. Numbers, vi., 24.

{14} If the reader disbelieves this story, let him read Bede upon Luke
viii., 30, says the narrator.

CHAPTER VII

--AND DISPUTES

When Hugh, under this new cloud, did at last reach London the archbishop
had no counsel to give, except that he should shear his clergy rather
tight and send their golden fleeces to appease the king. "Do not you
know that the king thirsts for money as a dropsical man does for water,
my lord bishop?" To this the answer was, "Yes. He is a dropsical man,
but I will not be water for him to swallow." It was plain that the
archbishop was no friend in need, and back they went towards Lincoln. At
Cheshunt he found a poor, mad sailor triced up in a doorway by hands and
feet. Hugh ran to him, made the holy sign, and then with outstretched
right hand began the Gospel, low and quick, "In the beginning was the
Word." The rabid patient cowered, like a frightened hound; but when the
words "full of grace and truth" were reached, he put out his tongue
derisively. Hugh, not to be beaten, consecrated holy water, sprinkled
him, and bade folk put some in his mouth. Then he went on his way; and
the mad man, no longer mad, sanely went on pilgrimage, men said, and
made a fine end at the last. His own bishop, who had met him, had
clapped spurs to his horse and bolted. It may be suspected that this
bolting bishop was the newly elect of London, who was William de Santa
Maria, an ex-Canon of Lincoln, Richard's secretary, Giraldus' opponent,
better known than loved in his late Chapter.

Matters being settled at Lincoln, he set out again for London and paused
to ask the Barons of the Exchequer most kindly to see to the indemnities
of his church while he was away. They rose to greet him and readily gave
their promises. They prayed him to take a seat among them even for a
moment. So pleased were they to have the archfoe of clerical secularism
in this trap, that they called it a triumph indeed, to see the day when
he sat on the Treasury bench. He jumped up, a little ashamed, kissed
them all, and said, "Now I, too, can triumph over you if after taking
the kiss you allow in anything less than friendly to my church." They
laughingly said, "How wonderfully wise this man is! Why, he has easily
laid it upon us, that whatever the king orders, we cannot without great
disgrace trouble him at all." He blessed them all and was soon in
Normandy. But Richard was following hot-foot the two half-brother