the Rector of Ludgarshall, that we must all be at his beck and ordering?
Was there no truth in the whole Church Catholic, these thirteen hundred
years, that this Dan John must claim for to have discovered it anew?
Pshaw! 'tis folly."

"And what other tidings be there, pray you, holy Father?"

"Scarce aught beside of note, I think," answered the Abbot,
meditatively--"without it be the news from Brittany of late--'tis said
all Brittany is in revolt, and the King of France aiding the same, and
the Duke is fled over hither to King Edward, leaving my Lady Duchess
shut up in the Castle of Auray, which 'tis thought the French King shall
besiege. Man reckons he comes for little--I would say, that our King
shall give him little ado over that matter, without it were to ransom my
Lady, should she be taken, she being step-daughter unto my Lord Prince."

"The Lord King, then, showeth him no great favour?"

"Favour enough to his particular [to himself personally]; but you will
quickly judge there is little likelihood of a new army fitted out for
Brittany, when you hear that his Grace writ to my Lord Archbishop of
Canterbury that he should in no wise submit to the tax laid on the
clergy by my Lord Cardinal of Cluny, that came o'er touching those
affairs, and charged the expenses of his journey on the clergy of
England. The King gave promise to stand by them in case they should
resist, and bade them take no heed of the censure of the said Nuncio,
seeing the people of England were not concerned touching matters of
Brittany; and where the cause, quoth he, is so unjust, the curse must
needs fall harmless."

"Brave words, in good sooth!" said young Godfrey.

"Ay, our Lord the King is not he that shall suffer man to ride roughshod
over him," added his father.

"The which is full well in case of laymen," said the Abbot, a little
severely; "yet it becometh even princes to be buxom and reverent to the
Church, and unto all spiritual men."

"If it might please you, holy Father, would you do so much grace as tell
me where is my Lord Duke at this present?"

It was Perrote who asked the question, and with evident uneasiness.

The Abbot glanced at her, and then answered carelessly. She was only
one of the household, as he saw. What did her anxiety matter to my Lord
Abbot of Darley?

"By my Lady Saint Mary, that wis I little," said he. "At Windsor,
maybe, or Woodstock--with the King."

"The palmer told us the King was at Woodstock,