"We have had an unhappy time of it with the good knight, Master Edmund,"
said the curate. "I have not suffered so much since I was torn away from
my beloved flock, and compelled to abandon them to the Romish wolves."
"That was in TERTIO MARIAE," said Master Mumblazen.
"In the name of Heaven," continued the curate, "tell us, has your
time been better spent than ours, or have you any news of that
unhappy maiden, who, being for so many years the principal joy of this
broken-down house, is now proved our greatest unhappiness? Have you not
at least discovered her place of residence?"
"I have," replied Tressilian. "Know you Cumnor Place, near Oxford?"
"Surely," said the clergyman; "it was a house of removal for the monks
of Abingdon."
"Whose arms," said Master Michael, "I have seen over a stone chimney in
the hall,--a cross patonce betwixt four martlets."
"There," said Tressilian, "this unhappy maiden resides, in company with
the villain Varney. But for a strange mishap, my sword had revenged all
our injuries, as well as hers, on his worthless head."
"Thank God, that kept thine hand from blood-guiltiness, rash young man!"
answered the curate. "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and I will
repay it. It were better study to free her from the villain's nets of
infamy."
"They are called, in heraldry, LAQUEI AMORIS, or LACS D'AMOUR," said
Mumblazen.
"It is in that I require your aid, my friends," said Tressilian. "I
am resolved to accuse this villain, at the very foot of the throne, of
falsehood, seduction, and breach of hospitable laws. The Queen shall
hear me, though the Earl of Leicester, the villain's patron, stood at
her right hand."
"Her Grace," said the curate, "hath set a comely example of continence
to her subjects, and will doubtless do justice on this inhospitable
robber. But wert thou not better apply to the Earl of Leicester, in the
first place, for justice on his servant? If he grants it, thou dost save
the risk of making thyself a powerful adversary, which will certainly
chance if, in the first instance, you accuse his master of the horse and
prime favourite before the Queen."
"My mind revolts from your counsel," said Tressilian. "I cannot brook
to plead my noble patron's cause the unhappy Amy's cause--before any one
save my lawful Sovereign. Leicester, thou wilt say, is noble. Be it so;
he is but a subject like ourselves, and I will not carry my plaint to
him, if I can do better. Still, I will think on what thou hast said; but
I must have your assistance to persuade the good Sir Hugh to make me his
commissioner and fiduciary in this matter, for it is in his name I must
speak, and not in my own. Since she is so far changed as to dote upon
this empty profligate courtier, he shall at least do her the justice
which is yet in his power."