answered Warden. "This letter from a most noble person will speak why I am here at this present time."

He delivered the letter to the Baron, who regarded the seal with some surprise, and then looked on the letter itself, whichseemed to excite still more. He then looked fixedly at the stranger, and said, in a menacing tone, "I think thou darest not betray me, or deceive me?"

"I am not the man to attempt either," was the concise reply.

Julian Avenel carried the letter to the window, where he perused, or at least attempted to peruse it more than once, often looking from the paper and gazing on the stranger who had delivered it, as if he meant to read the purport of the missive in thẹ face of the messenger. Julian at length called to the female," Catherine, bestir thee, and fetch me presently that letter which I bade thee keep ready at hand in thy casket, having no sure lock fast place of my own."

Catherine went with the readiness of one willing to be employed; and as she walked, the situation which requires a wider gown and a longer girdle, and in which woman claims from man a double proportion of the most anxious care, was still more visible than before. She soon returned with the paper, and was rewarded with a cold-" 1 thank thee, wench-thou art a careful secretary."

K

This second paper he also perused and reperused more than once, and still, as he read it, bent from time to time a wary and observant eye upon Henry Warden. This examination and re-examination, though both the man and the place were dangerous, the preacher endured with the most composed and steady countenance, seeming, under the eagle, or rather the vulture eye of the Baron, as unmoved as under the gaze of an ordinary and peaceful peasant. At length Julian Avenel folded both papers, and having put them into the pocket of his cloak, cleared his brow, and coming forward, addressed his female companion. "Catherine," said he, "I have done this good man injustice, when I mistook him for one of the drones of Rome. He is a preacher, Catherine-a preacher of the--the new doctrine of the Lords of the Congregation.”

"The doctrine of the blessed Scriptures," said the preacher," purified from the devices of men." "Sayest thou?" said Julian Avenel-" Well, thou mayest call it what thou lists; but to me it is recommended, because it flings off all those sottish dreams about saints and angels and devils, and unhorses the lazy monks that have ridden us so long, and spur-galled us so hard. No more masses and corpse-gifts, no more tithes and offerings to make men poor-no more prayers or psalms to make men cowards--no more christenings and penances, and confessions and marriages.”

"So please you," said Henry Warden, "it is against the corruptions, not against the fundamental doctrines of the church, which we desire to renovate, and not to abolish.”

"Pr'ythee, peace, man," said the Baron; " we of the laity care not what you set up, so you pull merrily down what stands in our way. Specially it suits well with us of the Southland fells; for it is our profession to turn the world upside down, and we live ever the blithest life when the downer side is uppermost."

Warden would have replied; but the Baron allowed him not time, striking the table with the hilt of his dagger, and crying out,-"Ha! you loitering knaves, bring our supper-meal quickly. See you not this holy man is exhausted for lack of food? Heard ye ever of priest or preacher that devoured not his five meals a-day?"

The attendants bustled to and fro, and speedily brought in several large smoaking platters, filled with huge pieces of beef, boiled and roasted, but without any variety whatsoever; without vegetables, and almost without bread, though there was at the upper end a few oat-cakes in a basket. Julian Avenel made a sort of apology to Warden.

"You have been commended to our care, Sir Preacher, since that is your style, by a person whom we highly honour."

"I am assured," said Warden, "that the most noble Lord"

"what

"Pr'ythee, peace, man," said Avenel; need of naming names, so we understand each other? I meant but to speak in reference to your safety and comfort, of which he desires us to be chary. Now, for your safety, look at my walls and water. But touching your comfort, we have no corn of our own, and the meal-girnels of the south are less easily transported than their beeves, seeing they have no legs to walk upon. But what though? a stoup of wine thou shalt have, and of the best-thou shalt sit betwixt Catherine and me at the board-end.— And, Christie, do thou look to the young springald, and call to the cellarer for a flaggon of the best."

The Baron took his wonted seat at the upper end of the board; his Catherine sate down, and courteously pointed to a seat betwixt them for their reverend guest. But notwithstanding the influence both of hunger and fatigue, Henry Warden retained his standing posture.

JULIAN AVENEL Saw with surprise the demeanour of the reverend stranger. "Beshrew me," he said, "these new-fashioned religioners have fast-days, I warrant me-the old ones used to confer these blessings chiefly on the laity."

"We acknowledge no such rule," said the preacher." We hold that our faith consists not in using or abstaining from special meats on special days; and in fasting we rend our hearts, and not our garments.'

"The better-the better for yourselves, and the worse for Tom Tailor," said the Baron; "but come, sit down, or if thou needs must e'en give us a cast of thy office, mutter thy charm."

"Sir Baron," said the preacher, "I am in a