and men have burned for matters of less weight. But what have we here?
The light falls apace. Good Master Richard, y' have young eyes. Read me,
I pray, this libel."

Dick Shelton took the paper in his hand and read it aloud. It contained
some lines of very rugged doggerel, hardly even rhyming, written in a
gross character, and most uncouthly spelt. With the spelling somewhat
bettered, this is how they ran:

"I had four blak arrows under my belt,
Four for the greefs that I have felt,
Four for the nomber of ill menne
That have opressid me now and then.

One is gone; one is wele sped;
Old Apulyaird is ded.

One is for Maister Bennet Hatch,
That burned Grimstone, walls and thatch.

One for Sir Oliver Oates,
That cut Sir Harry Shelton's throat.

Sir Daniel, ye shull have the fourt;
We shall think it fair sport.

Ye shull each have your own part,
A blak arrow in each blak heart.
Get ye to your knees for to pray:
Ye are ded theeves, by yea and nay!

"JON AMEND-ALL
of the Green Wood,
And his jolly fellaweship.

"Item, we have mo arrowes and goode hempen cord for otheres of your
following."

"Now, well-a-day for charity and the Christian graces!" cried Sir
Oliver, lamentably. "Sirs, this is an ill world, and groweth daily
worse. I will swear upon the cross of Holywood I am as innocent of that
good knight's hurt, whether in act or purpose, as the babe
unchristened. Neither was his throat cut; for therein they are again in
error, as there still live credible witnesses to show."

"It boots not, sir parson," said Bennet. "Here is unseasonable talk."

"Nay, Master Bennet, not so. Keep ye in your due place, good Bennet,"
answered the priest. "I shall make mine innocence appear. I will, upon
no consideration, lose my poor life in error. I take all men to witness
that I am clear of this matter. I was not even in the Moat House. I was
sent of an errand before nine upon the clock----"

"Sir Oliver," said Hatch, interrupting, "since it please you not to stop
this sermon, I will take other means. Goffe, sound to horse."

And while the tucket was sounding, Bennet moved close to the bewildered
parson, and whispered violently in his ear.

Dick Shelton saw the priest's eye turned upon him for an in