Edwardian Script

Edward is a 17th century landowner in England. He grew up in Wales on a small family farm with his 7 brothers and sisters. His parents were fairly wealthy because they owned a small mill where the people of the town would come and have their wheat ground into flour. The boys of the family worked the mill and attended to the barn chores, going to school only when there was not work to be done. The school that Edward attended was in the parish house three miles from his own family farm. The priest would invite the children into his garden where he would patiently teach them how to read and write, using the Bible as their only text book. Girls were not permitted to attend so it was only Edward, his two brothers, and three other boys from the country side that would make the three mile trek during the wintery months. It was in this small parish house that Edward excelled and became a very gifted reader and writer. He practiced constantly so that soon he was ahead of the other five boys who attended the informal classes. The priest even let Edward borrow his treasured Bible to study and copy whenever the priest could spare it. Edward soon became the priest’s favorite of the boys and the two spent much time together going for walks and talking about philosophy and God. Edward was hungry for more information than the priest could give him.
When Edward turned 15 the priest came to his father’s house to express how talented his son was. The old man had no idea that his child was as gifted as the priest claimed, but was very honored that the priest had come to his home to praise his child. That night the family celebrated Edward with the priest among them. At dinner the priest told Edward and his family that he planned on helping Edward get some formal education at a university. Edward’s father was pleased, but skeptical. A university would be expensive. Although the family did well, he would not be able to support his six other children and send one to school. Edward was thrilled however and told his father he could pay his way.
The next spring, Edward and the priest set out on in the priest’s carriage for the six day journey to London where a family friend of the priest’s had agreed to take Edward in. For the next seven years Edward worked in his host’s blacksmith shop for his food and board and studied at Cambridge University. The classes were so intellectually stimulating that the young man often did poorly in school but worked hard none the less and came out a highly respected member of his class. He quickly found a job as a journalist for England’s politics. He followed Lords, Senate members, and even the Queen and her attendants around the city and county writing everything that took place. He was promoted to the Editor of the London Chronicle and was invited to be a permanent attendant of every Parliament hearing that took place. He was considered an affluent member of society and married into a good and wealthy family. He and his family lived well in the age of Elizabeth.