son, the church excludes him from her communion; and he must, if he
continue obstinate, perish eternally.' Cent. Dict.]"

"I marvel," said Quentin, "that the Duke of Burgundy, who is so strong
and powerful, doth not bait this boar to purpose, of whose ravages I
have already heard so much."

"Alas! my son," said the Prior, "the Duke Charles is now at Peronne,
assembling his captains of hundreds and his captains of thousands, to
make war against France, and thus, while Heaven hath set discord between
the hearts of those great princes, the country is misused by such
subordinate oppressors. But it is in evil time that the Duke neglects
the cure of these internal gangrenes, for this William de la Marck hath
of late entertained open communication with Rouslaer and Pavillon, the
chiefs of the discontented at Liege, and it is to be feared he will soon
stir them up to some desperate enterprise."

"But the Bishop of Liege," said Quentin, "he hath still power enough to
subdue this disquieted and turbulent spirit--hath he not, good father?
Your answer to this question concerns me much."

"The Bishop, my child," replied the Prior, "hath the sword of Saint
Peter, as well as the keys. He hath power as a secular prince, and
he hath the protection of the mighty House of Burgundy, he hath also
spiritual authority as a prelate, and he supports both with a reasonable
force--of good soldiers and men at arms. This William de la Marck was
bred in his household, and bound to him by many benefits. But he gave
vent, even in the court of the Bishop, to his fierce and bloodthirsty
temper, and was expelled thence for a homicide committed on one of the
Bishop's chief domestics. From thenceforward, being banished from the
good Prelate's presence, he hath been his constant and unrelenting foe,
and now, I grieve to say, he hath girded his loins, and strengthened his
horn against him."

"You consider, then, the situation of the worthy Prelate as being
dangerous?" said Quentin, very, anxiously.

"Alas! my son," said the good Franciscan, "what or who is there in this
weary wilderness, whom we may not hold as in danger? But Heaven forefend
I should speak of the reverend Prelate as one whose peril is imminent.
He has much treasure, true counsellors, and brave soldiers, and,
moreover, a messenger who passed hither to the eastward yesterday saith
that the Duke of Burgundy hath dispatched, upon the Bishop's request,
an hundred men at arms to his assistan