ds, holding that a man should make confession to God
and no wise unto the priest; and also read they God's Word in their own
tongue, and not in Latin, the which giveth me much marvel how they came
in this place, for they do wit nothing of us and of our country.
Nathless, I trow that God learneth [teaches] His own alike in all lands
and at divers times.

"I pray you specially, good mistress, that you give me to wit how I may
come home. Doth King Henry still reign? and is he yet evil affected
toward the Lollards? for so long as things be in this case, I dare in no
wise take my way unto you.

"And now, dear mistress, I pray God to have you in His holy keeping, to
the which I commit you all.

"From your very humble serving-man and loving friend, Richard Pynson.

"Edmund Carew prayeth me for to make his lowly commendations unto you.

"Written at Damascus, this xxvii day of November."

This was the first and last letter which Dame Lovell received from
Richard Pynson. Probably he wrote many others, but they never came to
hand.

Friar Andrew, with the greatest difficulty, managed to write back a few
lines. His letter took him a whole week to compose and transfer to
paper. It was written in short sentences, like a child's epistle; and
nearly every sentence commenced with Richard's name. Friar Andrew
informed his correspondent that all parties named in his letter were
well; that Geoffrey was still with them, sent his loving commendations,
and said he remembered him, and would never forget him as long as he
lived; that of Lord Marnell they had only heard a rumour which they
could not believe, of his having joined an insurrection in the West;
that Master Carew was had up to London and strictly examined by the
council, but that his answers were so ingeniously evasive that they
could lay hold of nothing, and nothing had been found in his house which
could criminate him; he had accordingly been dismissed with a caution.
Sir Ralph Marston had privately declared that "the old fox must have
hidden his Lollard books in some uncommonly safe place, for I wis he had
some." Friar Andrew concluded his letter with a malediction upon "evil
companions," by which he meant the anti-Lollard party; for though Andrew
cared not a straw about the matter of opinion, he could never forgive
them for his favourite's death. He also besought Richard to "look well
to his ways, and have nought to do with heathen Jews and Saracens, who
all worship