"concerning the
welfare of the kingdom and Church of England." The former notion is
purely modern.

PART ONE, CHAPTER 5.

THE REIGN OF KING ROGER.

"She is no sheep who goes walking with the wolf."

Russian Proverb.

And now, were I inditing a very chronicle, should I dip my quill next in
the red ink, and write in full great letters--"Here beginneth the reign
of King Edward of Windsor, the Third after the Conquest."

But, to scribe soothliness, I cannot do so. For not for four years
thereafter did he in verity begin to reign. And what I should write, if
I writ truth, should be--"Here beginneth the reign of King Roger de
Mortimer, the First in England."

Now, here cometh an other matter I have noted. When man setteth him up
to do that whereto he was not born, and hath not used himself, he is
secure to do the same with never so much more din and outrage
[extravagance] than he to whom it cometh of nature. If man be but a
bedel [herald, crier] he shall rowt [Shout] like a lion the first day;
and a prince's charetter [charioteer] shall be a full braver [finer,
more showy] man than the prince his master. Sir Roger made a deal more
bruit than ever the King himself; that during all these four years was
meek and debonair [humble and gentle], as though he abode his time. He
wrought what he would (which was mostly ill), and bare him like those of
whom the Psalmist speaketh, that said, "Our lips are of us, who is our
lord?" [Psalm 9 4, Rolle's translation.] He held up but a finger, and
first the King, and all else after, followed along his path. Truly, I
fault not the King; poor lad, he was in evil case, and might well enough
have found hard to know the way he should go. But I do fault them that
might have oped his eyes, and instead thereof, as being smoother way,
chose to run after King Mortimer with his livery on their backs.

"How many of them knew the man, thinkest?" saith Jack, that had come in
while I writ the last piece.

"Jack!" cried I. "What, to see him do that he did, more in especial
when his pride was bolned [swollen, pulled up] by being create Earl of
March--when he had larger following than the King himself, having nine
score knights at his feet; when he arose from the King's table ere the
King stirred, as though he were lord and master of all; when he suffered
the King to rise on his coming into the presence, all meekly and
courteously, yet himself, when the King entered, kept his sea