Nantoil to fetch my Lord of
Lincoln to the presence: but if ever I beheld pictured in human eyes the
devilish passions of hate, malice, and furious purpose, I beheld them
that minute in those lovely eyes of hers. Ay, they were lovely eyes:
they could gleam soft as a dove's when she would, and they could shoot
forth flames like a lioness robbed of her prey. Never saw I those eyes
look fiercer nor eviller than that night when Sir Hugh Le Despenser
stood a captive at her feet.

For him, he was full calm: stately as his father--he was comelier of the
twain, yea, the goodliest man ever mine eyes lit on: but I thought not
on that in that hour. His chief fault, man deemed, was pride: not the
vanity that looketh for applause of man, but rather the lofty-mindedness
that is sufficient to himself, and despiseth other. I beheld no trace
thereof as he there stood. All that had been--all that was of earth and
earthy--seemed to have dropped away from him: he was calm and tranquil
as the sea on a summer eve when not a breath stirreth. Wala wa! we have
all our sins: and what be we, to throw the sins of another in his face?
Sir Hugh did some ill deeds, belike; and so, God wot, hath done Cicely
de Chaucombe; and whose sins of the twain were worser in His sight, He
knoweth, not I. Verily, it was whispered that he had taint of heresy,
the evillest thing that may be: but I trust that dread charge were
untrue, and that he was but guilty of somewhat more pride and ambitious
desires than other. Soothly, pride is one of the seven deadly sins--
pray God save us all therefrom!--yet is heresy, as the Church teacheth,
an eighth deadlier than all the seven. And if holy Church hath the
words of God, and is alonely guided of His Spirit, then must it be an
awful and deadly sin to gainsay her bidding. There be that take in hand
to question the same: whom holy Church condemneth. I Cicely cannot
presume to speak thereof, not being a priest, unto whom alone it
appertaineth to conceive such matter. 'Tis true, there be that say lay
folk can as well conceive, and have as much right as any priest; but
holy Church agreeth not therewith. God be merciful to us all,
whereinsoever we do err!

But now was the Queen in a sore strait: for that precious treasure that
had once been in her keeping--to wit, the Great Seal--was no longer with
her. The King had the same; and she was fain to coax it forth of his
keeping, the which she did by means of my said Lo