The Bunting Quest

by Steven Marcuson

  Dom Letizia sat on the other side of the great oak desk and explained the recent events as succinctly as he could. The Abbot Primate listened without comment. His only movement was when Dom Letizia mentioned the theft of the Amsterdam map. He exhaled and looked down while bringing his withered and wrinkled right hand to his chin. All was silent. Dom Letizia stared at the few wisps of white hair and age spots on the scalp of the old man and waited.

  ‘Come closer, Francesco. My voice is not strong; what I am about to tell you may take time and I need to conserve my energy.’

  The old man’s voice was barely more than a whisper. Dom Letizia walked around the desk, drew up a chair and sat next to the Abbot Primate – a man he had known all his life, who knew everything about him. The familiar faint garlic smell reminded Dom Letizia of all the years that had passed and the influence he had had on his life. Dom Letizia put his ear towards the old man’s mouth as he started to speak.

  ‘I have many responsibilities, Francesco. Most of them you know nothing about. That is as it should be. Dom Forte, who will be my successor, is a man of similar capabilities to me. He is learned both in religious and secular terms. He is a true diplomat and will handle the Pope’s bureaucracy with ease, as he will the mundane running of this monastery. You, on the other hand, have other gifts. You have a dogged persistence that most do not have. You are decisive when others are still weighing their options and you care little what others may think of you. These attributes have ideally suited your position as the Keeper of the Secret Manuscripts.’

  Dom Letizia leaned closer to glean as much as possible from his mentor.

  ‘In many ways, you are closer in spirit to our great founder Benedict than most Benedictines I know. But what does a man do with his gifts, Francesco? How does a man best serve God? At this stage of my journey, I know more than I have ever known, yet I understand less.’

  The Abbot Primate closed his eyes for a few seconds and gathered his thoughts. ‘You will know some of what I am about to tell and light will shine on some of the shadows that have been a mystery to you. They have been a mystery due to necessity. Necessity now compels me to reveal all I know.’

  Dom Letizia gave no outward indication of the importance of this moment. However, inwardly his stomach muscles tightened as if punched, and he became aware of an uncomfortable heat rising through his chest and throat.

  ‘Gregory left Magdeburg, but did not return directly to Rome. He came up the mountain, as a friend of the Benedictines, to ask a favour and seek advice from one of my predecessors, Abbot Primate Vittocelli, the 141st successor of our founder Benedict. As you know, the Pope has no authority over our Order. He can-not force us to do anything and we are under no obligations to Rome. Our reputation as learned men and keepers of the sacred books and manuscripts had been well established over the preceding centuries and our influence pervaded the known world. This was the situation when Gregory came. He was greatly troubled and explained that he had charged the heretic Bunting with the sacred task of removing our Lord’s words from Europe and to find a safe haven for them, somewhere where no Christian man could discover them. It remains a mystery to me, even today, as to why Gregory chose a Lutheran priest to take on such a quest and did not leave our Lord’s words with Abbot Primate Vittocelli in Monte Cassino. What did Gregory reveal to this man? This is also a mystery. However, I digress. Abbot Primate Vittocelli of blessed memory was convinced of the absolute necessity to help, and offered Benedictine assistance forevermore.’

  Dom Letizia noticed his mentor’s laboured breathing as he impressed on him the importance of what he was saying.

  ‘Be aware, Francesco, this is the only time that such an extraordinary offer has ever been extended in the history of our movement. That is why we have given so many of our resources, quietly and effectively, to this Oath of Perpetual Assistance.’ The Abbot Primate paused picked up two small cloves of raw garlic from a small plastic container and swallowed them down whole, aided by a glass of water.

  ‘The trick is not to chew them,’ chuckled the old man. ‘This is the secret to my longevity. Here, why don’t you have some?’

  Dom Letizia smiled and politely declined, as he always did.

  ‘Now where was I? Yes, the Lutheran and his travels. Our people followed him to Helmstadt, to Lemgo, to Antwerp and even through the indiscretions of the Spanish. We were in Timor and finally we were with him almost to the final resting place in the south-west coast of the “undiscovered” continent of Australia. There, the Holy Words lay undisturbed for 250 years, until the English came and settled the Swan River. Our concern increased as the settlement grew and settlers pushed further north to farm, so in 1846 we sent Dom Jose Benito Serra, Dom Rosendo Salvado and Dom Dennis Tootell with specific instructions to locate the exact position and establish a monastery over the resting place. This they did and called it New Norcia, fulfilling our promise and sacred duty made to Gregory. Until now, the Holy Words have lain untouched and unread. Our duty and obligation should have ended there; however, on his return, this unusual man, the intrepid Lutheran, surprised us once again.’

  A sudden knock on the door broke the intimacy and both were silent, while a young monk delivered a platter of drink and food and some medicines for the Abbot Primate.

  ‘Well, it’s not just the garlic that keeps me going, Francesco. Here, have something to eat.’

  Dom Letizia picked up a bruschetta with olive oil and prosciutto while the Abbot Primate dutifully swallowed his pills. Dom Letizia nodded acknowledgement to the young monk as he left quietly.

  The Abbot Primate also ate and then continued: ‘On his return from his quest the Lutheran published Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae in 1581 in Magdeburg. The book on one level appears to be a travel book relating to the Holy Land, describing the places the ancients would have travelled to in biblical times. As you know, the book is filled with maps of the Holy Land but also includes an obscure world map that vaguely indicates the resting place of the Holy Words. Why on earth did he do this? I have no idea. Our Benedictine scholars thoroughly dissected the book and the map searching for hidden pointers to the holy secret. However, although he shows the west Australian coastline for the first time on a map and some vague references in the script, there was nothing to pinpoint the holy resting place.’

  Dom Letizia recalled all the secret analytical manuscripts by the Benedictine scholars from the late sixteenth century to the twentieth century, carefully filed next to the Bunting publications in the cave-room.

  ‘The Lutheran’s book was a commercial success and was republished many times over the next fifty years. Each republication included the map. All this would have been acceptable since the information was vague and there was little reason to be concerned of a rogue adversary searching for clues. However, it was only later, many years later, in the late seventeenth century, that it came to our attention that Bunting had secretly arranged for the cartographer and publisher, De Jode of Antwerp, to publish a hundred special editions of his book. At first glance these books seemed no different to the main publication, apart from the name and address of the publisher on the World Map. De Jode had arranged for them to be sent gratis to the major libraries and universities existing in Europe at that period. By some divine fortune, one of our predecessors was studying the world map of one of these special editions, when he dropped some liquid onto the paper. To his amazement, the map changed in front of his eyes and revealed shipping tracks, distances, soundings and directions to the resting place of the Holy Words. He was in complete shock and informed his superiors immediately of the bizarre discovery. By the time his superiors examined the map, it had dried out and the information had disappeared. However, once they replicated the liquid and carefully applied it, the secret information reappeared. Can you imagine, Francesco, the panic this caused in the Benedictine community? The very thing we had been charged to protect was in the grasp of anyone who knew about or stumbled onto one of these special maps. An urgent congress of a
bbots was convened in this very monastery in September 1698 and the decision was made to acquire every one of these special one hundred maps, whether they were bound in the book or had been removed.’

  ‘As of today, we have eighty-eight of the original one hundred,’ said Dom Letizia.

  The Abbot Primate nodded and continued: ‘Over many years our strategy has been not only to acquire each of these special edition books or maps but also to deflect interest, by placing articles in prestigious cartographic publications, reducing the Lutheran to a provincial landlocked priest whose map was crude and uninformed. We spread the falsehood that it was purely coincidental to have drawn a land profile similar to the west Australian coastline and that he was well out of his depth in regard to contemporary knowledge. This strategy has been very successful. The Bunting map is considered to be of no cartographic value and is downgraded to an oddity amongst experts.’

  The Abbot Primate hesitated, as if searching for the right words. ‘I think that you have known most of what I have told you so far, Francesco, however, our duty has come at great cost. It saddens me that you have to know this information, but I have no option. The information must be passed on before I die. I expect you will find it as great a burden as I have.’

  The Abbot Primate then, in a trance-like fashion, chronologically disgorged a litany of crimes over three hundred years committed in the name of the sacred secret, from the end of the seventeenth century through to Dom Letizia’s tenure as Keeper of the Secret Manuscripts.

  ‘Many times we created false identities to gain the trust of those who held the books in their possession and then stole their property and disappeared into the night. We covertly substituted Magdeburg editions for Antwerp editions, where they remain to this day, the owners none the wiser. We stole from numerous institutions and collections and then torched their fine libraries, destroying evidence of our transgressions.’ The Abbot Primate came out of his trance state and stared hard at Dom Letizia. ‘Innocents died in these fires, but worse … the greatest sin of all.’

  Dom Letizia was suddenly conscious of a change in the atmosphere; a chilling effect.

  ‘This I have to tell you. In 1846 when Dom Tootell – the leader of the group – with Dom Serra and Dom Salvado travelled to the Swan River settlement, to the newly established town of Perth, they were accompanied by John Gorman – an Irish catechist, and a French monk, Dom Leander Fonteinne. The history books explain the tragedy that occurred on the expedition north of Perth to establish the monastery: Fonteinne accidentally shot and killed Gorman and then, distraught, he abandoned the mission and returned to France … This I believe is not the truth.

  ‘Gorman had been chosen poorly. He was aware, as were the others, of the purpose of the mission, but he was a drinker and when drunk, which was often, he was loose-lipped. When it became obvious that the secret could not be contained by this man, I believe Fonteinne took it on himself to silence him for good. I do not know if Tootell, Serra or Salvado knew of his intentions but he never stood trial, returned to France and spent the rest of his life in Cluny Abbey, Saone-et-Loire. Serra must have found it difficult to live with this information and spent less and less time at the New Norcia settlement. Although he was the more senior of the two Spanish monks, he left Australia in 1859, never to return.’

  The Abbot Primate lowered his eyes, bowed his head and sat silently for a moment as if judgement was about to be given. ‘And now we have a dilemma. Those who would seek to harm us are drawing closer to discovering the “secret”. One of our own, O’Flaherty – you may remember him, a disturbed and bitter man – revealed what he knew, before being brutally murdered. What they could find is a mystery to all. We have sworn an Oath of Perpetual Assistance to prevent the “secret” from being revealed. How far do we go to stop them? I am sorry, these are terrible words to have voiced. Many terrible deeds have been perpetrated in the protection of the Holy Words. You will be tested, Francesco.’

  Dom Letizia found it hard to speak. When the words came, they sounded as if from a stranger. ‘I will do what has to be done. The Benedictines do not break their oaths.’

  28

  It had been past 3 am before they all bedded down, exhausted, at Nick’s place. Four hours later, Nick and Verity were up again to catch the 9:25 am to Hanover, the closest airport to Gottingen. Verity borrowed some clothes from Bronte and both she and Nick carried small rucksacks that Nick used for short overseas stays.

  Nick spent his time on the flight trying to find a connection between De Jode and Bunting on his laptop, but to no avail.

  ‘Very strange, Verity, I can’t find any references to De Jode ever publishing Heinrich Bunting. The major German reference work, the Neu Deutsche Biographie, states that Bunting published the first edition in Helmstedt in 1581, and although Shirley says that the first edition was published in Magdeburg, he agrees with the date. Anyway, apart from the many subsequent editions in a number of different towns in Germany, it was also published in Sweden, Holland, Denmark and England. There was even an edition in Czech. However, there is nothing about any publications in Antwerp and significantly no reference to Gerard de Jode.’

  ‘Yet the Amsterdam map and the map you had at your exhibition clearly had De Jode’s address. What does the Sotheby catalogue say?’ asked Verity.

  Nick brought up the past auction catalogues for Sotheby’s of Amsterdam, located the Garner Collection and found the Lot Number. He read out the full description. ‘Lot 251: Bunting, Heinrich Die eigentliche und Warhafftige gestalt der Erden und des Meers. Cosmographia Universalis. Woodcut 370 x 280mm Published in Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae … By C. de Jode 10 Twaalfmaandenstraat Antwerpus 1581. Unusual and crude map of the world, by little known Protestant Theologian, Heinrich Bunting. Bunting was born in Hanover in 1545 and died in the same city in 1606. Estimate $800 – $1100.’

  ‘Does it make any particular comment about this edition being unusual due to it being published by de Jode in Antwerp?’

  ‘No, it doesn’t. I suppose it’s because the map is not usually considered rare, due to the numerous editions and publications. The estimate was $800 to $1100 and if you compare that to some extremely rare maps they were selling at the auction, a few between

  $40,000 and $100,000, the unusual address for this map has gone unremarked. No excuses, but I think that’s why Bronte and I failed to catalogue our map correctly.’

  ‘Nick, can I see that description?’

  Nick turned the laptop towards Verity.

  ‘Is that a ‘C’ and not a ‘G’ where the publisher’s name is?’

  Nick magnified the image on the address. ‘That is definitely a ‘C’, Verity. Well spotted. It must be referring to Cornelis, the son of Gerard. As far as I recall, Cornelis worked with his father and took the business over after Gerard died. The famous World Map by De Jode, Totius Orbis Cogniti Universalis Descriptio, was copied by the son years after its first publication, with the only alteration being the date and the initial. However, that was not until the 1590s, so it is surprising to see Cornelis’ initial on this map in 1581!’

  ‘And on a map that is so crude and unusual for the De Jode Publishing House, perhaps that is why Gerard didn’t want his name on it?’ ventured Verity.

  Nick searched for an image of the Gerard de Jode World Map. ‘Have a look at this. Can you see how accurately Gerard depicts the known world? Now, compare it to the rudimentary offering of the Bunting map. Well, there is no comparison.’

  ‘Yet,’ said Verity, ‘it does show a relatively accurate coastline of western Australia, many years prior to its “discovery”.’

  ‘I just don’t get it,’ said Nick, perplexed. ‘Now we have an unknown printing of Bunting’s World Map by a firm that was recognised for its accuracy in mapping, published by the son and not the father. Maybe Julius has a point when he says he has a hunch that there is more to this map than meets the eye.’

  ‘And there are people willing to commit murder for the sake of the map,�
� said Verity quietly.

  Both went silent for a while as they tried to come to terms with the events of the last forty-eight hours. It was Verity who spoke first. ‘Nick, do the other Bunting maps in your exhibition have the Antwerp address?’

  Nick entered the web address for the gallery into his laptop and was soon examining the other maps from his web catalogue. ‘No, none of the others … and I think I know why. A few weeks ago when I split the book and removed the maps, I already had a client lined up for the Bunting World. So for the exhibition I phoned around to look for another to complete the set. I got this one from Winston Thornton. I’ll give him a call to see where he got it from, although he’s been a bit funny about giving out too much information these days.’

  Nick had stayed in touch with Winston ever since first meeting him when he was a teenager in old Mister Berelowitz’s shop. Winston had become a mentor to him in the early days and as long as Nick had deferred to the great man, everything went smoothly. However, over the last ten years, as Nick had gone from strength to strength and his profile had risen, Winston had become less effusive. They were still friendly and caught up socially whenever they both attended the same auction or exhibited in the same antique fair.