Quotes from Ellis Peters

Provable truths are what we need.

But the means—he was less certain that the means were above reproach. But what can a man do, or a woman either, but use what comes to hand?

And the children seem ideally matched, they know each other through and through, like brother and sister." "I doubt if I'd say that made for an ideal match," said Brother Cadfael honestly.

God disposes all. From the highest to the lowest extreme of a man's scope, wherever justice and retribution can reach him, so can grace.

Grandchildren by proxy, Cadfael reflected, might be a rare and pleasurable recompense for a celibate prime. As for old age, he had not yet begun to think about it; no doubt it had its own alleviations.

Thinking is best after prayer, but will be none the worse for a meal and a glass of wine.

There was so much to grieve over, and so much to celebrate, she did not know which to do first, and essayed both together, like April. But her age was April, and the hopeful sunshine won.

If none of us ever fell short, or put a foot astray, everything would be good in this great world, but we stumble and fall, every one. We must deal with what we have. - Cadfael, Pg. 245-6

Every man should be adjudged innocent until there was proof against him, and all the more when very suspect and malicious charges had already been thrown at him, and rang leaden as false coin.

In such dreadful times as these no one can do more than choose his own road according to his conscience, and bear the consequences of his choice, whatever they may be.

Innocence is an infinitely fragile thing and thought can sometimes injure, even destroy it. - Pg. 254

And then … she had hardly looked beyond, but there was a great, summer-scented breeze blowing through her spirit, telling her she was young and fair, and wealthy into the bargain

So it always is, he thought, to relieve another you must burden yourself.

Things become very simple when you have no choice, when there's nothing left for you but to endure as long as you can, and survive if you can.

There is the matter of the girl, niece and heiress to the dead man. She is of great beauty," said Cadfael plainly, asserting his right to recognise and celebrate even the beauty of women, though their enjoyment he had now voluntarily forsworn

An alien priory, only a few miles distant, with its own miracle-working saint, and the great Benedictine house of Shrewsbury as empty of relics as a plundered almsbox! It was more than Prior Robert could stomach. He had been scouring the borderlands for a spare saint now for a year or more, looking hopefully towards Wales, where it was well known that holy men and women had been common as mushrooms in autumn in the past, and as little re

At this hungry and thirsty and yearning hour, with the uneasiness of the dark and the inevitability of bedtime clutching at them, something more was needed than the spidery tunnels of the furze and broom, and the clay hollows of elders and watery pits of willow, full of lean shadows.

the good sense to fortify himself with the things of the flesh for the struggles of the spirit.

the river, Ruald had two

You have never sought to make light of your failings, I do not think you need fear our too harsh condemnation. You have been commonly your own sternest judge." So he had, but that, well handled, can be one way of evading and forestalling the judgements of others.

Prior Robert looked round for the few Welshmen among the brothers, passed somewhat hurriedly over Brother Cadfael, who had never been one of his favourites, perhaps by reason of a certain spark in his eye, as well as his notoriously worldly past, and lit gladly upon Old Brother Rhys, who was virtually senile but doctrinally safe, and had the capacious if capricious memory of the very old.

On almost all of which counts he was in error, but since no one was ever likely to tell him so, there was no harm done.

When I want to hear my echo," said Brother Cadfael, "I will at least speak first. Come on, now, and get the bottom strip of ground dug, there are kale plants waiting to go in.

The thing about fear,' said Cadfael, seriously considering, 'is that it is pointless. When need arises, fear is forgotten. Would you recoil from taking a leper's hand, if he needed yours, or you his, to be hauled out of danger? I doubt it. Some men would, perhaps-- but of you I doubt it. You would grip first and consider afterwards, and by then fear would be clearly a mere waste of time.