nswer the question.

"It was but the idle spite of the people of Mortimer," he answered.
"They had baited the bull and the bear, and they had the mind to
bait or burn a heretic whilst their blood was up, as a fit end to
their day's pleasuring. I saw them prowling round the tree where
the fellow was talking to the women and showing his wares; and
suddenly they raised the shout. I called out to Bertram that
Mortimer's people were bent on a mischief, and he sprang to the
peddler's side before any had touched him, and we disappointed the
hell hounds of their prey. He had nothing in his pack but such
wares as all peddlers have; and the people vowed he had done naught
all the day but sell to all who came. It would have been sin and
shame for us of Chad to have stood by to see him hounded perhaps to
death. We could not choose but balk those evil men of their will.
None of our blood could have stood by to see such ill done!"

"I cannot blame ye, my sons," said the knight. "Ye have the blood
of your forefathers in your veins, and it goes against all of us at
Chad to see injustice and unrighteousness committed. I do but wish
the cry raised against yon man had been anything else than that of
heresy. The priests and magistrates are very busy now searching out
all those suspected of that vile sin, and those who shelter them
are accounted as guilty as those who are proved tainted. Our foe of
Mortimer is very zealous in the good cause, and will not scruple to
employ against us every weapon in his power. It would be an
excellent thing in his eyes to show how mine own children had stood
up to defend a Lollard heretic. I would we knew something more
anent this man and his views.

"Warbel, didst thou know him? Is he anyone known in and about
Chad?"

"I never saw his face before, sir," answered Warbel. "I know not so
much as his name. I had thought of making some inquiries of the
village folks. All I noted was that he seemed always to have plenty
of persons around and about him, and his wares were nothing very
attractive. Still, it is often the tales peddlers tell and the way
they have with them that keeps a crowd always about them. Some of
the folks of the place must know who and what he is."

"Yes, verily; and it would be well for thee to ride over tomorrow
and make all needful inquiry. It would set my mind at rest to know
that there was no cause of complaint against him. We cannot be
blind to the fact that heretical doctrines are