At the "Sign of the Golden Fleece" : A Story of Reformation Days

Set against the turbulent backdrop of sixteenth‑century England, the tale opens in the bustling halls of Oxford where a fierce clash of ideas is brewing. Master Clark dispatches a daring messenger—young Sir Miles Paton—to deliver news that could shift the balance between the traditional “Trojan” scholars and the new wave of Greek‑learned reformers. As monks, lecturers, and ambitious patrons maneuver through intrigue, the reader is drawn into a world where language itself becomes a weapon of faith and power.

Amid the scholarly fervor, personal loyalties begin to fray. A novice’s absence, whispered doubts about love, and a sudden, risky escape set the stage for alliances that will be tested in the taverns and churches of the era. Through lively dialogue and vivid scenes—from the bustling market of Oxford Fair to the secluded cloisters of St. Dunstans—the first act establishes both the intellectual stakes and the human hearts caught in the Reformation’s early currents.