living in 16th century england

Chapter 32 The Pope's Meridian

How much land can a thousand gold coins buy?
Matthew once bought 3 acres of rugged wasteland at a high price of 5 pounds 10 shillings per acre.Building a house now.

However, it is 5 kilometers away from Greenwich Palace, there are many manors, and the land price is not low.It was just because of the clean water source that he was fancy, and finally the transaction was made with money.Not representative.

It is recorded that Shakespeare once bought a manor 50 kilometers north of London at a price of ~£60.

However, the author suspects that those desperate old nobles are selling it at a low price.Because Shakespeare also bought a front house in London. How big is the front house?The price is ~£140.

It can be seen that the manor in the early 16th century was really not very valuable.

If someone tells you how many manors XX has, so how rich he is.That's basically blowing.Haven't you seen that Cohen is going to be robbed if he is poor?
Remember what the "return value" of that pirate ship was?A successful pirate leader is often very rich.Think about those pirate treasure legends.

How many filthy pennies would it take to be worthy of the title "treasure"?
Therefore, the subordinates of a successful pirate leader are often not too bad for money.

Because of Henry VIII's dinner, we have to wait another day.Matthew is going to visit his house.When he was parting, a pirate sailor found him.

"Dear Baron, today...I have to say, you are a true nobleman..."

Matthew was not impatient: "What's the matter, please speak up. Let me see what I can do."

What is it called?This is called respect.

The pirate seemed a little embarrassed: "I haven't been home for a long time. I wonder if I can... ask for leave? I promise, it only takes a month... I will go to your manor in Plymouth."

Not bad, after two or three days of surrender, you can find out the address of the new boss?talent.

Matthew looked at him carefully: "Yes. If you are on the way, you can tell the captain, and he will let you disembark at a suitable place."

In this era, there is no berthing fee in the port, and you can enter and exit at will.Taxes are only levied on goods.So there is no cost to talk about empty ships.However, no one likes to be so troublesome, they just find a random place and get off.Those who are particular, use a small boat, those who are not particular, jump into the water with a "plop" and swim directly to the shore.

Pirate: "...Thank you."

He hesitated for a moment, and asked, "I heard from other sailors that you promised them that even if they wanted to buy a boat...it was a discounted price."

Matthew said solemnly: "My promise to them is absolutely valid. Do you have any questions?"

The pirate seemed to be choosing his words carefully: "In the future, I mean the future, when I have enough gold coins...can I also buy a...little donkey..."

Matthew smiled: "Of course, but there is no discount, this is their special benefit. Without promise, I can't benefit everyone."

Does this pirate care about discounts?Of course not, he was just talking about it.

The pirate's impression was that the baron seemed to care a lot about promises.

Matthew has seen this before. Pirates who have just surrendered are often uneasy.But he immediately decided that this guy was someone who thought he could be a captain.

Not just any sailor dares to buy a boat and go to sea.Being a captain is not an easy job.In fact, many sailors have sufficient nautical knowledge and skills.But the character is cowardly.If you can't control people, you can't convince the crowd.The captain is not strong enough, and in the vast sea, he might be in danger of his life.

There are also some sailors who think that if they have the money to buy a ship, it is better to buy some family heirlooms for comfort.

Matthew has never plundered the private property of the captives. Once this is done, can the captives easily use it for him?

So these guys must have some money.

But if a pirate wants to run away with a bucket and set up his own family, should he let it go or not?To kill or not to kill?this is a big problem.

He immediately thought of a solution.

"I wish you would move the whole family to Plymouth..."

The pirate was taken aback.

"Only in this way, no matter what you want to do in the future, it is possible to get my support and protection. And I can guarantee that Plymouth will be a safe...rear for you."

If you want to stand on your own, you have to use it under my nose.As for forceful control, it never occurred to Matthew to do so, it was pointless and fraught with risk.For a person who believes that money is power, prioritizing the use of economic means is his inevitable choice.

The routine he envisioned is to give you a safe platform, set rules for you to play, and finally control your income and sources.

Hi!Brother pirate, do you want to sell the stolen goods?

The pirates were full of surprises. The surprise was that the baron seemed to see through his plan at a glance, and the joy was that the baron didn't care, and his words were full of mystery.

A Baron's Asylum?Solid rear?Uh... what does "only this" mean?If not... what would happen?

Not wanting to know the answer, the pirate sailor immediately offered to relocate to Plymouth.For him, this is a good start, wouldn't it be better to take a wider road?
Piracy has a long history in Europe.In fact, among the British, maybe only the legendary Iberians are excluded. Nine out of ten people are pirates, robbers and chief soldiers.

It is said that the Celts originally lived in the German area, and after they came to beat up the aborigines, they lived there.They are also called Bretons.Britain is its homonym.

Then the Romans came running, beat up the Celtics of course, and settled down.Made Hadrian's Wall.

Then the Angles and the Saxons came hand in hand, beat up the people on the island and stayed there.Anglo finally became homophonic as England.

In Chinese, each of these three characters is a bit forced.Much taller than Anglo.However, this is actually proof of being beaten down.The tradition of a certain oriental country when it was strong and prosperous is that there are not many good words for various foreign names.

In the end the Vikings came and beat everyone again as a matter of course, but they didn't leave, and of course they stayed without discussing it.

Eventually the French Duke of Normandy came and beat them all up.Finally did not leave.Started the Anglo-French feud.

It can be seen that whoever stays is... a weak chicken?
But since the Tudor dynasty, no one can board the British Isles and do whatever they want.Interesting isn't it?
So, everyone is actually descended from barbarians.What's so special about returning to your ancestors to be a pirate?
Matthew took his entourage and Irene back to his stronghold to have a look, and gave some gold coins to the middle-aged entourage, asking him to build a tall wall around the place and plan a few more houses, which is considered the second phase of the project.It's okay to plant some flowers and plants, make it look better, don't save him money.

Of course there is a reason for this.On the one hand, the mansion is also face, and of course "respectable people" will care about it.On the other hand, one of the farms won by the gambling was nearby.It is estimated that the unlucky guy bought it because he often went to Xiaoyao Palace.

However, the contract has not been obtained yet, and we have to wait until tomorrow.Will Matthew pretend to be a good person?How can it be!Since you won the gamble, don't just look down on him.

That's right, the European aristocrats are so desperate for face.When there is no way to renege on a debt, he will behave more generously than anyone else.If anyone tells you that only the Chinese are good for face, don't give me face and beat him.

So the middle-aged follower was promoted and became a housekeeper.Specializes in the management of industries near London. These industries are not contiguous, and they are basically farms.Because the old aristocracy loved the land.

What Matthew didn't expect was that someone came to visit at night.One has seen and witnessed the land purchase deed.The others are also owners of nearby manors.Near the palace, there are many nobles.

Since they are neighbors, of course they cannot be driven away.After some ramblings, a few people began to play cards in the house that was not completely completed.

That's right, playing cards.But it is different from modern times.Interestingly, many Europeans believe that playing cards originated in China.

According to records, in 1465, a British card manufacturer applied to Edward IV to ban the import of foreign cards.It is said that there are relevant legal evidence.Should be believable.

These days the rich and nobles often choose to gamble when they kill their time.Of course Matthew will play.The poker table is also a good place to gather information.

There is a man named Thomas who has a lot of experience.I went to a monastery, because monks could not get married, I stayed for a few years and then left.As a lawyer, the performance is outstanding.Once a member of Parliament in London, and then offended Henry VII.Who is Henry VII?A master of both internal and external training, of course, there was no discussion about punishing him.After Henry VIII ascended the throne, it was reopened.Now a judicial officer in London.This gave Matthew an intuitive impression of the identities of the various manor owners near the palace.

Poker player: "I heard that the situation is getting more and more tense now, and the king may have to make a choice. The French are now surrounded by enemies, and the whole of Europe is besieging them. We should stand on the side of Spain, so that there will be no major problems. "

Thomas: "The king is a devout Catholic. We will stand with the Holy See."

I have to say that the ancestors of the French were really too fierce.

Another poker friend: "It's best to wave the flag and shout, and just show your intentions."

That's right, England now can only be used as a fool.

In history, Henry VIII repeatedly jumped left and right, and some people simply think it is capricious.Killed the Lauradians, killed the Catholics, but he ended up a heretic.What has been done can be described as shocking in this era, scaring people's jaws off.Even so, Henry VIII did not play himself to death.Not to mention being beaten by a Catholic country.It can be seen that his skill is profound.As a result, England became stronger instead.

Matthew: "I heard that Spain now has a vast territory, and half of Italy belongs to Spain. How can this be? Why does France have to make trouble with the Holy See?"

On the surface of sitting, they are all Catholics.How could he say so?

Card Friend A: "The baron may not know that with the financial resources and support of the Holy See, anyone can expand their territory."

Player B: "It is said that the king of France hit his head on the door frame and died, do you believe it?"

Assassination?Matthew's eyes widened.

Another poker player: "As far as I can see, the church burned Joan of Arc, the hero of the French, so they are very angry."

Thomas: "A French king asked the French church to disclose its property, otherwise it would be confiscated, offending people. ... But some monks are really not decent."

Matthew was stunned. Wasn't Joan killed by the English?Then he realized, wasn't the English court the Inquisition at that time?
As for how corrupt the life of the bishops is, do you have to ask?
Thomas continued: "For so many years, the French nobles took advantage of this sentiment to burn, kill and loot in Italy, which is not a good thing."

Player: "Who said it wasn't?"

Thomas: "As for land, it's all too common. Ireland, for example, was given to England by some pope a long time ago."

Matthew Daqi: "The Pope sent Ireland?"

Thomas laughs: "There once was a Pope who was English."

Matthew: "..."

Card player: "The Pope divided the world between Portugal and Spain. He is rewarding them for killing all the heretics in the Iberian Peninsula. This kind of good thing is for those kings who are obsessed with others."

The pope still carves up the world?Matthew thought for a while, and seemed to have heard of it.His thinking is often influenced by later generations, and his attention is often on the country.

Some people in modern times would say that the world is being divided up by powerful powers, but they turn a blind eye to the Pope who draws the line.But the name of this line is ~ Pope Meridian.It's pretty funny.Spain and Portugal were established on the ruins of the Iberian religious wars. Doesn't anyone find this speed of rise strange?

Spain colonized the Americas, why did other European countries turn a blind eye?Have you sat and watched Spain transporting gold and silver to Europe for many years?Because that's what the Pope gave them.Why did the Portuguese go all the way east?Because that was also given to them by the Pope.Don't forget that Italy is a big consumer of oriental luxury goods and spices.

These two, one east and one west, have a clear division of labor. Are you rolling dice?

Therefore, the colonial era was initiated by religion, not some European powers.

In this era in Europe, everyone is actually Catholic.Matthew wanted to understand the Pope's meridian, so he shut up.

Nima, it's no wonder that Portugal was later wiped out by Spain.

Matthew remembers that Portugal was dissatisfied with the first Pope's meridian, and the Pope drew a second one to appease him.After that, Spain, through the support of the Holy See, took advantage of the feudal system, and its territory increased rapidly, and its power grew rapidly. It took little effort to destroy Portugal.

Spain is a national thug brought out by the church.The United States, the later Protestant country, caught Spain and beat it hard. Do you think it is just because it is Spain?

Matthew suddenly had a new understanding of Henry VIII. Without Protestantism, there would be no British colonization of America, and even the United States would not exist.

Such a character, who broke the shackles of religion and influenced the course of world history, is actually not well-known in world history?
For divorce?Matthew couldn't help laughing.

Early the next morning, Matthew went to Xiaoyao Palace.Even if ordinary people treat you to dinner, you can't order it right?Let alone a king.

Matthew looked at all kinds of people coming and going, and didn't speak. He just sat and smoked and drank some drinks when he had nothing to do.That's right, it's that comfortable.

Someone is drawing, someone is playing, someone will even give a speech.Sometimes Henry VIII gets involved, but rarely speaks, just listens.

Sometimes people come in a hurry to report.For example, now, Portugal won a naval battle in the Indian Ocean last year, winning a lot with very little, and now has control of Goa.

Henry VIII's question was: "What ship did they use?"

The visitor has a lot of homework: "Caravelle sailing boat."

Henry VIII was holding a smoking pot, and suddenly glanced at Matthew.

Matthew understood in seconds, but he didn't really want to talk about military issues in public, so he said vaguely, "No problem... That pirate ship is, and it's useless to be armed to the teeth."

The visitor was inexplicable, but it had nothing to do with him.After saying a few more words, he left.

Henry VIII was obviously satisfied, took another puff, and the smoke was lingering: "Armed to the teeth? What a fresh way of saying it."

"My baron, here is some information for you to refer to... The new type of warship requires 108 tons of iron. Some people think that this is too heavy. Maybe you can reconsider it."

Matthew: "That's right, I think so too, but what I'm after is the power of artillery, so all the heavy artillery are 3-ton cannons, a total of 30."

Henry VIII: "Have you ever thought of using a 2-ton long gun with long range and light weight, and the direct range of the shell is a thousand feet. It is powerful enough to penetrate all hulls. He thinks this is enough."

Matthew hesitated, did Sussex's artillery succeed?

"A 2-ton cast-iron cannon?"

Henry VIII: "No, just traditional bronze cannons."

Matthew smiled: "When I go back, I will do some experiments to try to lose weight."

Henry VIII nodded, and looked around again: "I will introduce someone to you later. She should have come."

Matthew had an ominous premonition: "Woman? Who is it?"

Henry VIII: "My sister, Mary Tudor."

(End of this chapter)