There was again a noise of laughter and dissent from the crowd of clerks, and my lord cardinal smiled more than ever, shewing his white teeth in the midst of his ruddy face.

“This is a witty fellow, your grace,” said my lord cardinal aloud to the King.  “Will your grace be pleased to hear him in private?”

The King looked at Master Richard again, as if he knew not what to do.

“Will you not tell us here, sir?” he asked.

“I will not, your grace.”

“Have you weapons upon you?” said my lord cardinal, still smiling.

Master Richard pointed to the linen upon his breast.

“I bear wounds, not weapons,” he answered; which was a brave and shrewd answer, and one that would please the King.

His grace smiled a little at that, but the smile passed again like the sunshine between clouds on a dark and windy day, and the crowd crept up nearer, so that Master Richard could feel hot breath upon his bare neck behind.  He committed his soul again to our Lady’s tuition, for he knew not what might be the end if he were not heard out.

* * * * *

Well, the end of it was as you know, it was not possible for any man with a heart in his body to look long upon Master Richard and not love him, and the King’s face grew softer as he looked upon that fair young man with his nut-brown hair and the clear pallour of his face and his pure simple eyes, and then at the coarse red faces behind him that crept up like devils after holy Job.  It was not hard to know which was in the right, and besides the brave words that had stung the clerks to anger had stung the King to pity and pleasure; so the end was that the guards were bidden to let Master Richard through, and that he was to follow on in the procession, and be gently treated, and admitted to see the King when dinner was done.

* * * * *

So that, my children, is the manner in which it came about that my name was cried aloud before the King’s presence, and the cardinals and the nobles, in Westminster Hall on the Monday after Deus qui nobis. [So the collect of Corpus Christi begins.  It was a common method, even among the laity, of defining dates.]

Of Master Richard’s speaking with the King’s Grace:  and how he was taken for it

Et nunc reges intelligite:  erudimini qui judicatis terram.

And now, O ye kings, understand:  receive instruction, ye that judge the earth.—­Ps. ii. 10.

VI

They searched Master Richard for weapons, in spite of what he had said, when they had him alone in a little chamber off the King’s closet, but not unkindly, after what had been ordered, but they found nothing beneath the white kirtle save the white skin, and nothing in the burse but the book of hours and a little pen-knife, and the bottle of Quinte Essence.  One of them held that up, and demanded what it was.