lar, "good day to thee." "Heaven prosper thee,
and my greeting be unto thee. And whence dost thou come, scholar?" asked
he. "I come, lord, from singing in England; and wherefore dost thou
enquire?" "Because for the last seven years," answered he, "I have seen
no man here save four secluded persons, and thyself this moment." "Truly,
lord," said he, "I go through this land unto mine own. And what work art
thou upon, lord?" "I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said
he. "What manner of thief is that?" asked the scholar. "I see a
creature in thy hand like unto a mouse, and ill does it become a man of
rank equal to thine, to touch a reptile such as this. Let it go forth
free." "I will not let it go free, by Heaven," said he; "I caught it
robbing me, and the doom of a thief will I inflict upon it and I will
hang it." "Lord," said he, "rather than see a man of rank equal to thine
at such a work as this, I would give thee a pound which I have received
as alms, to let the reptile go forth free." "I will not let it go free,"
said he, "by Heaven, neither will I sell it." "As thou wilt, lord," he
answered, "except that I would not see a man of rank equal to thine
touching such a reptile, I care nought." And the scholar went his way.

And as he was placing the cross-beam upon the two forks, behold a priest
came towards him upon a horse covered with trappings. "Good day to thee,
lord," said he. "Heaven prosper thee," said Manawyddan; "thy blessing."
"The blessing of Heaven be upon thee. And what, lord, art thou doing?"
"I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "What manner
of thief, lord?" asked he. "A creature," he answered, "in form of a
mouse. It has been robbing me, and I am inflicting upon it the doom of a
thief." "Lord," said he, "rather than see thee touch this reptile, I
would purchase its freedom." "By my confession to Heaven, neither will I
sell it nor set it free." "It is true, lord, that it is worth nothing to
buy; but rather than see thee defile thyself by touching such a reptile
as this, I will give thee three pounds to let it go." "I will not, by
Heaven," said he, "take any price for it. As it ought, so shall it be
hanged." "Willingly, lord, do thy good pleasure." And the priest went
his way.

Then he noosed the string around the mouse's neck, and as he was about to
draw it up, behold, he saw a bishop's retinue, with his sumpter-horses,
and his attendants. And the