egan to speak in a voice that was at once
pitiful and angry, crying upon the King to answer, telling him that he
was bewitched and under the power of Satan through the machinations of
Master Richard, and blessing him again and again.

Master Richard stood aside watching, and wondering that my lord could
speak so, and not understand the truth; and he looked round at the
others to see if any there understood. But they were all dumb, except
for muttering, and gave him black looks, and blessed themselves as their
eyes met his; so he committed himself to prayer. [Sir John preaches a
little sermon here on internal recollection, and the advantages of the
practice.]

It was of no avail; the King could not speak; and presently the
physician, Master Blytchett, [this is an extraordinary name, and is
obviously a corruption of some English name, but I do not know what it
can be, nor why it was retained, when all others were erased.] came
and whispered in my lord's ear as he knelt at the King's knees. My
lord turned his head and nodded, and Master Richard was seized from
behind and pulled through the door. The man who had pulled him was one
of the servants. I saw him afterwards and spoke with him, when he was
sorry for what he had done; but now he spat on Master Richard fiercely,
for the door was shut; and blessed himself mightily meanwhile.

Then he spoke to the man that kept the door; and said that Master
Richard was to be taken down and kept close, until there was need of him
again; for that the King was no better.

So Master Richard was brought downstairs, and through the guard-room
into one of the little cells: and as he went he was thinking on the
words of our Saviour.

_Si male locutus sum, testimonium perhibe de malo: si autem bene, quid
me caedis?_ ["If I have spoken ill, give testimony of the evil, but if
well, why strikest thou me?" (John xviii. 23.)]

Of the Parson's Disquisition on the whole matter

_In columna nubis loquebatur ad eos._

He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud.--_Ps. xcviii. 7._

VIII

{At this point of the narrative, in consideration of what has preceded
and what is yet to follow, Sir John Chaldfield thinks it proper to
enlarge at great length upon the threefold nature of man, and the
various characters and functions that emerge from the development of
each part.

For the sake of those who are more interested in the adventures of
Master Richard and the King than in a mediev