his church. "Let
it suffice that you are like the martyr in proposing the same. Hear my
simplicity and go no further." He preached union with constant fervour,
and used to say that the knowledge that his spiritual sons were all at
his back made him fear neither king nor any mortal, "neither do I lose
the inward freedom from care, which is the earnest of, and the practice
for, the eternal calm. Nor do my masters (so he called his canons) break
and destroy a quiet that knows no dissent, for they think me gentle and
mild. I am really tarter and more stinging than pepper, so that even
when I am presiding over them at the chapter, the smallest thing fires
me with anger. But they, as they ought, know their man of their choice
and bear with him. They turn necessity into virtue and give place to me.
I am deeply grateful to them. They have never opposed a single word of
mine since I first came to live among them. When they all go out and the
chapter is over, not one of them, I think, but knows I love him, nor do
I believe I am unloved by a single one of them." This fact and temper of
mind it was which made it possible to work the large diocese, for, of
course, the bishop did not act in any public matter without his clergy.
But personally his work was much helped by his self-denial and
simplicity of his life. He never touched flesh but often used fish. He
would drink a little wine, not only for health, but for company's sake.
He was a merry and jest-loving table companion, though he never was
undignified or unseemly. He would allow tumblers and musicians to
perform at banquets, but he then appeared detached and abstracted rather
than interested; but he was most attentive when meals were accompanied
by readings about martyrs' passions, or saints' lives, and he had the
scriptures (except the four gospels, which were treated apart) read at
dinner and at the nightly office. He found the work of a bishop obliged
him to treat that baggage animal, the body, better than of yore. His
earlier austerities were avenged by constant pains in the bowels and
stomach troubles, but in dedications of churches, ordinations, and other
offices he would out-tire and knock up every one else, as he went from
work to work. He rose before dawn and often times did not break his fast
till after midday. In hot summer weather, he would oblige his ministers
(deacon, sub-deacon, acolytes, &c.) to take a little bread and wine lest
they should faint at the solemn Ma