shaking his head, that there were well-nigh as
many churches as folk to go to them; the place was decayed since the
time he remembered when Prince Arthur was born there. Hyde Abbey he
could not show them, from where they stood, as it lay further off by the
river side, having been removed from the neighbourhood of the Minster,
because the brethren of Saint Grimbald could not agree with those of
Saint Swithun's belonging to the Minster, as indeed their buildings were
so close together that it was hardly possible to pass between them, and
their bells jangled in each other's ears.

Brother Shoveller did not seem to entertain a very high opinion of the
monks of Saint Grimbald, and he asked the boys whether they were
expected there. "No," they said; "tidings of their father's death had
been sent by one of the woodmen, and the only answer that had been
returned was that Master Richard Birkenholt was ill at ease, but would
have masses said for his brother's soul."

"Hem?" said the Augustinian ominously; but at that moment they came up
with the sheep, and his attention was wholly absorbed by them, as he
joined the lay brothers in directing the shepherds who were driving them
across the downs, steering them over the high ground towards the arched
West Gate close to the royal castle. The street sloped rapidly down,
and Brother Shoveller conducted his young companions between the
overhanging houses, with stalls between serving as shops, till they
reached the open space round the Market Cross, on the steps of which
women sat with baskets of eggs, butter, and poultry, raised above the
motley throng of cattle and sheep, with their dogs and drivers, the
various cries of man and beast forming an incongruous accompaniment to
the bells of the churches that surrounded the market-place.

Citizens' wives in hood and wimple were there, shrilly bargaining for
provision for their households, squires and grooms in quest of hay for
their masters' stables, purveyors seeking food for the garrison, lay
brethren and sisters for their convents, and withal, the usual margin of
begging friars, wandering gleemen, jugglers and pedlars, though in no
great numbers, as this was only a Wednesday market-day, not a fair.
Ambrose recognised one or two who made part of the crowd at Beaulieu
only two days previously, when he had "seen through tears the juggler
leap," and the jingling tune one of them was playing on a rebeck brought
back associations of almos