“Wea’s me! ey knoas ’t reet weel, lort abbut,” replied Ashbead, “and Bess taks t’ sentence sore ta ’ert!”

“Then let her amend her ways, or heavier punishment will befall her,” cried Paslew, severely. “‘Sortilegam non patieris vivere’ saith the Levitical law.  If she be convicted she shall die the death.  That she is comely I admit; but it is the comeliness of a child of sin.  Dost thou know the man with whom she is wedded—­or supposed to be wedded—­for I have seen no proof of the marriage?  He is a stranger here.”

“Ey knoas neawt abowt him, lort abbut, ’cept that he cum to Pendle a twalmont agoa,” replied Ashbead; “boh ey knoas fu’ weel that t’eawtcumbling felly robt me ot prettiest lass i’ aw Lonkyshiar—­aigh, or i’ aw Englondshiar, fo’ t’ matter o’ that.”

“What manner of man is he?” inquired the abbot.

“Oh, he’s a feaw teyke—­a varra feaw teyke,” replied Ashbead; “wi’ a feace as black as a boggart, sooty shiny hewr loike a mowdywarp, an’ een loike a stanniel.  Boh for running, rostling, an’ throwing t’ stoan, he’n no match i’ this keawntry.  Ey’n triet him at aw three gams, so ey con speak.  For’t most part he’n a big, black bandyhewit wi’ him, and, by th’ Mess, ey canna help thinkin he meys free sumtoimes wi’ yor lortship’s bucks.”

“Ha! this must be looked to,” cried the abbot.  “You say you know not whence he comes?  ’Tis strange.”

“T’ missmannert carl’ll boide naw questionin’, odd rottle him!” replied Ashbead.  “He awnsurs wi’ a gibe, or a thwack o’ his staff.  Whon ey last seet him, he threatened t’ raddle me booans weel, boh ey sooan lowert him a peg.”

“We will find a way of making him speak,” said the abbot.

“He can speak, and right well if he pleases,” remarked Father Eastgate; “for though ordinarily silent and sullen enough, yet when he doth talk it is not like one of the hinds with whom he consorts, but in good set phrase; and his bearing is as bold as that of one who hath seen service in the field.”

“My curiosity is aroused,” said the abbot.  “I must see him.”

“Noa sooner said than done,” cried Ashbead, “for, be t’ Lort Harry, ey see him stonding be yon moss poo’ o’ top t’ hill, though how he’n getten theer t’ Dule owny knoas.”

And he pointed out a tall dark figure standing near a little pool on the summit of the mountain, about a hundred yards from them.

“Talk of ill, and ill cometh,” observed Father Haydocke.  “And see, the wizard hath a black hound with him!  It may be his wife, in that likeness.”

“Naw, ey knoas t’ hount reet weel, Feyther Haydocke,” replied the forester; “it’s a Saint Hubert, an’ a rareun fo’ fox or badgert.  Odds loife, feyther, whoy that’s t’ black bandyhewit I war speaking on.”

“I like not the appearance of the knave at this juncture,” said the abbot; “yet I wish to confront him, and charge him with his midemeanours.”

“Hark; he sings,” cried Father Haydocke.  And as he spoke a voice was heard chanting,—­