Chapter IV: The Travelling Preacher.
Perhaps it was the memory of those spiteful and malicious glancesbent upon his preceptor by Brother Fabian that suggested to Edredupon the day following to pay a visit to the secret chamber thathad once before so well sheltered a helpless fugitive.
The secret of that chamber still remained with the three boys andtheir faithful esquire, Warbel. To no other living soul in thehouse had any of these four ever named the matter. The boys mightnot have been able to give any reason for this reticence towardstheir parents, but the fact remained that they had never revealedthe secret to them, and that although tradition still spoke of acleverly-masked chamber somewhere at Chad, it was now popularlysupposed to have been in that part of the house which had boondemolished during the Wars of the Roses. Children did not chatterto their parents in days of old as they do now. They might lovethem never so well, but they held them in reverence and even inawe. They were silent in their presence, as a rule, unless spokento first, and the habit of conversational intimacy did not grow upuntil a much later period in their lives. Thus the adventures ofWarbel, and his strange midnight visit to their bedchamber, hadnever been told to Sir Oliver or his wife. All they knew was thatthe man had taken refuge from the anger of the Lord of Mortimer inone of their woodmen's huts. They were glad to give him shelter andemployment at Chad, and had never regretted the hospitalityextended to him; for he had proved the most faithful of servants,and his devotion to the boys was so great that they could betrusted anywhere in his keeping.
As for the anger of his proud neighbour, Sir Oliver had made lightof that. The Lord of Mortimer could not make any thing out of sosmall a matter, and at that time had other more weighty affairs onhand. Warbel's stories to his fellows of the harshness andtyrannical rule at Mortimer made his own servants more loyal andstanch than ever. Chad was a peaceable and happy abode for all itsinmates, and the need for secret hiding places had so far neverarisen.
The boys in years gone by had almost regretted this fact. They hadpictured so vividly how they would hide their father or some friendof his in this secret chamber, should peril menace them from anyquarter, that it had seemed sometimes almost a pity that so securea hiding place should be of so little use, when it might have donesuch excellent service had the need arisen.
However, as years sped by and the lads began to know more of life,they ceased to regret that the secret chamber remained without anoccupant. From time to time they visited it, swept out the dust andcobwebs that had accumulated there, and bit by bit collected a fewmore odds and ends of furniture, so that the place now wore a lookof greater comfort and habitation than it had done when they saw itfirst.
Once when Edred had been laid up by an accident to his foot, he hadamused himself by making a number of feather pillows from thefeathers of the birds his brothers shot and brought home to him.These feathers were dressed in the proper way by the boysthemselves, and then made up into large pillows or cushions, whichwere then taken up to the secret chamber (at that time thefavourite hobby of the boys), in order to make restful andcomfortable the hard pallet bed, in case any fugitive were forcedto take shelter there. In the same way had several rudely-maderugs, formed of the skins of wild bears taken in the woods, andtanned by the boys in a fashion of their own, found their waythither; and altogether the place had assumed an aspect of somecomfort and even luxury, although it was now several years sinceany further additions had been made to its plenishings.
Edred looked round the strange apartment with a thoughtful air ashe emerged into it from the long, dark, twisting passage he hadthreaded with the security of one to whom every winding and turnwas known. It was dim and dark there, but sufficient light filteredin through cracks and cleverly-contrived apertures to render iteasy to move about; and when the eye grew used to the dimness,everything could be seen with pretty fair distinctness.
"It would not be a bad hiding place," mused the boy, speaking halfaloud. "Methinks over there one could even read without muchtrouble. Yes, without doubt one could; and that crack might bejudiciously enlarged without any peril. It does but give upon theleads behind the main chimney stack, and the tiles would cover anyaperture I made."
He took out his large hunting knife from his girdle as he spoke,and worked away awhile in silence. Very soon he had considerablyadded to the amount of light in the strange room. He eyed hishandiwork with considerable satisfaction.
"That is better. It would be something gloomy to be shut up herewithout light enough to study by; but with books and food one mightspend many a week here and not be overwhelmed with dullness. Theplace is something straight, to be sure, and there is bare room fora tall man to stand upright."
Edred drew himself to his full height, and found that his head didnot quite reach the beams which formed the ceiling.
"I trow Brother Emmanuel could just stand; he is not greatly tallerthan I. And he is marvellous contented with a very little, and hasbeen used to passing days and weeks in the solitude of his cell.Sure this would not be to him an evil place. If he had but a bookor two and the needful food, he would be vastly content.
"I wonder if he can be in any sort of peril. I liked not the looksor the words of you malicious monk. Our father and mother often saythat these be times when men must walk warily, and ofttimes theytell of godly men even in high places who have fallen into disgraceand been accused of fearful sins. It is not safe in these days tohave for enemies those who are within the pale of the Church--monksand priors, men who are held up as examples and models of truefaith and piety.
"I know not whether they merit the praise men give to them.Methinks Brother Emmanuel could teach them many things both inprecept and practice. But it is not for me to be the judge in suchmatters; yet if he were in any kind of peril, I would lay down mylife to save him!"
The boy's eyes kindled at the thought. He cherished for hispreceptor an ardent and enthusiastic love, and he had his share ofthat chivalrous devotion and self-sacrifice which has been thebrightest ornament of days that have much of darkness and crueltyto disgrace them.
His face wore a very earnest look as he set about his homely taskof cleaning and setting in order this secret chamber. He was morethan two hours over his task, for he went through it with unwontedenergy. The place looked almost tempting before he had done withit, and he looked about him with satisfied eyes at the close of hislabours.
There was a convenient spout, meant to carry off the rain waterfrom the complex level of the old roof, which made an excellentsubstitute for a dust shoot. It could be got at from this placewithout difficulty, and Edred shot down his rubbish without anytrouble through a funnel-like piece of wood he and his brothers hadcontrived for the purpose many years before. Then he stood quitestill at the aperture whence the soft breeze came blowing in, lostin thought.
"It doth get very hot here in the summer days," he remarked, "andin especial at this end of the room, where it abuts upon the leads.It is cooler yonder, but then it is also darker. The air and thelight come in at this side, but so does the heat likewise. And howthirsty one gets, too! My throat is parched and dry. I mind me howpoor Warbel suffered in like manner when he was here. Food could bebrought in without trouble. I will amass even now by slow degreessome of those hard oaten cakes that keep good for weeks, and somesalted venison that would last the winter through.
"But water--how could that be brought? Suppose that we too werewatched; suppose we dared not go through the secret door? Whatwould become of the prisoner?
"I must talk to Bertram and Julian about that. Bertram has awonderful gift for getting out of such difficulties; he has amarvellous quick wit. We never thought in old days how the waterwas to be conveyed; we thought a few bottles of wine would last alifetime. But to die of thirst would be worse than to face one'sfoes. I shall not really rest till I have thought how such a dangermight be guarded against."
Edred left the place with a thoughtful air. He gained their ownlong sleeping room without adventure. Nobody was ever there at thishour
of the day, and he sat down on his bed to think and plan.
There his brothers found him later when they came rushing uptumultuously to find him.
"Ha! thou art there. We have been seeking thee everywhere. Whathast thou been doing, brother?"
"I have been up to the room," answered the boy. "I have been makingit all ready. I was something disturbed by what chancedyester-afternoon. I told thee of Brother Fabian and his evillooks?"
The other two nodded.
"Yes, verily; but they be brothers of one fraternity. Surely oneBenedictine would not hurt another?"
"I know not that. I was talking this day with Warbel. He has beenabout in the world. He has seen priests and monks accused of heresythe one by the other; and none are so fearfully persecuted as thosewho wear the tonsure, if men do but suspect them of that sin.
"Brother Emmanuel a heretic!" cried Bertram, with flashing eyes. "Iwould force the word down the false throat of any who dared to sayso! Brother Emmanuel is a right holy man. Art thou mad, Edred, tothink such a thing?"
The boy shook his head doubtfully.
"I would I were," he replied; "but methinks Brother Emmanuelhimself thinks that peril may menace him. I understand not rightlythese matters; but I saw that yesterday upon his face which showedme that he felt he stood something in peril, albeit he has no fear.He is not of the stuff of which cowards are made."
Julian's eyes were wide with affright.
"They say the Lollards and heretics are to be sought out andburned, and that right soon," he said, in low, awe-struck tones."Some of our people heard it today from those at Mortimer. The Lordof Mortimer has become very zealous to help the priests and monksto scent out all suspected of heresy and make a great example ofthem.
"Edred, thou dost not think they will take BrotherEmmanuel--and--burn--him?"
The last words were little more than a whisper.
"I will die sooner than see it done!" cried the boy passionately."But in these days no man may say who is safe. Therefore went I upto the chamber this very day to set it in order;" and then he toldhis brothers of the difficulty that had beset him there, and how hefelt no security for any person in hiding there so long as thedifficulty of conveying water to him remained so great.
Bertram grasped the situation in a moment. He well knew that if anyperson were suspected of lying hidden in the house, a close watchmight well be kept upon every member of the household, and that itmight be hard indeed to pay more than a very occasional visit tothe prisoner. If, for instance, suspicion were to fall upon theboys in this matter, it would be probable they would be placedunder some restraint; they might be carried off to the priory andforced to do some penance there. It would never do for the prisonerto be entirely dependent upon them for supplies of the preciouscommodity; and yet what else was to be done?
"I must think about it," cried Bertram. "I shall never rest till Ihave thought of some method. Would we had not left it so long! Wehave had all these years to make our plans, and we have neverthought of this thing till trouble seems like to be at the verydoors.
"Still it may but be our fantasy. Neither Brother Emmanuel nor anyother may need the shelter of this room. We will trust it may beso.
"Yet I will cudgel my brains for a plan. It would be a fearfulthing to know him to be shut up here, and yet to be unable to visithim with the necessaries of life. How poor Warbel drank when heissued forth that night. Methinks I see him now. One would havethought he had never tasted water before."
"But we came not to talk of all this," interrupted Julian, who hadbeen evincing a few signs of impatience latterly; "we came to tellof the fair held today and tomorrow at Chadwick. Our father says wemay go thither tomorrow if we will. Warbel says they will bait abull, and perhaps a bear; and that there will be fighting with thequarterstaff and shooting with cross and long bow, and many otherlike spectacles. He will attend us, and we may be off with thelight of day, an we will. That is what we came to tell thee,Edred."
Edred was boy enough to be well pleased at this news. Any varietyin the day's round was pleasing to the lads, who found life alittle monotonous, albeit pleasant enough. It was a relief, too, toturn from grave thoughts and anxious forebodings to theanticipation of simpler pleasures, and the boys all ran to seekWarbel and ask him what these village fairs were like; for they hadbeen much interrupted during the recent wars, and only now thatpeace had been for some years established did they begin to reviveand gain their old characteristics.
At break of day on the morning following, the little party startedforth on foot to walk the five miles which separated them from thevillage of Chadwick. It was a pleasant enough walk through thegreen forest paths before the heat of the day had come. The threeboys and Warbel headed the party, and were followed by some eightor ten men of various degree, some bent on a day's pleasure forthemselves, others there with a view of attending upon theirmaster's sons.
Bertram felt that he could have dispensed with any attendance savethat of Warbel; but Sir Oliver had given his own orders. With sopowerful and jealous a neighbour within easy reach of the village,he felt bound to be careful of his children. They were butstriplings after all, and doubtless his unscrupulous neighbourwould be delighted to hold one or more as a hostage should excusearise for opening hostilities of any kind. He knew well theunscrupulous character of the man with whom he had to deal, and heacted with prudence and foresight accordingly.
The little village when reached proved to be all en fete. Rudearches of greenery crossed every pathway to the place, and all thepeople had turned out in their holiday dresses upon the green tojoin in the dances and see the sights. There was a miracle playgoing on in one place, repeated throughout the day to varyinggroups of spectators. In another corner some rude gipsy jugglingwas to be seen, at which the rustic yokels gazed with wonderingeyes. There were all the usual country games in full swing; and thebaiting of a great bull, which was being led to the centre of thegreen, attracted the attention of the bulk of the spectators, anddrew them away from other sports. The actors in the miracle playthrew off their dresses to come and witness this delightfulpastime, and hardly any of those present seemed to regard for amoment the sufferings of the poor brute, or the savage nature ofthe whole performance.
Edred, however, belonged to that very small minority, and whilsthis two brothers pressed into the ring, he wandered away elsewhereto see what was to be seen. His attention was attracted by a littleknot of persons gathered together under the shade of a great oaktree, rather far away from the green that was the centre ofattraction. The shade looked inviting, now that the heat wasgrowing greater, and the boy felt some curiosity to know what wasthe attraction which kept this little group so compact and quiet.On the green were shouting and yelling and noise of everydescription; but Edred could hear no sound of any kind proceedingfrom this little group till he approached quite near, and then hewas aware of the sound of a single voice speaking in low tones andvery earnestly.
When he got nearer still he saw that the speaker was a littlehunchback, and that he had in his hand a small book from which hewas reading aloud to the people about him. And this fact surprisedthe boy not a little, for it was very unusual for any person in thelower ranks of life to be able to read; and yet this man wasevidently in poor circumstances, for his clothes were shabby andhis hands were hardened by manual toil.
Drawing nearer in great curiosity, Edred became aware that what thehunchback was reading was nothing more or less than a part of thegospel narrative in the English tongue, to which the people abouthim were listening in amazement, and with keen curiosity andattention.
Edred was familiar enough with the Latin version of the Scriptures,and had studied them under the guidance of Brother Emmanuel withgreat care and attention; but he had never yet heard the words readout in their entirety in his native tongue, and he was instantlystruck and fascinated by the freshness and suggestiveness of thefamiliar language when used for this purpose. He was conscious thatit gave to the words a new life and meaning; that it seemed
, as itwere, to drive them home to the heart in a new fashion, and to makethem the property of the listener as they could never be when adead language was used as the medium of expression. He felt astrange thrill run through him as the story of Calvary was thusread in the low, impassioned tones of the hunchback; and he was notsurprised to see that tears were running down many faces, and thatseveral women could hardly restrain their sobs.
Now and again the hunchback paused and added a few explanatorywords of his own; now and again he broke forth into a rhapsody notlacking in a certain rude eloquence, in which he besought hishearers to come to their Saviour with their load of sin--theirSaviour, who was the one and only Mediator between God and man.Were not His own words enough--"Father, forgive them"? What need,then, of the priest; the confessional; the absolution of man? ToGod and to Him alone was the remission of sins. Let those who lovedtheir Lord seek to Him, and see what bliss and happiness resultedfrom this personal bond between the erring soul and the lovingSaviour.
Edred shivered slightly as he stood, yet something in theimpassioned gestures of the hunchback, and the strange enthusiasticlight which shone in his eyes, attracted him in spite of himself.That this was rank heresy he well knew. He knew that one of theLollard tenets had always been that confession was a snare devisedof man and not appointed by God. Edred himself could have quotedmany passages from Holy Writ which spoke of some need of confessionthrough the medium of man, and of sins remitted by God-appointedministers. He had been well instructed in such matters by BrotherEmmanuel, who, whatever his enemies might allege against him, was astanch son of the Church, even though he might be gifted with awide tolerance and a mind open to conviction; and his pupil was notto be easily convinced against his will. Nor was Edred convinced ofthe justice and truth of many things that this ignorant man spoke;but what did strike him very greatly was his intense earnestness,his fiery and impassioned gestures, the absolute confidence hepossessed in the righteousness of his own cause, and his utterfreedom from any kind of doubt or fear--the eloquence of one ofnature's orators that carries away the heart far more than thestudied oratory which is the result of practice and artifice.
Whilst the man spoke, Edred felt himself carried away in spite ofhis inner consciousness that there was a flaw in the argument ofthe preacher. He was intensely interested by the whole scene. Hecould not help watching the faces of the group of which he madeone, watching the play of emotion upon them as they followed withbreathless attention their instructor's words, and drank in hisfiery eloquence as though it were life-giving water.
And was it wonderful this should be so? the youth asked of himself.Were not these poor people fairly starving for want of spiritualfood? and what food did they receive from the hands of their parishpriest? Edred knew the old man well. He was a kind-heartedsexagenarian, and in those days that was accounted an immense age.He mumbled through the mass on Sundays; he baptized the childrenand buried the dead when need arose; and if sent for by some personin extremity, would go and administer the last rites of the Church.But beyond that his duties did not go, and no living soul in theplace remembered hearing him speak a word of instruction oradmonition on his own account. He had a passion for gardening, andspent all his spare time with his flowers; and his people wenttheir way as he did his, and their lives never touched on anypoint.
Such being the case, was it wonderful that the people should comewith eagerness to hear of the Saviour from whomsoever would tellthem of Him? Edred well remembered Brother Emmanuel's words aboutthe four God-given channels of grace--the living ministry by whichHe had meant His Church to be perfected. But how when the streamsgrew choked? how when the ministry had become a dead letter? Wasthe Church, were the people, to die of inanition? Might not Godpardon them for listening to any messenger who came with His nameupon his lips? Surely He who lived in the heavens would pardon themeven if it were sin, seeing that it was the instinctive love of Hisown wandering sheep which brought them crowding round any shepherdwho would teach them of Him, even though he did not come in theGod-directed order.
Some such thoughts in a more chaotic form surged through Edred'shead as he stood listening, almost causing him to lose the words ofthe preacher, though the tenor of his discourse was plain. Healmost wished he might enter into a discussion with thisenthusiast, and point out to him where he thought him extravagantand wrong; but young as he was, Edred yet knew something of thefutility of argument with those whose minds are made up, andcaution withheld him from entering into any argument with one whowas plainly a Lollard preacher. So, after listening with sympathyand interest for a long while, he quietly stole away again.
The bull baiting was over by this time. The games and other sportswere recommencing with greater energy after this brief interruption.The miracle play was again represented, and Edred stood a few minutesto watch, thinking within his heart that this representation, halfcomical, half blasphemous (though the people who regarded it seemedin no way aware of this), was a strange way of bringing home therealities of the Scriptures, when it could be done so far morefaithfully and eloquently by simply reading the gospel words in thetongue of the common people.
His eye roved from the actors, with their mincing words andartificial gestures, to the group still collected beneath the tree,and he could not but contrast the two methods in his own mind, andwonder for a moment whether the Lollards could be altogether sodesperately wicked as their enemies would make out.
He was half afraid of allowing himself to think too much on suchthemes, and went in search of his brothers. He found Warbel lookingout for him in some anxiety. He had missed the boy for some littlewhile from his charge, and as the field was filling fast withfollowers and servants wearing the Mortimer livery, he was glad tohave the three boys all together beneath his care.
He would have been glad to get them to leave the place, but Bertramwould not hear of it. He wished to try his own skill at some of thesports; and Julian, of course, must needs follow his example.
The skill and address of the Chadgrove brothers won the heartyadmiration of the rustics, but it also brought them more than once intorivalry and collision with some of Mortimer's gentlemen-at-arms, whowere not best pleased to be overmatched by mere striplings. It was alsogalling and irritating to them to note the popularity of these ladswith the rustics. Any success of theirs was rewarded by loud shoutingand applause, whilst no demonstration of satisfaction followed any featperformed by those wearing the livery of Mortimer. And if the ladsscored a triumph over any of these latter, the undisguised delight ofthe beholders could not pass unnoticed by the vanquished.
Altogether there were so much jealousy and ill will aroused thatlittle scuffles between the followers of Chad and Mortimer hadalready taken place in more than one part of the field. Warbel wasgetting very uneasy, and had persuaded Edred to use his influencewith his brothers to return home before any real collision shouldhave occurred, when a great tumult and shouting suddenly arose tointerrupt the whispered colloquy, and Edred saw a great rush beingmade in the direction of the oak tree, where the hunchback preacherhad been keeping his station the whole day long, always surroundedby a little knot of listeners.
Shouts and yells were filling the air, the voices being those ofMortimer's following.
"A Lollard, a Lollard! A heretic! Down with him! Away with him! Tothe fire with him! A Lollard, a Lollard!"
A deep flush overspread Edred's face. He made a spring forward; butWarbel laid a detaining hand upon his arm.
"It is no case for us to interfere in," he said, with clouded brow."If they have a heretic to deal with we must not meddle. It is notEngland's way for a score to attack one; but we must not interposebetwixt Mortimer and a heretic. That would be too much peril."
But almost before the man had done speaking Edred broke away,crying out excitedly: "My brothers, my brothers! they are there inthe thick of it!" and with a groan of terror and dismay Warbelrecognized the voice of Bertram raised in angry scorn.
"Stand back, you cowards! Who ever heard of fifty
men against one,and he a cripple? The first who touches him I strike dead. Aheretic! Pooh! nonsense. He is but a poor travelling peddler withhis pack. See, here is the pack to speak for itself. For shame tomar a merry holiday in this unmannerly fashion! No; I will not givehim up! Ye are no better than a pack of howling, ravening wolves. Iam the Lord of Chad, and I will see that no violence is done thisday. Back to your sports, ye unmannerly knaves. Are ye fit fornothing but to set upon one helpless man and worry him as dogsworry their helpless prey?"
Howls, execrations, oaths followed freely; but the village peoplewere to a man with their young lord, and the scions of Mortimerfelt it by instinct.
"Who is he? Whence came he?" was being asked on all sides; but nonecould give an answer. He was a stranger to the village, but allthose who had been drinking in his words rallied round him, anddeclared he was but a simple peddler whose wares they had beenbuying; and Bertram, who really thought so, stood beside the tree,opened the bundle, and showed the innocent nature of the wares.
His brothers had forced their way to his side by this time, andhelped to make a ring round the poor hunchback; and Edred kept avery sharp eye upon the emptying of the pack, resolved if thereshould be any book at the bottom to contrive that it should notreach the eyes of any of the vindictive followers of Mortimer.
But there was nothing of the sort to be seen. The man was both toopoor and too wary to carry such dangerous things with him. His ownthin volume had been slipped into some secret receptacle about hisperson, and his calmness of bearing helped to convince all who wereopen to conviction that he was innocent of the charge broughtagainst him.
With dark, lowering faces, and many muttered threats, the Mortimerretainers drew off, seeing that with public feeling dead againstthem they could not prevail to work their will upon the intendedvictim. But Warbel was made very anxious by the words he heardopenly spoken on all sides, and he would have given much to havehindered this act of Bertram's, generous and manly though he knewit to have been.
"It is ill work drawing down the charge of heresy," he remarked, ashe got the boys at last in full march homeward. "Any other chargeone can laugh to scorn; but no man may tell where orthodoxy endsand heresy begins. Godly bishops have been sent to prison, andpriests to the stake. How may others hope to escape?"
"Tush!" answered Bertram lightly; "there was never a heretic atChad yet, and never will be one, I trow. Was I to see a poorcripple like that done to death without striking a blow in hisdefence--he in Chadwick, of which my father is lord of the manor?Was I to see Mortimer's men turning a gay holiday into a scene ofhorror and affright? Never! I were unworthy of my name had I notinterposed. The man was no heretic, and if he had been--"
"Have a care, sir, how thou speakest; have a care, I entreat thee!Thou knowest not what ears may be listening!" cried Warbel, in areal fright.
Bertram laughed half scornfully.
"I have no need to be ashamed of what I think. I am a true son ofthe Church, and fear not what the vile Mortimer scum may say. Butto pleasure thee, good Warbel, I will say no more. We will make ourway home with all speed, and tell the tale to our father. I doubtnot he will say it was well done. The Lord of Chad would ever havethe defenceless protected, and stand between them and the false andtreacherous bloodhounds of Mortimer. I have no fear that he willblame me. He would have done the same in my place."
"I trow he would," answered Warbel in a low voice; "but that doesnot make the deed done without peril of some sort following to thedoer."