ed Ambrose. "I saw him last in Warwick Inner Ward."
And in a few words he explained. Hal Randall shook his head. "May all
be well," he exclaimed, and then he told how Sir Thomas Parr had come at
midnight and roused the Cardinal's household with tidings that all the
rabble of London were up, plundering and murdering all who came in their
way, and that he had then ridden on to Richmond to the King with the
news. The Cardinal had put his house into a state of defence, not
knowing against whom the riot might be directed--and the jester had not
been awakened till too late to get out to send after his wife, besides
which, by that time, intelligence had come in that the attack was
directed entirely on the French and Spanish merchants and artificers in
distant parts of the city and suburbs, and was only conducted by lads
with no better weapons than sticks, so that the Temple and its precincts
were in no danger at all.

The mob had dispersed of its own accord by about three or four o'clock,
but by that hour the Mayor had got together a force, the Gentlemen of
the Inns of Court and the Yeomen of the Tower were up in arms, and the
Earl of Shrewsbury had come in with a troop of horse. They had met the
rioters, and had driven them in herds like sheep to the different
prisons, after which Lord Shrewsbury had come to report to the Cardinal
that all was quiet, and the jester having gathered as much intelligence
as he could, had contrived to slip into the garments that concealed his
motley, and to reach home. He gave ready consent to Perronel's going to
the aid of the sufferers in Warwick Inner Ward, especially at the
summons of the Dean of Saint Paul's, and even to her bringing home the
little wench. Indeed, he would escort her thither himself, for he was
very anxious about Stephen, and Ambrose was so dismayed by the account
he gave as to reproach himself extremely for having parted company with
his brother, and never having so much as thought of him as in peril,
while absorbed in care for Abenali. So the three set out together, when
no doubt the sober, solid appearance which Randall's double suit of
apparel and black gown gave him, together with his wife's matronly and
respectable look, were no small protection to Ambrose, for men-at-arms
were prowling about the streets, looking hungry to pick up straggling
victims; and one actually stopped Randall to interrogate him as to who
the youth was, and what was his errand.

Before S