suffered, and this is the tidings that He sends to you.  He bids you make ready for it.  It shall be a longer passion than His, but I know not how long.  Yet you must not go apart, as you desire.  You must go this way and that at all men’s will, ever within your portans stigmata Domini Jesu. [’Bearing the marks of the Lord Jesu’ (from Gal. vi. 17.)] And the end of it shall be even as His, and as His apostles’ was who now rules Christendom. Cum senueris, extendes manus tuas, et alius te cinget, et ducet quo tu non vis. [’When thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands; and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not’ (John xxi. 18.)] And when you come before the heavenly glory, and the blessed saints shall ask you of your wounds, you shall answer them as our Lord answered, ’His plagatus sum in domo eorum qui diligebant me.’” ["With these I was wounded in the house of them that loved me” (Zach. xiii. 6.)]

* * * * *

When Master Richard had finished speaking, his head and body shook so much that he could scarce stand, or see the King plainly, and by this he perceived for a certainty that God was speaking by him.  But he was aware that my lord cardinal was standing up with his hand outstretched and an appearance of great anger on his face.  For indeed those were terrible things that Master Richard had said—­that he should foretell the King’s death in this manner, and all the sorrows that he should go through, for, as you know, all these words came about.

Yet it seemed that something restrained my lord from speaking till the other was done; but when Master Richard went back a step, shaking under the spirit of God, my lord burst out into words.

Master Richard could not understand him; there was drumming in his ears, and the sweat poured from him, but when sight came back he observed my lord’s face, red with passion, turning now to him, now to the King, who sat still in his place; his white eyebrows went up and down, and his scarlet cape and his rochet flapped this way and that as he shook his arms and cried out.

When he had done there was silence again for a full minute.  Master Richard could hear the breathing of one in the gallery without.

Then the King rose up without speaking, but looking intently upon the young man, and still without speaking, went out from the room, and my lord went after him.

When Master Richard had stood a little while waiting, and there was no sound (for the door into the King’s parlour was now shut again), he turned to the other door to go out; for he had delivered his message, and there was no more to be said.

The man that kept the door, and whose breathing Master Richard had heard just now, barred the way, and asked him his business.

“My business is done,” said Master Richard, “I must go home again.”

“And the King?” asked the fellow.