elve Monks, moderately satisfactory. Of whom
are Hugo Third-Prior, Brother Dennis a venerable man, Walter the
_Medicus,_ Samson _Subsacrista,_ and other esteemed characters,--
though Willelmus _Sacrista,_ of the red nose, too is one. These
shall proceed straightway to Waltham; elect the Abbot as they
may and can. Monks are sworn to obedience; must not speak too
loud, under penalty of foot-gyves, limbo, and bread and water:
yet monks too would know what it is they are obeying. The St.
Edmundsbury Community has no hustings, ballot-box, indeed no open
voting: yet by various vague manipulations, pulse-feelings, we
struggle to ascertain what its virtual aim is, and succeed better
or worse.

This question, however, rises; alas, a quite preliminary
question: Will the _Dominus Rex_ allow us to choose freely? It
is to be hoped! Well, if so, we agree to choose one of our own
Convent. If not, if the _Dominus Rex_ will force a stranger on
us, we decide on demurring, the Prior and his Twelve shall demur:
we can appeal, plead, remonstrate; appeal even to the Pope, but
trust it will not be necessary. Then there is this other
question, raised by Brother Samson: What if the Thirteen should
not themselves be able to agree? Brother Samson _Subsacrista,_
one remarks, is ready oftenest with some question, some
suggestion, that has wisdom in it. Though a servant of servants,
and saying little, his words all tell, having sense in them;
it seems by his light mainly that we steer ourselves in this
great dimness.

What if the Thirteen should not themselves be able to agree?
Speak, Samson, and advise.--Could not, hints Samson, Six of our
venerablest elders be chosen by us, a kind of electoral
committee, here and now: of these, `with their hand on the
Gospels, with their eye on the _Sacrosancta,'_ we take oath that
they will do faithfully; let these, in secret and as before God,
agree on Three whom they reckon fittest; write their names in a
Paper, and deliver the same sealed, forthwith, to the Thirteen:
one of those Three the Thirteen shall fix on, if permitted. If
not permitted, that is to say, if the _Dominus Rex_ force us to
demur,--the Paper shall be brought back unopened, and publicly
burned, that no man's secret bring him into trouble.

So Samson advises, so we act; wisely, in this and in other
crises of the business. Our electoral committee, its eye on the
Sacrosancta,_ is soon named, soon sworn; and we striki