[John xvi. 13] wherefore by His good help I trust I shall
read aright."

"That promise was given, daughter, unto the holy apostles."

"It was given, reverend father, unto weak men and evil, else Peter had
never denied his Master, ne [neither] had all of them left Him and taken
to flight, when the servants of the bishops [see Note 1] laid hold on
Him. I wis that I have an evil heart like as they had, but meseemeth
that mine is not worser than were theirs, wherefore I count that promise
made unto myself also."

"Thou art lacking in meekness, Madge," said Lord Marnell.

"I trust not so, good my Lord; but an' if I be, I pray God to give it to
me."

"Give up the book, Madge!" said her husband, apparently desirous to
allay the storm which he had raised, "and thou shalt then receive
absolution, and all will go well."

"I will give up the book, my Lord, in obedience to you," replied
Margery, "for I wis well that wives be bounden to obey their husbands;
and soothly it is no great matter, for I know every word therein. But
under your good leave, my Lord, the truth which this book hath taught
me, neither you nor any other man shall have power to take from me, for
it is of God, and not of men!"

She drew the book from her pocket--ladies wore much larger pockets in
those days than they now do--kissed it, and handed it to her husband.

"Thou hast well done, Madge!" said Lord Marnell, more kindly than
before, as he passed the book to the Archbishop. Arundel, with a
muttered curse upon all evil teaching, took the book from Lord Marnell
with his hand folded in the corner of his gown, as if he thought its
very touch would communicate pollution, and flung it into the fire. The
fire was a large one, and in a minute the volume was consumed. Margery
watched the destruction of her treasure with swimming eyes.

"Burn, poor book!" she said, falteringly, "and as thy smoke goeth up to
God, leave it tell Him that the reading and the loving of His Word is
accounted a sin by those who ought to be His pastors."

"Woman, wilt not hear the truth?" cried Arundel.

"Truly, father, I have heard it, and it shall rest with me unto my dying
day. But I trow that if your teaching were truth, ye had never burned
with fire the Word of Christ, who hath power, if ye repent not, to
consume you also with the like!"

"Told I not thee that the evil book which I gave to the fire was not
Christ His Word, but the work of the devil?"

"Yea, truly; an