tournays, and the flat-capp'd citizens had shewn themselves unwilling to furnish my pocket for new gallantries for the honour of the nation, as well as for mine own peculiar glory-and, to speak truth, it was in some part the hope of seeing these matters amended that led me to desire a new world in England."

"So that the miscarriage of your public enterprize, with the derangement of your own private affairs," said the Sub-Prior," have induced you to seek Scotland as a place of refuge."

"Rem acu, once again," said Sir Piercie ;" and not without good cause, since my neck, if I remained, might have been brought within the circumstances of an halter-and so speedy was my journey northward, that I had but time to exchange my peach-coloured doublet of Genoa velvet, thickly laid over with goldsmith's work, for this cuirass, which was made by Bonamico of Milan, and travelled northward with all speed, judging that I might do well to visit my Right Honourable Cousin of Northumberland, at one of his numerous castles. But as I posted towards Alnwick, even with the speed of a star, which, darting from its native sphere, shoots wildly downwards, I was met at Northallerton by one Henry Vaughan, a servant of my right honourable kinsman, who shewed me, that as then I might not with safety come to his presence, seeing that in obedience to orders from

his court, he was obliged to issue out letters for my incarceration."

"This," said the Abbot, "seems but hard measure on the part of your honourable kinsman."

"It might be so judged, my lord," replied Sir Piercie; "nevertheless I will stand to the death for the honour of my Right Honourable Cousin of Northumberland. Also, Henry Vaughan gave me, from my said cousin, a good horse, and a purse of gold, with two Border-prickers, as they are called, for my guides, who conducted me, by such roads and bye-paths as have never been seen since the days of Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristrem, into this kingdom of Scotland, and to the house of a certain baron, or one who holds the style of such, called Julian Avenel, with whom I found such reception as the place and party could afford."

And that," said the Abbot, " must have been right wretched; for, to judge from the appetite which Julian sheweth when abroad, he hath not, I judge, over-abundant provision at home."

"You are right, sir-your reverence is in the right-we had but lenten fare, and, what was worse, a score to clear at the departure; for though this Julian Avenel called us to no reckoning, yet he did so extravagantly admire the fashion of my poniard the poignet being of silver exquisitely hatched, and indeed the weapon being altogether a piece of exceeding rare device and beauty-that

in faith I could not for very shame's sake but pray his acceptance of it, words which he gave me not the trouble of repeating twice, before he had stuck it into his greasy buff-belt, where, credit me, reverend sir, it shewed more like a butcher's knife than a gentleman's dagger."

"So goodly a gift might at least have purchased you a few days hospitality," said Father Eustace.

"Reverend sir," said Sir Piercie," had I abidden with him, I should have been complimented out of every remnant of my wardrobe-actually flayed, by the hospitable Gods I swear it! Sir, he secured my spare doublet, and had a pluck at my galligaskins I was enforced to beat a retreat before I was altogether unrigged. In good time I received a letter from my right honourable cousin, shewing me that he had written to you in my behalf, and sent to your charge two mails filled with wearing apparel-namely, my rich crimson silk doublet, slashed out and lined with cloth of gold, which I wore at the last revels, with baldric and trimmings to correspond-also two pair black silk slops, with hanging garters of carnation silk-also the flesh-coloured silken doublet, with the trimmings of fur, in which I danced the salvage man at the Gray's-Inn mummery-also

66

"Sir Knight," said the Sub-Prior, “ I pray you to spare the further inventory of your wardrobe. The Monks of Saint Mary's are no free-booting

barons, and whatever part of your vestments have arrived at our house, have been this day faithfully brought hither, with the mails which contained them. I may presume from what has been said, as we have indeed been given to understand by the Earl of Northumberland, that your desire is to remain for the present as unknown and as unnoticed, as may be consistent with your high worth and distinction ?"

66

"Alas, reverend father!" replied the courtier, a blade when it is in the scabbard cannot give lustre, a diamond when it is in the casket cannot give light, and worth, when it is compelled by circumstances to obscure itself, cannot draw observation-my retreat can only attract the admiration of those few to whom circumstances permit its displaying itself."

"I conceive now, my venerable father and lord," said the Sub-Prior, “that that your wisdom will assign such a course of conduct to this noble knight, as may be alike consistent with his safety, and with the weal of the community. For you wot well, that perilous strides have been made in these audacious days, to the destruction of all ecclesiastical foundations, and that our holy community has been repeatedly menaced. Hitherto they have found no flaw in our raiment; but a party friendly as well to the Queen of England, as to the heretical doctrines of the schismatical church, or even to worse

and wilder forms of heresy, prevails now at the court of our sovereign, who dare not yield to her suffering clergy the protection she would gladly extend to them."

66

My lord, and reverend sir," said the knight, "I will gladly relieve ye of my presence while ye canvass this matter at your freedom; and to speak truly, I am desirous to see in what case the chamberlain of my noble kinsman hath found my wardrobe, and how he hath packed the same, and whether it has suffered from the journey-there are four suits of as pure and elegant device as ever the fancy of a fair lady doated upon, every one having a treble and appropriate change of ribbons, trimmings, and fringes, which, in case of need, may as it were renew each of them, and multiply the four into twelve. -There is also my sad-coloured riding-suit, and three cut work shirts with falling bands-I pray you, pardon me-I must needs see how matters stand with them without farther dallying."

Thus speaking, he left the room; and the SubPrior, looking after him significantly, added, Where the treasure is will the heart be also.".

66

Saint Mary preserve our wits!" said the Abbot, stunned with the knight's abundance of words; "were man's brains ever so stuffed with silk and broad-cloth, cut-work, and I wot not what besides! And what could move the Earl of Northumberland to assume for his bosom counsellor, in matters of