Thecompanionofthechurchdignitarywasamanpastforty，thin，strong，tall，andmuscular；anathleticfigure，whichlongfatigueandconstantexerciseseemedtohaveleftnoneofthesofterpartofthehumanform，havingreducedthewholetobrawn，bones，andsinews，whichhadsustainedathousandtoils，andwerereadytodareathousandmore。Hisheadwascoveredwithascarletcap，facedwithfur——ofthatkindwhichtheFrenchcall_mortier_，fromitsresemblancetotheshapeofaninvertedmortar。Hiscountenancewasthereforefullydisplayed，anditsexpressionwascalculatedtoimpressadegreeofawe，ifnotoffear，uponstrangers。
Highfeatures，naturallystrongandpowerfullyexpressive，hadbeenburntalmostintoNegroblacknessbyconstantexposuretothetropicalsun，andmight，intheirordinarystate，besaidtoslumberafterthestormofpassionhadpassedaway；buttheprojectionoftheveinsoftheforehead，thereadinesswithwhichtheupperlipanditsthickblackmoustachesquiveredupontheslightestemotion，plainlyintimatedthatthetempestmightbeagainandeasilyawakened。Hiskeen，piercing，darkeyes，toldineveryglanceahistoryofdifficultiessubdued，anddangersdared，andseemedtochallengeoppositiontohiswishes，forthepleasureofsweepingitfromhisroadbyadeterminedexertionofcourageandofwill；adeepscaronhisbrowgaveadditionalsternnesstohiscountenance，andasinisterexpressiontooneofhiseyes，whichhadbeenslightlyinjuredonthesameoccasion，andofwhichthevision，thoughperfect，wasinaslightandpartialdegreedistorted。
Theupperdressofthispersonageresembledthatofhiscompanioninshape，beingalongmonasticmantle；butthecolour，beingscarlet，showedthathedidnotbelongtoanyofthefourregularordersofmonks。Ontherightshoulderofthemantletherewascut，inwhitecloth，acrossofapeculiarform。Thisupperrobeconcealedwhatatfirstviewseemedratherinconsistentwithitsform，ashirt，namely，oflinkedmail，withsleevesandglovesofthesame，curiouslyplaitedandinterwoven，asflexibletothebodyasthosewhicharenowwroughtinthestocking-loom，outoflessobduratematerials。Thefore-partofhisthighs，wherethefoldsofhismantlepermittedthemtobeseen，werealsocoveredwithlinkedmail；thekneesandfeetweredefendedbysplints，orthinplatesofsteel，ingeniouslyjointeduponeachother；andmailhose，reachingfromtheankletotheknee，effectuallyprotectedthelegs，andcompletedtherider’sdefensivearmour。
Inhisgirdleheworealonganddouble-edgeddagger，whichwastheonlyoffensiveweaponabouthisperson。
Herode，notamule，likehiscompanion，butastronghackneyfortheroad，tosavehisgallantwar-horse，whichasquireledbehind，fullyaccoutredforbattle，withachamfromorplaitedhead-pieceuponhisbead，havingashortspikeprojectingfromthefront。
Ononesideofthesaddlehungashortbattle-axe，richlyinlaidwithDamascenecarving；
ontheothertherider’splumedhead-pieceandhoodofmail，withalongtwo-handedsword，usedbythechivalryoftheperiod。Asecondsquireheldalofthismaster’slance，fromtheextremityofwhichflutteredasmallbanderole，orstreamer，bearingacrossofthesameformwiththatembroidereduponhiscloak。Healsocarriedhissmalltriangularshield，broadenoughatthetoptoprotectthebreast，andfromthencediminishingtoapoint。
Itwascoveredwithascarletcloth，whichpreventedthedevicefrombeingseen。
Thesetwosquireswerefollowedbytwoattendants，whosedarkvisages，whiteturbans，andtheOrientalformoftheirgarments，showedthemtobenativesofsomedistantEasterncountry。*
*NoteB。NegroSlaves。
Thewholeappearanceofthiswarriorandhisretinuewaswildandoutlandish；thedressofhissquireswasgorgeous，andhisEasternattendantsworesilvercollarsroundtheirthroats，andbraceletsofthesamemetalupontheirswarthyarmsandlegs，ofwhichtheformerwerenakedfromtheelbow，andthelatterfrommid-legtoankle。Silkandembroiderydistinguishedtheirdresses，andmarkedthewealthandimportanceoftheirmaster；forming，atthesametime，astrikingcontrastwiththemartialsimplicityofhisownattire。Theywerearmedwithcrookedsabres，havingthehiltandbaldricinlaidwithgold，andmatchedwithTurkishdaggersofyetmorecostlyworkmanship。Eachofthemboreathissaddle-bowabundleofdartsorjavelins，aboutfourfeetinlength，havingsharpsteelheads，aweaponmuchinuseamongtheSaracens，andofwhichthememoryisyetpreservedinthemartialexercisecalled_ElJerrid_，stillpractisedintheEasterncountries。
Thesteedsoftheseattendantswereinappearanceasforeignastheirriders。TheywereofSaracenorigin，andconsequentlyofArabiandescent；
andtheirfineslenderlimbs，smallfetlocks，thinmanes，andeasyspringymotion，formedamarkedcontrastwiththelarge-jointedheavyhorsasticvows。
Yetsolooseweretheideasofthetimesrespectingtheconductoftheclergy，whethersecularorregular，thatthePriorAymermaintainedafaircharacterintheneighbourhoodofhisabbey。Hisfreeandjovialtemper，andthereadinesswithwhichhegrantedabsolutionfromallordinarydelinquencies，renderedhimafavouriteamongthenobilityandprincipalgentry，toseveralofwhomhewasalliedbybirth，beingofadistinguishedNormanfamily。
Theladies，inparticular，werenotdisposedtoscantoonicelythemoralsofamanwhowasaprofessedadmireroftheirsex，andwhopossessedmanymeansofdispellingtheennuiwhichwastooapttointrudeuponthehallsandbowersofanancientfeudalcastle。ThePriormingledinthesportsofthefieldwithmorethandueeagerness，andwasallowedtopossessthebest-trainedhawks，andthefleetestgreyhoundsintheNorthRiding；circumstanceswhichstronglyrecommendedhimtotheyouthfulgentry。Withtheold，behadanotherparttoplay，which，whenneedful，hecouldsustainwithgreatdecorum。Hisknowledgeofbooks，howeversuperficial，wassufficienttoimpressupontheirignorancerespectforhissupposedlearning；andthegravityofhisdeportmentandlanguage，withthehightonewhichheexertedinsettingforththeauthorityofthechurchandofthepriesthood，impressedthemnolesswithanopinionofhissanctity。
Eventhecommonpeople，theseverestcriticsoftheconductoftheirbetters，hadcommiserationwiththefolliesofPriorAymer。Hewasgenerous；
andcharity，asitiswellknown，coverethamultitudeofsins，inanothersensethanthatinwhichitissaidtodosoinScripture。Therevenuesofthemonastery，ofwhichalargepartwasathisdisposal，whiletheygavehimthemeansofsupplyinghisownveryconsiderableexpenses，affordedalsothoselargesseswhichhebestowedamongthepeasantry，andwithwhichhefrequentlyrelievedthedistressesoftheoppressed。IfPriorAymerrodehardinthechase，orremainedlongatthebanquet，——ifPriorAymerwasseen，attheearlypeepofdawn，toentertheposternoftheabbey，asheglidedhomefromsomerendezvouswhichhadoccupiedthehoursofdarkness，menonlyshruggeduptheirshoulders，andreconciledthemselvestohisirregularities，byrecollectingthatthesamewerepractisedbymanyofhisbrethrenwhohadnoredeemingqualitieswhatsoevertoatoneforthem。PriorAymer，therefore，andhischaracter，werewellknowntoourSaxonserfs，whomadetheirrudeobeisance，andreceivedhis``_benedicite，mesfilz_，”inreturn。
Butthesingularappearanceofhiscompanionandhisattendants，arrestedtheirattentionandexcitedtheirwonder，andtheycouldscarcelyattendtothePriorofJorvaulx’question，whenhedemandediftheyknewofanyplaceofharbourageinthevicinity；somuchweretheysurprisedatthehalfmonastic，halfmilitaryappearanceoftheswarthystranger，andattheuncouthdressandarmsofhisEasternattendants。Itisprobable，too，thatthelanguageinwhichthebenedictionwasconferred，andtheinformationasked，soundedungracious，thoughnotprobablyunintelligible，intheearsoftheSaxonpeasants。
``Iaskedyou，mychildren，’’saidthePrior，raisinghisvoice，andusingthelinguaFranca，ormixedlanguage，inwhichtheNormanandSaxonracesconversedwitheachother，``iftherebeinthisneighbourhoodanygoodman，who，fortheloveofGod，anddevotiontoMotherChurch，willgivetwoofherhumblestservants，withtheirtrain，anight’shospitalityandrefreshment?’’
Thishespokewithatoneofconsciousimportance，whichformedastrongcontrasttothemodesttermswhichhethoughtitpropertoemploy。
``TwoofthehumblestservantsofMotherChurch！’’repeatedWambatohimself，——but，foolashewas，takingcarenottomakehisobservationaudible；``Ishouldliketoseeherseneschals，herchiefbutlers，andotherprincipaldomestics！’’
AfterthisinternalcommentaryonthePrior’sspeech，heraisedhiseyes，andrepliedtothequestionwhichhadbeenput。
``Ifthereverendfathers，’’hesaid，``lovedgoodcheerandsoftlodging，fewmilesofridingwouldcarrythemtothePrioryofBrinxworth，wheretheirqualitycouldnotbutsecurethemthemosthonourablereception；oriftheypreferredspendingapenitentialevening，theymightturndownyonderwildglade，whichwouldbringthemtothehermitageofCopmanhurst，whereapiousanchoretwouldmakethemsharersforthenightoftheshelterofhisroofandthebenefitofhisprayers。’’
ThePriorshookhisheadatbothproposals。
``Minehonestfriend，’’saidhe，``ifthejanglingofthybellsbadnotdizziedthineunderstanding，thoumightstknow_Clericusclericumnondecimat_；
thatistosay，wechurchmendonotexhausteachother’shospitality，butratherrequirethatofthelaity，givingthemthusanopportunitytoserveGodinhonouringandrelievinghisappointedservants。’’
``Itistrue，’’repliedWamba，``thatI，beingbutanass，am，nevertheless，honouredtohearthebellsaswellasyourreverence’smule；notwithstanding，IdidconceivethatthecharityofMotherChurchandherservantsmightbesaid，withothercharity，tobeginathome。’’
``Atrucetothineinsolence，fellow，’’saidthearmedrider，breakinginonhisprattlewithahighandsternvoice，``andtellus，ifthoucanst，theroadto——Howcall’dyouyourFranklin，PriorAymer?’’
``Cedric，’’answeredthePrior；``CedrictheSaxon——
Tellme，goodfellow，arewenearhisdwelling，andcanyoushowustheroad?’’
``Theroadwillbeuneasytofind，’’answeredGurth，whobrokesilenceforthefirsttime，``andthefamilyofCedricretireearlytorest。’’
``Tush，tellnotme，fellow，’’saidthemilitaryrider；``’tiseasyforthemtoariseandsupplythewantsoftravellerssuchasweare，whowillnotstooptobegthehospitalitywhichwehavearighttocommand。’’
``Iknownot，’’saidGurth，sullenly，``ifIshouldshowthewaytomymaster’shouse，tothosewhodemandasaright，theshelterwhichmostarefaintoaskasafavour。’’
``Doyoudisputewithme，slave！’’saidthesoldier；