Astrolabe

Venice, 1541 AD

The Sestiere of Castello, place of the common man thought Jooseppe. Was he common? He supposed so, even though his eyes of green had born sight to more than most common men, The Parthenon, The Indies, Death and Life. Yes he had seen more than any common man. Keel Hauled, hanged or as the English Nobility preferred, by beheading. Yes he’d seen death in all of it’s forms in his 37 years. Cut in two by canon ball and pierced by harquebusiers-burned at the stake for heresy-how many times had he killed and in how many ways Jooseppe wondered. He knew he’d never answer the question, not accurately anyway. He’d plucked pirates from a sure death of drowning just to hang them from his yard or slew them with his rapier. For What? For the escudos and the reales that jingled in his pocket as he walked to St. Marks from his common surroundings of the Arsenale. The world’s first wholesale naval shipyard responsible for four hundred years of successful naval excellence. He was proud to have his own distinguished quarters among the sprawling waterfront enterprise.

Dainty was the sailor with his knee high booted feet well apart. His legs were bent at the knee. Customs acquired from weathering many a squall whilst the timbers of an argosy rolled below him. A stern north east wind cut through his black woolen jerkin sending a shiver to the delicate bones of the sailor. The gap between his breeches and the boots at his knees left a chill below his knees and among his face.

His nose ran and his eyes watered in the chill. As he walked along the Grand Canal, he picked up his pace to hurry his excursion and lessen his exposure to the elements. A gale from the lagoon it seemed blew straight into the most beautiful city in the world.

What could the Priest want he wondered as he strolled over another foot bridge? He was nearly running the last half of the one hundred twenty foot obstacle. He had been awakened by a sharp wrap on his door this morning to the choir boy in his vestments bearing a note.

“Come to Saint Marks” it had said and was signed by his old friend Ernanno.

What could possibly be so important that it could not have waited until the sun rose over the horizon thought the maritime veteran?

Despite his wrinkles, the skin of his face was leathery and taunt, only a mere droop could be seen in his jowls. A hard life would have been the first impression from any passersby. At thirty seven Jooseppe looked twice his years.

They’d not spoken in years, fifteen to be exact. Since the man had presided over the burial of Jooseppe’s wife and infant son. She had died in child birth only hours before Jooseppe moored his carrack at the lagoon. It had burdened him for years that he had not been there in the waning moments of her life. It had burdened him more that he had never known his son. He was now a bitter man. Bittered more with each death of a comrade at sea. Jooseppe was angry, what could he possibly want with me, especially since he was not of the Catholic faith, not any more. His years of sailing had stripped him of his once firm belief in a righteous God. Each passing year had served to reinforce this question in his mind until he no longer believed in the commonly accepted religious writings. Like the bleaching of his golden hair by the sun and salt, Jooseppe’s faith had faded too. He relied upon his skills as a seaman, not the hopes of salvation inspired by gentle men in robes and women. No more. He had become one of Europe’s most trustworthy of Captains at a young age.

As a young man he had sailed the inland waters of the Mediterranean as a fisherman. At fifteen, like most lads of Europe, he’d been conscripted. He’d brought honor to his family name bearing a pike in 1521 while battling in the wars of Charles V. Quite by chance, he’d had the fortune to meet Admiral Doria, Andrea Doria. Jooseppe rapidly laid down his armour for a marlinspike. First as a cabin boy who progressed quickly to a gunner, then purser, to boatswain and eventually Captain. He had served several vessels until entrusted with his first carrick at the age of twenty seven. That had been almost ten years ago. His youth was gone, He was now a seasoned Captain, and with that had gone the gentleness of his prime, replaced with leathery skin and callused hands. Once of fair complexion, he now looked nearly as dark as a galley slave, only redder. Work was not in short supply and the wages were good. He only wanted for the opportunity to do something that would ensure him of the proper respect for his skills. Oh, to accomplish what Vespuci, Columbus or even De Leon had. If only the opportunity would present itself, he thought.

Entering the church through the immense mahogany doors, Jooseppe, out of reverence instilled in his youth, genuflected and crossed himself. He thought of his many sins among his travels. There would certainly be a price for the slain men and the women he had tainted with his charms, if there was a God. It may be wise to be for forgiven while conveniently in a church. There were hazards too numerous to mention at sea and he would soon be sailing again. When his time did come he would be spared of an eternity of damnation, if there even was a God. The darkness of the room was mirrored by the musty smells of the stone walls. It reminded him of the sea. The many nights that he had held the helm while cutting an arid fog. Darkness and dampness were old friends of the sailor. The mustiness reminded him of the growth of barnacles on a hull. Their smell was one of distinction, only a sailor would know.

A figure in robes appeared in the doorway leading to the sacristy. It must be the priest thought Jooseppe. Positive identification was difficult due to the brilliance of the Stained glass behind the body. The sailor was apprehensive about the audience requested by the holy man. What on earth may he want of a man such as myself he thought. With that thought a voice called.

“In here Captain” It came from the sacristy. It was not however made by the man whose silhouette graced the doorway.

Jooseppe made his way to where the noise had emitted. On his approach the silent figure stepped aside to allow the Captain access to the room. Once inside Jooseppe could smell the vaguely familiar odors of the various oils, incense, unlit charcoal for the incense and the unique spicy smell of flame recently extinguished from a candle. Each bore its own distinct aroma. He fondly recalled the use of these in rituals he had witnesses as a child. Like the sea, the religious ceremonies he had attended were remembered by the smell of each. At any given time he could tell what body of water he was sailing on due to his intricate olfactory senses. Similarly, as a child he had identified which religious rite he was present at by its smell.

“Your arrival pleases the Lord, Captain.” The Priest uttered from a seat inside of the sacristy.

“But why have I been summoned Padre?” Was his reply

“There are many reasons for the summons Jooseppe. The time has come for you to be called to the service of God. We spoke of such matters in your childhood. We must all answer the call at one time or another in our lives. Your time is at hand.”

The priest went on to explain that the stranger in the doorway was a messenger of the Pontiff, Pope Paul III, in Rome. He had brought word that a coming venture of the Catholic Church was to be undertaken to assure the conversion of the native men and women of the newly discovered Americas. In accordance with requests from the Spanish government, the Vatican would provide assistance in converting the natives of the newly found La Florida. Spain’s colonization of the new world was already failing due to the overwhelming resources required to colonize the Southern and Central Americas. It was anticipated that there would be a demand for churches to be built in nearly every community as they developed. The Catholic Cardinals at the Vatican felt that would provide an essential base for the conversion of the natives as well. It however lacked critical funding for the endeavor to begin.

Two dioceses were already in existence in the new world. One in Hispaniola and the other in Puerto Rico. These had been established in 1511 by agreement between Pope Julius II, King Ferdinand. A third would either be necessary, or a proposed outpost could be substituted. This was made indispensable by the 1513 discovery of La Florida by Puerto Rican Governor of the time, Juan Ponce de Leon.

Initially the Cardinals felt that the construction of an embassy of sorts would be best due to the lengthily voyage into the New World. This alone would require a vast fortune to build. It would have to be equipped with the finest workmanship to give an appearance of greatness in order to instill confidence in the natives. Credibility would be established in the fine works of gold and silver. The embassy would house a place for the study of theology, a church, and quarters for traveling missionaries. It would also serve as a regional outpost for the whole of Catholicism, serving all of the needs locally that the Vatican now provided for the European community.

As the conversation progressed it was explained to Jooseppe that due to his knowledge of the seamen of the Venice’s port, the Priest had been entrusted with the finding of a Captain to assist in a the venture to supply the funds for this expansion. The proposed outcome would be for the hired seaman to find their way to Puerto Rico. There he would meet with Juan Ponce de Leon. A letter would be presented authorizing the disbursement of tons of gold, as much as could be carried in his vessel. The letter would be signed by both King Charles II and Pope Paul III. Should the Spanish Governor prove unwilling to acknowledge the demand, it was to be forcibly taken and enforced by Papal decree. The great needs of the church would have to override the humanity of such a deed. The crew for this endeavor would need to be picked with their fighting abilities and seamanship in mind. It could prove to be a dangerous task to complete. The chances for success would be much better if the men were proven in prior combat.

An agreement had existed for some time between the Pope and the King of Spain. In this agreement, the pope had agreed to back the advances of the Spaniards into the new world. In return, Queen Isabella guaranteed the conversion of the natives to Catholicism. Publicly, Pope Alexander VI had exhibited his support of the King in 1494 with a decree assigning all new discoveries in the new world, from a line west of the Cape Verde Islands, three hundred seventy leagues to belong to Spain. In return for this decree, Pope Alexander VI’s son was assigned a bishopric by King Ferdinand. This tradition had been followed for 40 years. Each new King and new Pope swearing allegiance to the previous agreement. Now it was coming time for payment.

In the year 1508, Pope Julius II confirmed his allegiance to the previous arrangement between the two. His intentions were to expand the practice of Catholicism. He also hoped to censure the English, who were practicing an extreme blasphemy in the creation of their own church. Atrocities were reported to be carried out against Orthodox Catholics. This enraged the Pope.

The priest continued to explain that the committee of Cardinals assigned to oversee the proposed trip to the new world had already commissioned the acquisition of a sailing ship, the finest available. She would be a three masted galleon of the type used by the Spanish in their forays into the Americas. The one being built for them would be something slightly different, it would incorporate recent ideas into the hull to make her one of the fastest on the water.

Unspoken and unknown to either the priest or Jooseppe was an agreement between the deceased Religious dignitary and the Royal king. This agreement was simple. In a time of his choosing the pope could request financial support for whatever reason he saw fit. It was the price for the decree made by the Pope in 1494. Essentially the king had purchased the support of the holy man in their vast exploration and conquering of the Americas. The source for these donation to the coffers of the church was gold, now stored on Puerto Rico. It had been stripped violently from the Inca people in the incursions made into Mexico by the Spanish Conquistadors. In 1532, the gold had been melted into ingots and transferred to La Fortaleza in Puerto Rice. It was currently guarded in the fortress by the neighboring towers of El Morro Castle. The marker was now being called in.

Pope Paul III felt that the efforts made by the Spanish were insufficient and realized the opportunity to intervene. King Charles’s failing health would have been sufficient reason for such impediment, the Pope saw this as an opportunity to regain the position deserved by the church. On one occasion the Pope suggested to Charles that the illness suffered by King Ferdinand’s daughter, Juana (la Loca), was due to the lack of progress made in the conversion of the natives. A sign of God’s wrath.

Jooseppe would also be given a letter of Marque prior to his departure and should the need arise, he would have the full authority of the church to seize vessels owned and operated by nations not friendly to the practice of Catholicism. This option was to be exercised only in the event of an unpredictable outcome in the acceptance of treasure. Essentially he would become a pirate, or privateer as they were called, when authorized by a recognized power. The letter would give rights to Jooseppe to attack and seize English vessels specifically, in retribution for the atrocities committed against the members of the Catholic Church.

For compensation, Jooseppe was offered ten percent of the cargo scheduled plus seventy five for any seized gold plus ownership of the vessel upon completion of assigned task. By all estimates the proposed smithing of the chalices, candelabras, crucifixes and such would require approximately one ton of gold in it’s pure state and another thousand pounds of silver for the complimentary work to be etched into each piece. There would also be several works appointed to various sculptors of notoriety to portray Christ, The Madonna, and various saints. Any items of value not required for the making of these pieces was to be sold to provide funds for the design and fabrication of this wondrous facility. This mission would not only be of crucial value to the expansion of Catholicism but to the further civilization of the known world.

During the entire proposition Jooseppe had remained silent, now he spoke.

“This is an honor, Padre, to be chosen for such an important assignment, but why me?”

“My son, I have known you for your entire life. I have seen you grow, marry, and bear much happiness as well as pain. At one time you were only a mere fisherman, your pains have propelled you into being a seaman, a very good one. You were once overcome with grief, you now long for something of importance to replace everything you’ve lost. That makes you the most likely to succeed in a place with as much jeopardy as this. There is much to lose. You have the best chance of success. That is why you Jooseppe.”

“You honor me with such complimentary words, Padre. You knew I would accept. Only because it was you to make the proposition, I will. There are some things that are necessary before I may begin. There will be the crew and supplies. We will need to outfit the vessel with munitions.”

“That has all been taken care of, Jooseppe. You need only choose your crew. Once you have done that the vessel will be ready. ”

“I will do as you ask, Father. This mission may prove hazardous though. I would like absolution before I leave and please Last Rites. My soul is not prepared, should my Time come.”

“Certainly,Jooseppe. Join me now in a prayer for your success my child.”

As the priest prayed for the welfare of Jooseppe and his crew, the sailor bowed his head for the first time in years, and nodded in agreement with the words of conviction the man of the cloth spoke. Upon the completion of these words, the priest gazed at Jooseppe and nodded.

With hesitation began the words learned so long ago and not practiced for nearly a score of years.

“Bless me Padre......um...for I.....uh... have sinned. My last confession was, dammit Padre you probably know better than I do. I have committed some of the most heinous of sins possible in my time, Father. I have killed men with my sword and my musket. I have stolen from those that I have killed. I have taken the women of those men too, Padre. And I will do the same again before my time here is done. I beg for the mercy of God Padre.”

“Join me in The Lord’s Prayer Jooseppe.”

The two men once close and separated by only life’s experience, together recited the prayer. On its fulfillment the priest began to narrate the words of the last sacrament available to mortal man.

“Holy Father, You, the Physician of souls and bodies, who sent your only son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who heals from every sickness and saves from death, heal your servant, Jooseppe, of the bodily and spiritual sickness of which he is afflicted and give him the fullness of life through the grace of Your Christ. His ability to be of service to you, Lord, requires your watchful and graceful intervention.”

The priest then blessed special oils extracted from olive and placed the sacred symbol on the lips of the sailor, instructing him to take it into his mouth. As an added measure, not the norm, the man of God removed the lid from a canister of chrism and anointed Jooseppe on the head, lips and chest. This completed the ritual requested by the sailor.

After replacing the canister in its proper place among the religious paraphernalia, the priest opened the drawer of a cabinet along the sacristy’s wall and extracted a bronze case. With holy water and prayer, the priest continued to anoint the case with the same reverence earlier bestowed upon the sailor. Jooseppe meanwhile sat, quite uncertain as to the meaning of the practice he witnessed. After completing the blessing of the strange looking case, the priest handed it to the sailor. No explanation was offered, apparently it was a gift for the upcoming voyage. It bore a distinctive engraving,

Jooseppe il mio amico anziano e caro avete intrapreso un’ operazione la più onorata e la più rightous. Le miei preghiere e blessings sono con voi sul vostro viaggio. Il dio di maggio li vede sicuro ancora al nuovi mondo e sede. Andare circa il vostro commercio, Jooseppe, in un modo che riflette il honor che conced su lei nell’ accettare questa missione

Translated it read “Jooseppe my old and dear friend you have embarked on the most honorable and the most righteous of journeys. My prayers and blessings are with you on your trip.”

“Go now Jooseppe, to peacefully love and serve the Lord.”

Nearly running the distance back to his room above the tavern, Jooseppe thought, “I must tell Tue!”