Thecompanionofthechurchdignitarywasamanpastforty，thin，strong，tall，andmuscular；anathleticfigure，whichlongfatigueandconstantexerciseseemedtohaveleftnoneofthesofterpartofthehumanform，havingreducedthewholetobrawn，bones，andsinews，whichhadsustainedathousandtoils，andwerereadytodareathousandmore。Hisheadwascoveredwithascarletcap，facedwithfur——ofthatkindwhichtheFrenchcall_mortier_，fromitsresemblancetotheshapeofaninvertedmortar。Hiscountenancewasthereforefullydisplayed，anditsexpressionwascalculatedtoimpressadegreeofawe，ifnotoffear，uponstrangers。

Highfeatures，naturallystrongandpowerfullyexpressive，hadbeenburntalmostintoNegroblacknessbyconstantexposuretothetropicalsun，andmight，intheirordinarystate，besaidtoslumberafterthestormofpassionhadpassedaway；buttheprojectionoftheveinsoftheforehead，thereadinesswithwhichtheupperlipanditsthickblackmoustachesquiveredupontheslightestemotion，plainlyintimatedthatthetempestmightbeagainandeasilyawakened。Hiskeen，piercing，darkeyes，toldineveryglanceahistoryofdifficultiessubdued，anddangersdared，andseemedtochallengeoppositiontohiswishes，forthepleasureofsweepingitfromhisroadbyadeterminedexertionofcourageandofwill；adeepscaronhisbrowgaveadditionalsternnesstohiscountenance，andasinisterexpressiontooneofhiseyes，whichhadbeenslightlyinjuredonthesameoccasion，andofwhichthevision，thoughperfect，wasinaslightandpartialdegreedistorted。

Theupperdressofthispersonageresembledthatofhiscompanioninshape，beingalongmonasticmantle；butthecolour，beingscarlet，showedthathedidnotbelongtoanyofthefourregularordersofmonks。Ontherightshoulderofthemantletherewascut，inwhitecloth，acrossofapeculiarform。Thisupperrobeconcealedwhatatfirstviewseemedratherinconsistentwithitsform，ashirt，namely，oflinkedmail，withsleevesandglovesofthesame，curiouslyplaitedandinterwoven，asflexibletothebodyasthosewhicharenowwroughtinthestocking-loom，outoflessobduratematerials。Thefore-partofhisthighs，wherethefoldsofhismantlepermittedthemtobeseen，werealsocoveredwithlinkedmail；thekneesandfeetweredefendedbysplints，orthinplatesofsteel，ingeniouslyjointeduponeachother；andmailhose，reachingfromtheankletotheknee，effectuallyprotectedthelegs，andcompletedtherider’sdefensivearmour。

Inhisgirdleheworealonganddouble-edgeddagger，whichwastheonlyoffensiveweaponabouthisperson。

Herode，notamule，likehiscompanion，butastronghackneyfortheroad，tosavehisgallantwar-horse，whichasquireledbehind，fullyaccoutredforbattle，withachamfromorplaitedhead-pieceuponhisbead，havingashortspikeprojectingfromthefront。

Ononesideofthesaddlehungashortbattle-axe，richlyinlaidwithDamascenecarving；

ontheothertherider’splumedhead-pieceandhoodofmail，withalongtwo-handedsword，usedbythechivalryoftheperiod。Asecondsquireheldalofthismaster’slance，fromtheextremityofwhichflutteredasmallbanderole，orstreamer，bearingacrossofthesameformwiththatembroidereduponhiscloak。Healsocarriedhissmalltriangularshield，broadenoughatthetoptoprotectthebreast，andfromthencediminishingtoapoint。

Itwascoveredwithascarletcloth，whichpreventedthedevicefrombeingseen。

Thesetwosquireswerefollowedbytwoattendants，whosedarkvisages，whiteturbans，andtheOrientalformoftheirgarments，showedthemtobenativesofsomedistantEasterncountry。*

*NoteB。NegroSlaves。

Thewholeappearanceofthiswarriorandhisretinuewaswildandoutlandish；thedressofhissquireswasgorgeous，andhisEasternattendantsworesilvercollarsroundtheirthroats，andbraceletsofthesamemetalupontheirswarthyarmsandlegs，ofwhichtheformerwerenakedfromtheelbow，andthelatterfrommid-legtoankle。Silkandembroiderydistinguishedtheirdresses，andmarkedthewealthandimportanceoftheirmaster；forming，atthesametime，astrikingcontrastwiththemartialsimplicityofhisownattire。Theywerearmedwithcrookedsabres，havingthehiltandbaldricinlaidwithgold，andmatchedwithTurkishdaggersofyetmorecostlyworkmanship。Eachofthemboreathissaddle-bowabundleofdartsorjavelins，aboutfourfeetinlength，havingsharpsteelheads，aweaponmuchinuseamongtheSaracens，andofwhichthememoryisyetpreservedinthemartialexercisecalled_ElJerrid_，stillpractisedintheEasterncountries。

Thesteedsoftheseattendantswereinappearanceasforeignastheirriders。TheywereofSaracenorigin，andconsequentlyofArabiandescent；

andtheirfineslenderlimbs，smallfetlocks，thinmanes，andeasyspringymotion，formedamarkedcontrastwiththelarge-jointedheavyhorsasticvows。

Yetsolooseweretheideasofthetimesrespectingtheconductoftheclergy，whethersecularorregular，thatthePriorAymermaintainedafaircharacterintheneighbourhoodofhisabbey。Hisfreeandjovialtemper，andthereadinesswithwhichhegrantedabsolutionfromallordinarydelinquencies，renderedhimafavouriteamongthenobilityandprincipalgentry，toseveralofwhomhewasalliedbybirth，beingofadistinguishedNormanfamily。

Theladies，inparticular，werenotdisposedtoscantoonicelythemoralsofamanwhowasaprofessedadmireroftheirsex，andwhopossessedmanymeansofdispellingtheennuiwhichwastooapttointrudeuponthehallsandbowersofanancientfeudalcastle。ThePriormingledinthesportsofthefieldwithmorethandueeagerness，andwasallowedtopossessthebest-trainedhawks，andthefleetestgreyhoundsintheNorthRiding；circumstanceswhichstronglyrecommendedhimtotheyouthfulgentry。Withtheold，behadanotherparttoplay，which，whenneedful，hecouldsustainwithgreatdecorum。Hisknowledgeofbooks，howeversuperficial，wassufficienttoimpressupontheirignorancerespectforhissupposedlearning；andthegravityofhisdeportmentandlanguage，withthehightonewhichheexertedinsettingforththeauthorityofthechurchandofthepriesthood，impressedthemnolesswithanopinionofhissanctity。

Eventhecommonpeople，theseverestcriticsoftheconductoftheirbetters，hadcommiserationwiththefolliesofPriorAymer。Hewasgenerous；

andcharity，asitiswellknown，coverethamultitudeofsins，inanothersensethanthatinwhichitissaidtodosoinScripture。Therevenuesofthemonastery，ofwhichalargepartwasathisdisposal，whiletheygavehimthemeansofsupplyinghisownveryconsiderableexpenses，affordedalsothoselargesseswhichhebestowedamongthepeasantry，andwithwhichhefrequentlyrelievedthedistressesoftheoppressed。IfPriorAymerrodehardinthechase，orremainedlongatthebanquet，——ifPriorAymerwasseen，attheearlypeepofdawn，toentertheposternoftheabbey，asheglidedhomefromsomerendezvouswhichhadoccupiedthehoursofdarkness，menonlyshruggeduptheirshoulders，andreconciledthemselvestohisirregularities，byrecollectingthatthesamewerepractisedbymanyofhisbrethrenwhohadnoredeemingqualitieswhatsoevertoatoneforthem。PriorAymer，therefore，andhischaracter，werewellknowntoourSaxonserfs，whomadetheirrudeobeisance，andreceivedhis``_benedicite，mesfilz_，”inreturn。

Butthesingularappearanceofhiscompanionandhisattendants，arrestedtheirattentionandexcitedtheirwonder，andtheycouldscarcelyattendtothePriorofJorvaulx’question，whenhedemandediftheyknewofanyplaceofharbourageinthevicinity；somuchweretheysurprisedatthehalfmonastic，halfmilitaryappearanceoftheswarthystranger，andattheuncouthdressandarmsofhisEasternattendants。Itisprobable，too，thatthelanguageinwhichthebenedictionwasconferred，andtheinformationasked，soundedungracious，thoughnotprobablyunintelligible，intheearsoftheSaxonpeasants。

``Iaskedyou，mychildren，’’saidthePrior，raisinghisvoice，andusingthelinguaFranca，ormixedlanguage，inwhichtheNormanandSaxonracesconversedwitheachother，``iftherebeinthisneighbourhoodanygoodman，who，fortheloveofGod，anddevotiontoMotherChurch，willgivetwoofherhumblestservants，withtheirtrain，anight’shospitalityandrefreshment?’’

Thishespokewithatoneofconsciousimportance，whichformedastrongcontrasttothemodesttermswhichhethoughtitpropertoemploy。

``TwoofthehumblestservantsofMotherChurch！’’repeatedWambatohimself，——but，foolashewas，takingcarenottomakehisobservationaudible；``Ishouldliketoseeherseneschals，herchiefbutlers，andotherprincipaldomestics！’’

AfterthisinternalcommentaryonthePrior’sspeech，heraisedhiseyes，andrepliedtothequestionwhichhadbeenput。

``Ifthereverendfathers，’’hesaid，``lovedgoodcheerandsoftlodging，fewmilesofridingwouldcarrythemtothePrioryofBrinxworth，wheretheirqualitycouldnotbutsecurethemthemosthonourablereception；oriftheypreferredspendingapenitentialevening，theymightturndownyonderwildglade，whichwouldbringthemtothehermitageofCopmanhurst，whereapiousanchoretwouldmakethemsharersforthenightoftheshelterofhisroofandthebenefitofhisprayers。’’

ThePriorshookhisheadatbothproposals。

``Minehonestfriend，’’saidhe，``ifthejanglingofthybellsbadnotdizziedthineunderstanding，thoumightstknow_Clericusclericumnondecimat_；

thatistosay，wechurchmendonotexhausteachother’shospitality，butratherrequirethatofthelaity，givingthemthusanopportunitytoserveGodinhonouringandrelievinghisappointedservants。’’

``Itistrue，’’repliedWamba，``thatI，beingbutanass，am，nevertheless，honouredtohearthebellsaswellasyourreverence’smule；notwithstanding，IdidconceivethatthecharityofMotherChurchandherservantsmightbesaid，withothercharity，tobeginathome。’’

``Atrucetothineinsolence，fellow，’’saidthearmedrider，breakinginonhisprattlewithahighandsternvoice，``andtellus，ifthoucanst，theroadto——Howcall’dyouyourFranklin，PriorAymer?’’

``Cedric，’’answeredthePrior；``CedrictheSaxon——

Tellme，goodfellow，arewenearhisdwelling，andcanyoushowustheroad?’’

``Theroadwillbeuneasytofind，’’answeredGurth，whobrokesilenceforthefirsttime，``andthefamilyofCedricretireearlytorest。’’

``Tush，tellnotme，fellow，’’saidthemilitaryrider；``’tiseasyforthemtoariseandsupplythewantsoftravellerssuchasweare，whowillnotstooptobegthehospitalitywhichwehavearighttocommand。’’

``Iknownot，’’saidGurth，sullenly，``ifIshouldshowthewaytomymaster’shouse，tothosewhodemandasaright，theshelterwhichmostarefaintoaskasafavour。’’

``Doyoudisputewithme，slave！’’saidthesoldier；