folk play all
night in the churchyard on Saint John's Eve.

"Gracious Mother," he cried, bowing deeply and in comely wise, "allow
a poor pilgrim on his way to confess and do penance at the shrine of
Saint Alban to take food in your hall, and to rest with the haywards
this night, and let me thereof make some small recompense with a few
sacred numbers, such as your pious founder would not have disdained to
hear."

"Young man," returned the Abbess, "right glad am I to hear that God
has moved thy heart to godly works and to go on pilgrimages, and
verily I wish it may be to thy soul's health and to the respite of thy
pains hereafter. I am right willing that thou shouldst refresh thyself
with meat and rest at this holy place."

"Madam, I thank thee from my heart, but as some slight token of
gratitude for so large a favour, let me, I pray thee, sing one or two
of my divine songs, to the uplifting of these holy Sisters' hearts."

Another burst of chatter, louder than before, from the benches in the
hall. One or two of the younger Sisters clapped their plump white
hands and cried, "Oh!" The Lady Abbess held up her hand for silence.

"Verily, I should be glad to hear some sweet songs of religion, and I
think it would be to the uplifting of these Sisters' hearts. But,
young man, take warning against singing any wanton lines of vain
imagination, such as the ribalds use on the highways, and the idlers
and haunters of taverns. I have heard them in my youth, although my
ears tingle to think of them now, and I should think it shame that any
such light words should echo among these sacred rafters or disturb the
slumber of our pious founder, who now sleeps in Christ. Let me remind
you of what saith Saint Jeremie, _Onager solitarius, in desiderio
animae suae, attraxit ventum amoris_; the wild ass of the wilderness,
in the desire of his heart, snuffeth up the wind of love; whereby that
holy man signifies that vain earthly love, which is but wind and air,
and shall avail nothing at all, when this weak, impure flesh is
sloughed away."

"Madam, such songs as I shall sing, I learnt at the mouth of our holy
parish priest, Sir Thomas, a man of all good learning and purity of
heart."

"In that case," said the Abbess, "sing in God's name, but stand at the
end of the hall, for it suits not the dignity of my office a man
should stand so near this dais."

Whereon the pilgrim, making obeisance, went to the end of the hall,
and the eyes of