t just about leveling up—it’s about unraveling. Understanding Cultivations, sometimes known as Daan. Daan means Way or Path but it also means Hundred, for there are Myriads.

Southeast Asian Weird Wuxia: The world is a fever dream of Southeast Asian spiritcore—floating ketjak-dancing demons, jungles haunted by pontianak spirits, and cities ruled by merchant-gods hoarding karma like crypto. Combat is "sword saints" and "drunken muay Thai mystics" channeling ancestral rage through ritual tattoos. Battles erupt between Mystic Martial Artists who bend reality via tantric rituals—think monks using wayang kulit shadow puppetry to trap souls, or warriors whose sword forms invoke the fury of naga deities.

Why it slaps:

Sapi & Nihawa > Chakra & Qi: Forget solo cultivation—here, Sapi is cultivated not just through personal development but also in cultivating community. Nihawa is trained through breathing techniques but can also be stolen back from colonialist earth-pillagers who wield the Earth-Nihawa and use it to power their Karma Engines. Power is political.

Tantra-core combat: Fight scenes blend Hindu-Buddhist tantras with Southeast Asian flair: Spear-Tantrikas perform blood rituals to summon pontianak spirits, while Sword-Mantrikas duel in trance-states fueled by betel nut and bodhicitta.

Southeast Asian flavor: Battles blend silat martial arts with reality-warping mantras, like a kris dagger that cuts through timelines or a boss fight against a privatized rain god charging villagers for monsoon rights.

This is spiritcore maximalism—where compassion is as vital as swordplay, bodhicitta is the ultimate “stats” boost, and every ritual is a middle finger to modern greed. Imagine a wayang kulit play written by Frantz Fanon, with a soundtrack of electric gamelan riffs and clashing kris daggers. If you’re into web serials that weaponize spirituality, read it here and set your heart ablaze. 🌩️⚔️🙏

[jjjjoker]

Water and Lochlan

Saxton pushes Lochlan into the ocean twice. Once during the day he shoves him off and cannonballs in after him. The second time is at night, Lochlan is trying to climb up the ladder and Saxton pulls/shoves him back into the water.

The entire Ratliff family has a water motif. They often wear blue, white, or both. Saxton is obsessed with the pool and associates it with potential hookups (and a place to exercise in public, great opportunity to perform manufactured masculinity)

Tim’s conversation with the monk, where he describes death as a single water drop rejoining the group. Water is used to symbolize identity and relationships/sexuality. And I think for the clothing specifically blue = sexuality and white = identity.

Piper is wearing almost no blue at all, as well as Tim. I think they both completely lack a sense of identity and that’s where their problems lie. Tim has been trying to avoid it by staying busy, Piper is attempting to fix it by facing it head on.

Lochlan also has no identity and is even allowing other people decide what’s to be done about that. Letting his siblings fight over him, doing the posture correction appointment, listening to Saxtons insanity. He’s so unsure of himself that he can’t form an opinion about Saxtons behavior, despite being shocked and even speechless by it.

So when sax says “she’s pretty hot but I don’t think she’s ever been laid before 😏😏” Lochlan tells piper to test the waters. She’s normal so she calls them out. Lack of blue in her outfits = no sexual identity issues, or no definitive sexual identity.

And they had this conversation In The Ocean… she leaves while Lochlan stays. Stuck in confusion. Saxton thinks he’s being playful (helping him) shoving Lochlan into the sea (mentoring him through sex) but he’s really risking his safety (giving him even more sexual issues).

[scotianostra]

On St Andrews Day 1996 thousands lined The Royal Mile in Edinburgh to see the Stone of Destiny, stolen from Scone by King Edward I of England in 1296, returned to Scotland and installed in the Castle.

At first, the Stone of Destiny appears to be little more than a simple stone, but no other stone could carry so much history and tradition than this one. Despite its simplicity, it has quite a colourful and surprising history.

The Stone of Destiny goes by many names, sometimes called the Stone of Scone, The Coronation Stone , An Lia Fàil or Jacob’s Pillow. It is a simple block of red sandstone that measures about 26 inches by 17 inches.

Both Scottish, English and British monarchs have been crowned on this stone since the ninth century.

Legend dates back to biblical times; the stone is said to have been the pillow Jacob used, where he dreamed of Jacob’s Ladder. It was seen as a sacred object and first went to Ireland and then to Scotland.

No one can pinpoint exactly where the stone came from, with origin stories mentioning biblical stories or the stone being quarried in Scotland. However, geologists proved that the stone was quarried somewhere around Scone, the historical site of the Scottish Kingdom. There is a theory that the Augustine Monks, learning that an English Army was on it’s way to Perth and fashioned a replica from a block of stone quarried nearby, the real stone was either hidden in the River Tay or Dunsinane Hill, my subject of last weeks post, Nigel Tranter himself believed the object Edward took to London was "a lump of Scone sandstone".

As I mentioned in a previous post today, the last Scottish King to receive his coronation on the stone is John Balliol, who is said to have lost the stone to Edward I “Hammer of the Scots” when he invaded Scotland in 1296 The stone was taken as spoils of war where Edward fitted it to his chair in order to try and secure his role as Lord Paramount of Scotland.

In 1328 England promised to return the stone to Scotland. However, angry English crowds stopped it from actually leaving Westminster Abbey. It remained in England for another six centuries.

The stone was liberated by four nationalist students in 1950, during the theft, they broke the stone into two pieces. Despite this, they managed to bring it back into Scotland when they passed both halves to a senior Glasgow politician; the stone was then repaired by a stonemason.

The government ordered a search for the stone, and the search was unsuccessful. The custodians left the stone in Arbroath Abbey in April 1951. When it was discovered, it was returned to Westminster.

In 1996, the government returned the stone to Scotland. A handover ceremony took place in November 1996 between the Home Office and the Scottish Office. It arrived at Edinburgh Castle to a crowd of around 10,000 people. To this day it sits alongside the crown jewels of Scotland when not used in coronations.

Doubt surrounds the stone all throughout its history, and it is said there are many points in which the stone could have been swapped or lost.

Another belief is that the stonemason who repaired the stone after its damage made several copies and the one returned was, in fact one of his forgeries. The big thing, in my opinion that lets this theory down is would a typical Glesga stonemason take the trouble top venture north to Perth to find a lump of stone?

The true history of the stone and whether or not the one in Edinburgh Castle is the correct stone will never fully be known. I myself tend to believe the story, that the Monks hid the original stone.

The Stone is now in it's new home, not far from it's former home, Scone in Perth Museum.

[darlenicy]

Light Rock Driven AU

I only wanted to reply shortly to ren's @redfountainpostin 's question under her post:

which was about my previous tags:

but it turned out longer than I thought:

So, in the Light Rock au, Darcy stays there when Darkar shows up because a) she has endured enough instability and sees the time at Light Rock as a chance to start new. Part of her simply wants a normal life. Power is nice, but she just cannot live as an ostracized. And b) because she doesn't trust Darkar? She's a bookworm she might have already read about the legends of the Shadow Phoenix. There is no fucking way she'd go with such a shady guy. It hurts leaving her sisters, but as I said before. She can't life like this forever. She regrets so much. She regrets using Riven as her pawn. She regrets that she couldn't get enough. She regrets that so many people had to die because of their mad plan. She has nightmares of the old times. She hates how the excellent student she was has turned into a criminal because of an idée fixe.

So long story short. She stays and Icy and Stormy leave with Darkar. Icy is pissed that Darcy wants to through "everything away". Stormy is fkn sad, that her bestie leaves them. She gets very emotional later on and cries later when Icy isn't around. But this au is not about them. It's about Darcy and Riven. So what happens next?

No, Darcy doesn't warn anyone. In fact all the guardians of Light Rock saw Darkar in his phoenix form. It's reported straight away. (So Faragonda knows again and DOESN'T TELL THE WINX LIKE SHE ALWAYS DOES). She simply stays. Of course she gets interrogated but it turns out that she really doesn't know anything. The fact that she stayed makes the gurardians and monks more favourable towards Darcy. But they also make sure that she gets no informations from outside Light Rock. They make sure that she can't read her sisters under any circumstances to support her redemption. It's hard for her and her mental health suffers a lot. When it gets worse and worse, she is invited by the nuns (yes they live there too, I decided that) to visit the big library of the monastery. Darcy is a bookworm and she is also an excellent researcher. So she helps the nuns researching important texts and historic documents. She loves doing something she is really good at. In fact she is brilliant not only in researching but also in interpreting. This gains her the respect and fondness of the nuns who actively support her. These activities helps her a lot and also firm her decision to stay there. That is also when she decides to cut of her hair. She wants to become a new person and leave the old Darcy behind. So in the end she wears a short bob and becomes a novitiate of the monastery.

This process took about a year. And then suddenly one day she meets Riven again. He doesn't know shit and just came there to visit the library, because it contains important ancient old scrips about a material art he wants to research.

The scene is like this: He comes into the library and Darcy is there too. On a ladder to reach some books of the higher shelves. She looks at the books as she hears footprints. Not the silent ones from the nuns and novitiates. Firm steps. And then he hears his voice, asking her where he can find the books XYZ and ZYX. He only sees her back and doesn't recognize her. She also wears a light veil. She recognizes his voice immediately and oh the overthinking is back: It's Riven. What is he doing here? Why did he come here the moment I am here? What will he do if he recognizes me? How will he react? Will he be mad? Will he be embarrassed? Does he hate me? He should hate me after all I have done. So she stiffens and says: The XYZ books are over there in the other part of the library.

Riven: "Wait, I know you."

Darcy, whispering: "I doubt it."

Riven: "I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude to a novitiate... But your voice..."

Darcy: "You know my old self, Riven." And turns around.

Riven gasps. He gasps because he didn't expect to see Darcy here. Because he didn't expect Darcy with her beautiful hair cut short. Darcy with a veil.

Darcy, embarassed, brushing a brand of her now short hair behind her ear: "The books you are looking for are over there." She points in the opposite direction and wants to pass by. But she stops. He is reaching for her hand at the same time.

Riven: "Sorry... I just didn't expect you here like..."

Darcy: "Like this?"

Riven: "I mean surrounded by books is totally your thing but..."

Darcy: "I know. It's okay. We can just pretend that we never met. You go research your things..and leave again."

Riven: "Darcy - "

Darcy: "But before you go, please." She faces him, her eyes blurry. "They don't tell me anything from outside. What did happen to Icy and Stormy? Are they... alive?"

Rivens, stiffens too. Firstly because he knows where they are. The Omega dimension. Bad news and secondly…because she didn’t ask about him. But in the end what could he tell her about himself? Hey, I’m dating Musa now. It’s hard because I can’t forget me and you did so much shit to me that I can barely heal…. So he just says: “After Darkar was defeated they were sent to Omega Dimension.”

Darcy steps back, her eyes widened in shock. “Omega dimension…”

Riven: “Darcy, I’m sorry but they’re probably –“

Darcy: “No it’s okay.” She brushes a tear from her cheek. “That time is over for me anyway.” They are not my business anymore and still… they were my sisters. She rushes to the door. “Farewell.” She doesn’t want he to see her crying.. again. Darcy hates being weak. And yet Riven was one of the few persons she showed weakness towards. The other two were freezing to death in Omega right now.

Riven, yelling: “Wait.”

Darcy stops at the door but doesn’t turn around.

Riven: “Are you here often?”

Darcy, shrugs: “Every day.”

Riven: “Then we’ll meet again.” A spark of a smile on his face.

Darcy doesn’t know how to deal with it and leaves, trying not to burst into tears. Once she reaches her cell, she breaks together crying. Over the missed chance she had with Riven and the possible death of her sisters. The sisters she had given everything up for. Even Riven.

When Riven returns to Red Fountain after their first meeting he is pale and serious so Brandon jokes: “Did you see a ghost.” And Riven replies. “I did.” And then he tells them about their encounter. And the boys are: Don’t you dare see her again. But he can’t help it and returns to Light Rock from time to time…more and more regularly. They will meet more often. And each time they get closer again. But by bit.

Maybe after I finish “Our abyss” this will come next! <3

[lair-of-the-white-worm]

I know that this might be a very weird question, but do you have any headcanons for glukkon religion?

Absolutely not a weird question at all—in fact, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Glukkon religion and how it evolved (or devolved) alongside their rise as industrial tyrants. Here’s my headcanon:

Glukkon religion in the current age isn’t so much about faith as it is about control. It’s become a convenient tool. Weaponized spirituality—used to justify the unjustifiable. It masks corporate greed, and rewrites history. Much like in certain real-world regimes, religion for the Glukkons is a smokescreen; an ideological tool for Industrialists to make their conquests/destruction/exploitation seem ordained or even righteous. While most Glukkons don’t actually believe anymore, they’re more than willing to pretend they do if it protects their interests or absolves them of guilt in the public eye.

Historically, though, it was a different story. Before the Schism, Glukkons were genuinely spiritual. Deeply invested in alchemy and mysticism. Sought cosmic inquiry. They weren't always the soulless industrialists we know today. They coexisted with the Mudokons, who themselves were spiritually revered advisors, like Tibetan monks in a medieval theocracy. The Glukkons had their own form of spiritual pride—rooted in alchemical tradition and secret knowledge—until the Mudokon Moon appeared, of course.

The Schism was a spiritual breaking point. The Mudokons’ declaration of chosenness upon seeing their species’ mark in the sky, even though they at no point declared themselves superior, still deeply humiliated the Glukkons. Their failure to refute this caused them to abandon the clear sky and any pretense of humility (glukkmility?). That’s when they fully embraced their alchemical practices and became the “Enclosurists,” walling themselves off from both literal nature and metaphysical truth. Their religion didn’t die—it was buried, commodified, and ultimately turned into propaganda.

(Putting some concept art here from Steven Olds, which shows Glukkon(or Oldger as they were called at the time) dressed in ways that highlighted their practices in alchemy)

Even now, vestiges of that old faith remain. Alchemy still exists in Glukkon culture, though it’s largely symbolic—used for product names, branding, corporate sigils. Think of it like how modern society treats Greek mythology. Aestheticized, fictionalized, decontextualized. Brewmaster from Soulstorm is a great example btw—he practices alchemy privately, but it’s taboo, something the general public considers to be a relic of a forgotten past.

Then there's the Priest concept art for Oddworld by Farzad, which I think is incredibly telling.

This monstrous preacher, with soooo many eyes, clearly could see the sins of Industrialists but deliberately chooses not to. It’s the perfect metaphor for an Industrial religion; a faith that once demanded introspection and accountability now exists only to absolve the powerful. This character seems like a satire of religious hypocrisy, confirming that maybe at some point Industrial religious institutions once had weight but now function as merely hollow theater. Their god(s), if they still have any, are just mirrors that reflect back what the elites want to see.

So, I think Glukkons absolutely have their own versions of televangelists. Maybe they're Sligs, or Chroniclers. Maybe even Vykkers, especially if they're demanding donations from viewers to fund their churches. They go on airwaves and spout sermons about how "divine will" justifies monopolies, worker exploitation, and planetary destruction. They claim that wealth is a sign of divine favor, and poverty or dissent is a spiritual failing. Poorer Glukkons who can’t climb the corporate ladder likely do turn to religion—but it becomes a trap. They end up donating what little money they have to their faith and winding up as street preachers, barking sermons no one listens to, or as scapegoats for corporate failures.

Some industrialists likely push this narrative further, declaring that the Mudokon natives (who are still vibrant and deeply spiritual) are practicing “black magic” or “dangerous cultism.” It’s a clever inversion; those who maintain true spiritual practices are demonized, while the false prophets on TV claim moral high ground. It’s fear-mongering, pure and simple. If the Mudokons are seen as spiritually deviant, then their enslavement becomes not only economically justifiable, but morally necessary in the Glukkons’ twisted worldview.

In sum, I think modern Glukkon religion is an illusion. It’s a marketing strategy, a shield against blame, and a tool of control. It reflects the collapse of their ancient spiritual identity, hollowed out by vengeance, capitalism, and/or fear. The faith that remains isn't about gods or truth—it’s about preserving power.

However, I do also think that Glukkons do still have active alchemical cults, or "brotherhoods", that are reserved for the rich and powerful. But i'll get into that another time. Wink wink

[impoliticwestie]

Mural (detail), Moni Moundon, Chios, Greece, 2024

[gravity-what]

If Chase holds back the Heylin side that much then that means Omi was right when he said that it's better tactically for Chase to be freed from the sphere and have his army back than to let Jack keep control over Chase's army and castle to himself huh. Vindication for the little monk!

Honestly! Omi was completely correct! Chase being to top of the Heylin ladder is the best situation for everyone.

No of course I’m not biased >_>

[yeosin-n]

Can we see the videos of the animals you got from the beach?

YES OFC (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) I compiled some of my favorite clips!!

You'll see manta rays, sea turtles, a monk seal, moray eels, sea urchins, and a bunch of fish c: !!! The video is a little long o(-(

There was a time when a flounder swam right in front of my face and settled down in the sand below me, but I wasn't able to catch it on camera (⁠´⁠ ⁠.⁠ ⁠.̫⁠ ⁠.⁠ ⁠`)

Also we saw a whale breach on the way to see turtles!! Also also, when I was climbing back into the boat after mantas, I fell off the ladder and obtained three large bruises on my legs hAha (⁠つ⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)⁠つ!!! I got a lot of bruises and cuts on my limbs and most idk what from :D !!!!! Was fun

[une-sanz-pluis]

It's a day ending in Y so once again I am thinking about Richard Courtenay and the way that Henry V marked his death, specifically the fact of where Henry had Courtenay had buried and the fact that his deathbed tending of Courtenay is recorded in the Gesta Henrici Quinti.

Burial Amongst The Kings and Queens.

Richard Courtenay is buried in the chapel of St. Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey that effectively served as a royal mausoleum. With a few exceptions, every king from Edward I to Henry VI sought burial in this chapel for themselves and at least one of their queens (Edward II and Henry IV are the exceptions, though Edward may have chosen to be buried in St. Edward's chapel had he not been deposed). The few burials outside of this were, by the late medieval period, limited to the children of kings, such as Thomas of Woodstock (the youngest son of Edward III), Margaret of York and Elizabeth Tudor (the daughters of Edward IV and Henry VII respectively). Henry VI struggled to find space for his own tomb in the chapel - he was ultimately buried elsewhere due to his deposition - and he was the last king to choose burial there, with Edward IV opting for burial in St. George's Chapel at Windsor and Henry VII renovating the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey to serve as a new royal mausoleum.

Courtenay was of noble birth - the grandson of the Earl of Devon, a great-great grandson of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile - and he could claim kinship with Henry V through their shared de Bohun ancestry. But he was far down the ladder from the royalty buried there, and had no close kin ties with the royals buried there.

The cathedrals at Exeter and Norwich would have been the most obvious options for Courtenay's burial. Courtenay, after all, belonged to a prominent Devon family and was the Bishop of Norwich. Burial in the other chapels of Westminster Abbey, while somewhat unusual, would also be appropriate. Instead, Henry V chose to bury Courtenay in St. Edward's chapel, where kings and queens and some of their children were buried. It is a rather extraordinary choice.

Henry's choice also looks all the more extraordinary considered in the context of the burial of John Waltham, Bishop of Salisbury in the same chapel. This was done on the order of Richard II, apparently on his own whim. It was contrary to the wishes of Waltham, who wanted to be buried in Salisbury Cathedral, and contrary to the will of the monks at Westminster, who did not think it was appropriate for a man of Waltham's low birth and status to be buried in St. Edward's chapel. According to Walsingham, it was a scandal and Richard had to appease the anger of the monks by donating vestments and a large sum of money to the abbey. Therefore, Henry, would have had a clear idea of how burying Courtenay in St. Edward's chapel could anger the monks and cause a scandal. Yet he persisted in his choice. He wanted Courtenay buried there, regardless of the potential backlash.

There is the possibility that three factors made all the difference. The first is that Courtenay was of noble birth while Waltham was a commoner - though, as I said, he was of significantly lower stock than everyone else but Waltham buried in the chapel. The second is that Courtenay's grave apparently had no marker, while Waltham's was marked with a brass, making Courtenay's grave virtually invisible and unobtrusive in the chapel. The third factor is that the actions of Henry V and Richard II have been held to different standards due to their reputations and styles of kingship.

Henry may have made concessions in effort to avoid angering the monks and to avoid scandal - such as the lack of grave marker for Courtenay, making his burial unobtrusive - but he can't have known that these concessions would be apparently successful, or that his own reputation as king would be what it was. It isn't clear when Courtenay's body was sent from Harfleur for burial but was before the Battle of Agincourt and perhaps before Henry had won Harfleur. In other words, Henry had won no great victory when he made the decision.

(I say "apparently was successful" because while there is no evidence of a scandal, it is possible that it went unrecorded.)

All that being said, the fact that Henry chose to bury Courtenay in St Edward's chapel is astonishing. He wanted Courtenay buried there and he was prepared to risk scandal to see it done.

Why?

He wanted Courtenay's body to lie close to his own body. Pursued to the natural conclusion, he believed that when the Last Judgement came and the dead were raised from their graves, Courtenay would rise with him. He wanted Courtenay to be one of his companions in at the ending of the world. All of this suggests he not only held Courtenay in great esteem but regarded him with great affection.

n.b. Henry was unmarried at the time of Courtenay's death so he did not "choose" burial with Courtenay over burial with Catherine of Valois. At the time of his death, he made no instructions or plans for Catherine's burial. It's possible that he imagined in 1415 that whoever he married would be buried beside him (Courtenay's grave is the closest grave to Henry's own but they are not in the same tomb or side-by-side) and in 1422, believed that Catherine should choose her own burial place, or would have remarried and her widower would choose her burial place.

Corpse-touching.

The best record of Courtenay's death is found in the Gesta Henrici Quinti. This is what it says:

And after these operations and the anxieties occasioned by the enemy, a just and merciful God, wishing to test the patience of our king and His anointed, as well by the deaths of several other noble men in his army touched him deeply by the death of one of the most loving and dearest of his friends, namely, the lord Richard Courtenay, bishop of Norwich. He, a man of noble birth, imposing stature, and superior intelligence, distinguished no less for his gifts of great eloquence and learning than for other noble endowments of nature, was regarded as agreeable above all others to the members of the king’s retinue and councils. He fell ill with dysentery on Tuesday, 10 September, and on the following Sunday, in the presence of the king who, after extreme unction, with his own hands wiped his feet and closed his eyes, released his soul from its prison to the bitter and tearful grief of many. Out of a most tender love, our king at once had his body sent across to England to be buried with honour among the royal tombs of Westminster.

I can't recall any positive stories of kings handling the bodies of their dying or dead friends like this. There might be analogues in medieval literature but my knowledge isn't complete enough to find one. The closet parallel to other medieval kings is the story that Richard II touched the corpse of his favourite, Robert de Vere, upon its return to England.

Walsingham recorded that:

[Richard] looked long at the face [of de Vere] and touched it with his finger, publicly showing to Robert, when dead, the affection which he had shown him previously, when alive.

Given the narrative that Richard and de Vere shared an "obscene familiarity" and were possibly lovers, this raises the potential for queer and/or homoerotic readings of Henry's tending of Courtenay's corpse. At the very least, Walsingham's account allows us to attach meaning to Henry's corpse-touching: it is a gesture of affection that began in life and continues after death

I do not want to suggest that Henry, in wiping Courtenay's feet and closing his eyes, showed greater affection for Courtenay than Richard did for de Vere. We have to remember that Courtenay was had literally just died and that de Vere's corpse was several years old at this point.

Anna Duch cites Henry's handling of Courtenay's corpse to defend Richard against the charge his handling of de Vere's corpse was inappropriate and morbid. It's an imperfect comparison for various reasons - Walsingham did not write about Henry's corpse-touching, de Vere's corpse was a lot more corpse-y than Courtenay's - but the best there is. While Walsingham makes "special mention" of Courtenay's death and describes him as "a most loyal supporter" of Henry, he makes no reference to Henry attendance at Courtenay's deathbed or the location of Courtenay's burial. In fact, the only detailed account of Courtenay's death I've seen comes from the Gesta Henrici Quinti; most just reference Courtenay's death in passing.

The Gesta Henrici Quinti.

The Gesta Henrici Quinti was written sometime between 20 November 1416 and 30 July 1417. The work's author is unknown but from the text, we know he was an English priest connected to the court, most likely a royal chaplain. The Gesta is universally accepted as a work of propaganda.

It isn't clear exactly who the intended audience of the piece were. From the surviving manuscripts - which are copies of the original, lost holograph - it seems clear that the intended recipients weren't individuals of high rank. The work justifies Henry's policies in relation to diplomacy and war, especially in relation to his upcoming second campaign in France. It may have been intended to promote this campaign in England or at the Council of Constance, since it also promoted the Anglo-Imperial alliance, vindicating Emperor Sigismund's seemingly hasty alliance with Henry.

This all raises the question of what, exactly, the intention was for including a fairly lengthy account of Courtenay's death. In some ways, it confirms the Gesta's overall image of Henry as both a honourable, considerate and humble Christian prince.

It depicts Courtenay's death as a trial for Henry, which Henry meets with not only resolve, for he does not falter in his plans for France, but with considerable care and affection for the ailing man. He, apparently, devotes himself to Courtenay's final moments. The individual actions Henry performs underscore his qualities. Henry witnesses in the sacrament of extreme unction, showing his piety. With his own hands, he wipes Courtenay's feet. This not only shows his humbleness but aligns him with Christ, who washed the feet of his disciples. His attendance of Courtenay's deathbed and tending to Courtenay's body shows him caring for and honouring a loyal and worthy friend. Courtenay's virtues are stressed in this scene, thus show the quality of the men who follow and love Henry. This is the only time Courtenay appears in the text - the embassies to France he led are mentioned in passing, but none of the ambassadors are named.

Yet I sometimes wonder about the purpose of including such a scene in the Gesta. As far as I know, this is the only text to give a lengthy treatment of Courtenay's death. It tells us how the king touched his friend's corpse, showing him the affection that had been the hallmark of their relationship when Courtenay was alive. It tells us that "out of a most tender love", Henry had his friend's corpse buried amongst the royal tombs at St. Edward's chapel. With their parallels to actions that had seen Richard II routinely criticised, it is worth wondering if they carried with them potentially subversive messages about Henry. If the friendship was one of excessive love and familiarity. Of course, the subversiveness is controlled: Courtenay is dead, the risk he posed as a favourite with the potential to make Henry's kingship sodomitical has never and will never materialise. Henry is safe to display his excessive love for his favourite, since the favourite is dying and then dead.

It is tempting to suggest that the elision of the deathbed scene in other sources suggests that it was an aspect of Courtenay and Henry's relationship that others found unspeakable, echoing the unspeakable sin of sodomy. But such a suggestion requires a great leap of supposition. Perhaps the other chroniclers did not know or that when it came time to write their version of events, Courtenay was long dead and comparatively unimportant to the messages they wanted to convey.

Yet knowing the text was a propagandistic one, likely written with Henry's knowledge, makes me wonder if the scene was included because Henry wanted it to be, regardless of the possible risks it carried. He wanted to remember his friend. He wanted the last moments he had with his friend to be captured forever. He wanted to be seen loving Courtenay.

Conclusion

Throughout this post, while I've raised the possibility that Henry and Courtenay were involved in a romantic and/or sexual relationship, it's only been as a possibility; I'm aware it's a flimsy possibility - the "evidence", such as it is, is nowhere as compelling as the evidence for Edward II and Piers Gaveston or Richard II and Robert de Vere, and the debate on whether these relationships were sexual and/or romantic is far from settled. We are not in the position to prove or disprove whether Henry and Courtenay ever did have sex - there's no evidence, but then, it would be surprising if there was. We are not in the position to know and label how, exactly, Henry loved Courtenay.

But what seems to me incontestable is the fact that Henry did love Courtenay. In my opinion, there is no other explanation for his actions.

References:

Gesta Henrici Quinti: The Deeds of Henry the Fifth trans. and eds. Frank Taylor and John S. Roskell (Oxford University Press 1975).

The Chronica Maiora of Thomas Walsingham, trans. David Preest (The Boydell Press 2005)

Jessica Barker, Stone Fidelity: Marriage and Emotion in Medieval Tomb Sculpture (The Boydell Press 2020)

Anna M. Duch, The Royal Funerary and Burial Ceremonies of Medieval English Kings, 1216-1509 (PhD. thesis)

[thebrandywine]

hi mav :} I didn’t realize those prompts were, well, prompts until I saw you were writing.

could you do 14 and 41?

��⁴⁾ sun-warmed floorboards

⁴¹⁾ an overgrown garden

"I should have known," Elaine sighs.

Leon cringes, hands on his hips as he surveys the damage for the first time in... far too long. Hey, he isn't the one who went all in on timed sprinklers. He told Piers that if they weren't doing it themselves, then the garden would cease to exist.

Of course, Piers isn't here to take the blame because he's making a pharmacy run for Scott.

A knock on the sliding glass door pulls them away from the atrocity that the garden had become before it froze over-- weeds everywhere, drooping buds, crooked ladders whose tomatoes have fallen to rot and ruin. It's Scott knocking, holding a blanket tight around his head and shoulders with a sick, pasty expression.

They go back inside and Leon feels his forehead. Better than earlier, but still running a fever. "How are you feeling, you little monk?"

Scott blinks at him, unimpressed by the joke. His scratchy voice cracks with puberty when he asks, "When's dad back with ginger ale?"

Damn. The teen years are rough, just like every adult with children told him they would be.

Leon's opening his mouth to answer when someone knocks at the door. Elaine walks over to answer it as Leon guides Scott back to the couch-- when she opens the door, Piers comes stumbling in with bags looped around his forearms and two boxes of ginger ale held between his hands and chin.

"Back," he puffs, staggering into the kitchen to drop everything very loudly on a counter. He kicks his boots off and wriggles his socked toes in a sun spot that's falling through the kitchen window to warm the floorboards. "How are we doing?"

"Ginger," Scott says, "ale."

"You want the puke bucket again?" Leon asks.

Scott makes a face. Piers lovingly totes one of the boxes of ginger ale over to set it on the coffee table, Elaine laughing to herself. Piers cracks open the drink and passes it over, asks, "Do you love me again yet?"

Scott glares. "You did this to me."

"How could I have known--"

"It's flu season."

"See if I take you out on another father-son outing again!"

Leon's throat tickles suspiciously. He clears it, coughs, and then resigns himself to his fate. He takes up another ginger ale, opens it, and takes a sip. It's probably all he's going to be drinking for the next few days.