and going forth and how he had closely dogged my steps, watched mine actions, and finally removed my ladder; catching up and repeating, moreover, those half-uttered words by which men do ofttimes indicate their concealed purposes.

"And what evil had I done unto thee," said I at length, looking full sternly at mine accuser, "that thou shouldest thus malevolently-Ha!-what!Bernard Schalken!" I exclaimed, as the light for a moment fell upon his fierce and reckless visage, and his hair was suddenly blown aside,-"is it indeed Bernard Schalken? nay, then, I will demand no farther of one to whom good faith is all unknown."

"What says this man, fellow?" inquired the abbot of Bermondsey, "art thou in truth that Bernard Schalken, who served Sir James Tyrrell, what time the deaths of the princes Edward and Richard were in question, and who afterward passed into the train of the late usurper's favourite, Sir Gilbert De Mountford ?-if thou art indeed he, begone at once, nor hope for entertainment here: since thou hast ever had the name of a brawling and violent soldier, and so art all unfit to serve in a house consecrated unto God."

"Why I trow well," hereunto replied the rude soldier, "that there may be holier ones than your wandering lance-men, and that I've been no better than my fellows: but then I wot that I've journeyed both to Canterbury and to Walsingham, to get me absolution from all that I've done heretofore, and so I threw the load of my sins into the cowls of the priests who took my confession there. And, now, by the mass! I take

myself to be all another man, and a mighty good Christian; whereof I took this certificate from the friars that absolved me. Well I deem that I bade them make it an ample testimonial, on peril of their bones, albeit I read neither Latin nor English. An' ye desire, therefore, for somewhat to recommend me to your favour, Lord Abbot, read me o'er this scroll, the which, the priests said, should speed me any where."

And with these irreverent words Bernard Schalken drew forth a piece of vellum, with two names and signs of the cross subscribed thereunto, the which, when the abbot had read, he answered in somewhat of a scoffing voice, "Truly this certificate shall speed thee away from every place where thou shalt show it; for I see that the good priests who have subscribed it deem of thec much as I do. Howbeit, in the hope that the knowledge of this writing may lead thee unto repentance and amendment of life, listen while I construe it unto thee."

"Forasmuch as I find Bernard Schalken, the bearer hereof, to be a brawling robber and lewd and impenitent soldier, I absolve him from all his good deeds, of which I find few or none in him; and I restore unto him all his evil acts, whereof he hath an abundance,-until he shall repent him heartily, make restitution for his plunder and life of violence, and resolve, by God's grace, to life hereafter unto His glory. Witness my hand, on the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle, the sixth of the calends of March: NICHOLAS BLUNT, Priest of the shrine of our lady at Walsingham.

"I also do fully concur in the foregoing, and

in token thereof have subscribed my name unto the same, this sixth of the ides of March, the commemoration of the forty martyrs of Sebaste: STEPHEN PLAINWAYS, Priest of the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury, archbishop and martyr.'"*

"How now, fellow," added the abbot unto the soldier when he had finished reading his certificate, "this is a goodly testimonial unto thy life, truly! what sayest thou hereunto?"

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"But little unto you, Lord Abbot," then responded the unabashed Bernard, "saving that I ween all priests be alike knaves; but to others, perchance, I may tell a longer and a graver tale for their foul leasing-making. An' in truth I be not absolved, let them look to it who made me think so, for 'twas enough that I believed it; and well 1 wot that the fragments of the fair gold chain which I left at their shrines, might have blotted out worser crimes than mine."

“Impenitent and hardened man!" then began the Lord Abbot in a bold and severe voice, for the honest zeal whereof I could not but laud him in mine own mind, although he entreated me with much evil and contumely," Ill-minded and ignorant sinner! is the offering unto God of such a a base portion of thy plunder, like a maimed and spotted sacrifice, to blot out the crimes of a whole life of violence, rapine, and blood? In truth it was an abomination, being like unto that whereof the prophet Malachy speaketh, saying, 'Non est

*Similar language to the above is actually used by Eras: mus, in his Colloquy of the Life of a Soldier.

Mihi voluntas in vobis, dicit Dominus Exercituum, et munus non suscipiam de manu vestra. My will is not in you, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will not receive an offering at your hands. Believe it, unhappy man, that the penitent psalm • Misere me Deus,' uttered with bended knees and sorrowful heart at God's altar, with a single penny given to the poor, and a firm purpose to lead a new life, shall do more towards winning the grace of heaven, than if thou hadst walked barefoot from hence to Palestine, and gave the collected spoil of thy whole life unto the shrines of Christendom. Depart from hence, speedily, since thou art pollution unto our house, a spot of leprosy unto our walls. I enjoin thee no penance, since thy very lusts and crimes will at last be heavier than aught which I could impose; therefore, begone, and, if thou canst, repent thee and amend !"

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Hercupon the lance-man was put forth, yet as he went out, methought even he was somewhat abashed by the solemn speech of the abbot, since he said, "A plague upon the knaves who have` stirred this coil! and a mischief be upon you, too, for disturbing my conscience which was quiet enow before!" and so he departed from the chamber.

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"Having purified our dwelling of one evil-doer," the abbot again began, looking at me with much contumely and anger, "it now remaineth that wo proceed with fitting rigour towards another; towards him, who, like the worst of night-robbers, hath broken into the Lord's heritage in the hours of darkness."

At these wordsmine anger rose quickly, and my spirit kindled at the indignity cast upon me, so that, had mine hands been free, I know not what outrage I might have committed: but my limbs being now under close restraint, I could only reply unto him in a haughty tone, "Lord Abbot, I pray you to forbear this speech, seeing that, albeit you may not know me, I am yet of noble birth, and therefore it befits neither myself to hear, nor you to utter any such scorn."

The abbot was not slow in his answer hereunto, saying, in a scoffing voice, “Marry, one might well deem that some ale-wife or host had been full bounteous of their store unto thee, which hath called forth these strange dreams of greatness in thy bemused brain; seeming, as thou dost, to be little better than a beggar."

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Beggar!" repeated I then, with wondrous indignation, "mark me, Sir Priest, that name belongs not unto me, so truly as it doth unto yourself, and your hosts of idle monks and cowled compeers; albeit ye feed richly, lie softly, and go flaunting in the gayest robes vanity can devise for ye. 1 repeat unto ye, once more, that I am of the noblest blood of this nation; though now, by stress of circumstance, I am subject unto thy power and reviling taunts,-yet am I still neither inferior, nor even equal, of thine, in all the pomp and pride which thou canst call around thee."

"An' boldness in evil might make thee great," returned the abbot therewith, "truly thou wouldest be of high degree; but I now bethink me, that the caitiff who hath gone, affirmed that thou wert no other than the issue of the murtherous Ri