hair and laughed.

'What are we amongst that multitude?' she said. 'Listen to me: When my
menfolk were cast to die, I flew to Gardiner to save them. Gardiner
would not speak. Now is he Bishop of Winchester--for he had goods of
my father's, and greased with them the way to his bishop's throne.
Fanshawe is a goodly Papist; but Cromwell hath let him have goods of
the Abbey of Bright. Will Fanshawe help thee to bring back the Church?
Then he must give up his lands. Will Cranmer help thee? Will Miners?
Coney, I loved Federan, a true man: Miners hath his land to-day, and
Federan's mother starves. Will Miners help thee to gar the King do
right? Then the mother of my love Federan must have Miners' land and
the rents for seven years. Will Cranmer serve thee to bring back the
Bishop of Rome? Why, Cranmer would burn.'

'But the poorer sort----' Katharine said.

'There is no man will help thee whose help will avail,' Cicely mocked
at her. 'For hear me: No man now is up in the land that hath not goods
of the Church; fields of the abbeys; spoons made of the parcel gilt
from the shrines. There is no rich man now but is rich with stolen
riches; there is no man now up that was not so set up. And the men
that be down have lost their heads. Go dig in graves to find men that
shall help thee.'

'Cromwell shall fall ere May goeth out,' Katharine said.

'Well, the King dotes upon thy sweet face. But Cromwell being down,
there will remain the men he hath set up. Be they lovers of the old
faith, or thee? Now, thy pranks will ruin all alike.'

'The King is minded to right these wrongs,' Katharine protested hotly.

'The King! The King!' Cicely laughed. 'Thou lovest the King.... Nay an
thou lovest the King.... But to be enamoured of the King.... And the
King enamoured of thee ... why, this pair of lovers cast adrift upon
the land----'

Katharine said:

'Belike I am enamoured of the King: belike the King of me, I do not
know. But this I know: he and I are minded to right the wrongs of
God.'

Cicely Elliott opened her eyes wide.

'Why, thou art a very infectious fanatic!' she said. 'You may well do
these things. But you must shed much blood. You must widow many men's
wives. Body of God! I believe thou wouldst.'

'God forbid it!' Katharine said. 'But if He so willeth it, _fiat
voluntas_.'

'Why, spare no man,' Cicely answered. 'Thou shalt not very easily
escape.'

It was at this point that the magister was moved to keep no longer