search
Stephen Berer
the Eternal Jew's biographer

The Eternal Jew’s Tale, #156, To Portugal

Gabriel Vallseca’s 1439 map; image colorized and modified by the author, obtained from Wikimedia Commons, Gabriel Vallseca - Museo Marítimo Barcelona - 1439, in the public domain.
Gabriel Vallseca’s 1439 map; image colorized and modified by the author, obtained from Wikimedia Commons, Gabriel Vallseca - Museo Marítimo Barcelona - 1439, in the public domain.

In this episode we leave behind Batkol’s journal and her misadventures with Lilah in the hills outside of Genoa, and return to Mallorca. To remind you, Batkol is embedded in a convent known for its manuscript production, but which is also a safehouse for Jews and others trying to escape the Inquisition. The convent is “managed” by the priest Enrique, who himself may be a hidden Jew. He is working in conjunction with the famous Portolan map-maker Juan de Vallseca and his son Gabriel, both hidden Jews, and Juan’s household. But the Church has many secret operatives trying to flush out heresy and Judaizing. And thus a dangerous game of church and mouse proceeds.

The Eternal Jew’s Tale
Twentieth Era, Part 1, ~1438 C.E., Portugal

Well, Batkol give back the quill to me, and tho her books upset my view of Torah and all its patriarchs, her experiences been prophetic deep. I think she were touched by Shekhina’s wings and her eyes been opened on higher worlds.

Me, I be tossed on this Middle Sea with Juan Vallseca and Gabby, his son, and that Reina, Florita, or whatever her name, a zonah* they say, and maybe a spy. But kedusha** is surely a better term.
* Hebrew: prostitute; one who pursues immoral ways
** one who pursues the holy in alternate ways

We are sailin’ to Genoa, there to test if Florita’s loyalty be true, or if she be indeed the bishop’s spy. But we also be lookin’ for pigments to buy, them as are hard to find at home. And also, our benefactor, Juan, has heard of some rare documents about winds and tides and geometry to compute the changin’ longitude, which driv him up and down the docks, and below decks of every ship to talk to captain, pilot, and crew.

Our search for pigments and documents returns us gratifying results. But as for Florita’s loyalty, that were hardly an issue now. In short, it seem Gabby and she have fallen in love and seek the consent of Juan, who be greatly troubled by this.

Now, to me, virginity only means you don’t know what to do in bed. And puttin’ aside the courser facts, like women bein’ thought of as property, for most people it been a sign of purity and loyalty. Now them be matters hard to assay. I known some prostitutes as pure and full of the Lor as our prophets been. And I known virgins who become wives as mean and vindictive as Jezebel. But Juan, he sees it different.

So when we returnt to Palma’s streets, there be awful fights behind closed doors between them two, Gabby and Juan.

I should mention, tho Gabby were young, he’d shown his prowess in makin’ maps, and some of his work been turnin’ heads. So a day come when Gabby announces he’s been invited to Portugal to teach at a school of nautical arts begun by that great man, Henrick the Prince, Enfant Terrible, as Juan would say. So Gabby and Florita, off they gone. Back in Palma, mourning and psalms in Juan Vallseca’s broken house.

And not long aft, more grief befalls. Enrique be summoned. The bishop’s court been informed that he has Jewish roots, and they wants to extract that root from him, or at least a confession and its pound of flesh. That secret garden of Jewish life is now burnt to the ground, and all them nuns, them secret Jews that didn’t flee, be prisoned, tortured, brought to shame. And many be murdered, martyred they say.

Me and Batkol been invited too, to develop maps for the Enfant Terrible and expand Portugal’s grip on the world.

Little we imagine what evil tyrants have begun their ascent into this world, like new born plague risin’ out of Portugal’s sewers. Our eyes couldn’t see none of that. These Portugal years be productive and proud. Jewish knowledge and Jewish drive be expandin’ the vision and designin’ the tools, that Portugal would dream itself to a leadin’ role in the battlefield of nations wantin’ to rule the world.

Now, sorrow and guilt and a distant dad boiled and coiled in Gabby’s soul, and back in Palma similar feelings tangle and wrangle and grow in Juan. Now come a package of tools and maps and a message from Juan. If tears been ink, that ink could have written a lengthy scroll, full of teshuvah,* a soul-changin’ scrawl. A bridge were rebuilt between father and son. But soon we been sayin’ Kaddish** for Juan. Now Gabby become like an anchorite, dividin’ his life between wave and wife, Portugal, Palma, Valencia, the Maghreb, Venice, and Palestine, directin’ a fleet of merchant ships while composin’ the finest Portolan charts.
* Hebrew: repentance; ** prayer for the dead

But such be the times that Jewish life is perched on the edge of a crumbly cliff, and who can know where the rock will give way? Like I says, Enrique and all his fold crashed down into the church’s abyss. That church grown riper year by year with fear that steadfast Jews and their ways be underminin’ Christian belief, regardin’ not their own claims that Messiah has come and redeemed the world, which every heart must surely doubt.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the next episode, the tragic history of Enrique the priest.

About the Author
I am a writer, educator, artist, and artisan. My poetry is devoted to composing long narrative poems that explore the clash between the real and the ideal, in the lives of historical figures and people I have known. Some of the titles of my books are: The Song uv Elmallahz Kumming A Pilgimmage tu Jerusalem The Pardaes Dokkumen The Atternen Juez Talen You can listen to podcasts of my Eternal Jew posts on my personal blog, Textures and Shadows, which can be found on my website, or directly, at: http://steveberer.com/work-in-progress. I live just outside Washington, DC with my bashert, and we have two remarkable sons. Those three light my life.
Related Topics
Related Posts