``Nay，’’saidtheFriar，``ifthoudostretractvowsmadeinfavourofholyChurch，thoumustdopenance。’’
Accordingly，heraisedhishalberd，andwouldhavelaidthestaffofitlustilyontheJew’sshoulders，hadnottheBlackKnightstoppedtheblow，andtherebytransferredtheHolyClerk’sresentmenttohimself。
``BySaintThomasofKent，’’saidhe，``anI
buckletomygear，Iwillteachthee，sirlazylover，tomellwiththineownmatters，maugrethineironcasethere！’’
``Nay，benotwrothwithme，’’saidtheKnight；
``thouknowestIamthyswornfriendandcomrade。’’
``Iknownosuchthing，’’answeredtheFriar；
``anddefytheeforameddlingcoxcomb！’’
``Nay，but，’’saidtheKnight，whoseemedtotakeapleasureinprovokinghisquondamhost，``hastthouforgottenhow，thatformysakeforI
saynothingofthetemptationoftheflagonandthepastythoudidstbreakthyvowoffastandvigil?’’
``Truly，friend，’’saidtheFriar，clenchinghishugefist，``Iwillbestowabuffetonthee。’’
``Iacceptofnosuchpresents，’’saidtheKnight；
``Iamcontenttotakethycuff*asaloan，butIwill*NoteG。RichardCur-de-Lion。
repaytheewithusuryasdeepaseverthyprisonerthereexactedinhistraffic。’’
``Iwillprovethatpresently，’’saidtheFriar。
``Hola！’’criedtheCaptain，``whatartthouafter，madFriar?brawlingbeneathourTrysting-tree?’’
``Nobrawling，’’saidtheKnight，``itisbutafriendlyinterchangeofcourtesy——Friar，strikeanthoudarest——Iwillstandthyblow，ifthouwiltstandmine。’’
``Thouhasttheadvantagewiththatironpotonthyhead，’’saidthechurchman；``buthaveatthee——Downthougoest，anthouwertGoliathofGathinhisbrazenhelmet。’’
TheFriarbaredhisbrawnyarmuptotheelbow，andputtinghisfullstrengthtotheblow，gavetheKnightabuffetthatmighthavefelledanox。Buthisadversarystoodfirmasarock。Aloudshoutwasutteredbyalltheyeomenaround；fortheClerk’scuffwasproverbialamongstthem，andtherewerefewwho，injestorearnest，hadnothadtheoccasiontoknowitsvigour。
``Now，Priest，’’said，theKnight，pullingoffhisgauntlet，``ifIhadvantageonmyhead，Iwillhavenoneonmyhand——standfastasatrueman。’’
``_Genammeamdedivapulatori_——Ihavegivenmycheektothesmiter，’’saidthePriest；``anthoucanststirmefromthespot，fellow，IwillfreelybestowontheetheJew’sransom。’’
SospoketheburlyPriest，assuming，onhispart，highdefiance。Butwhomayresisthisfate?ThebuffetoftheKnightwasgivenwithsuchstrengthandgood-will，thattheFriarrolledheadoverheelsupontheplain，tothegreatamazementofallthespectators。Buthearoseneitherangrynorcrestfallen。
``Brother，’’saidhetotheKnight，``thoushouldsthaveusedthystrengthwithmorediscretion。Ihadmumbledbutalamemassanthouhadstbrokenmyjaw，forthepiperplaysillthatwantsthenetherchops。Nevertheless，thereismyhand，infriendlywitness，thatIwillexchangenomorecuffswiththee，havingbeenaloserbythebarter。Endnowallunkindness。LetusputtheJewtoransom，sincetheleopardwillnotchangehisspots，andaJewhewillcontinuetobe。’’
``ThePriest，’’saidClement，``isnothavesoconfidentoftheJew’sconversion，sincehereceivedthatbuffetontheear。’’
``Goto，knave，whatpratestthouofconversions?——
what，istherenorespect?——allmastersandnomen?——Itellthee，fellow，IwassomewhattottywhenIreceivedthegoodknight’sblow，orIhadkeptmygroundunderit。Butanthougibestmoreofit，thoushaltlearnIcangiveaswellastake。’’
``Peaceall！’’saidtheCaptain。``Andthou，Jew，thinkofthyransom；thouneedestnottobetoldthatthyraceareheldtobeaccursedinallChristiancommunities，andtrustmethatwecannotendurethypresenceamongus。Think，therefore，ofanoffer，whileIexamineaprisonerofanothercast。’’
``WeremanyofFront-de-Buf’smentaken?’’
demandedtheBlackKnight。
``Noneofnoteenoughtobeputtoransom，’’answeredtheCaptain；``asetofhildingfellowstherewere，whomwedismissedtofindthemanewmaster——
enoughhadbeendoneforrevengeandprofit；
thebunchofthemwerenotworthacardecu。TheprisonerIspeakofisbetterbooty——ajollymonkridingtovisithisleman，anImayjudgebyhishorse-gearandwearingapparel——Herecomeththeworthyprelate，aspertasapyet。’’And，betweentwoyeomen，wasbroughtbeforethesilvanthroneoftheoutlawChief，ouroldfriend，PriorAymerofJorvaulx。
CHAPTERXXXIII——
Flowerofwarriors，Howis’twithTitusLartius?
_Marcius_。Aswithamanbusiedaboutdecrees，Condemningsometodeathandsometoexile，Ransominghimorpitying，threateningtheother。
_Coriolanus_
ThecaptiveAbbot’sfeaturesandmannersexhibitedawhimsicalmixtureofoffendedpride，andderangedfopperyandbodilyterror。
``Why，hownow，mymasters?’’saidhe，withavoiceinwhichallthreeemotionswereblended。
``Whatorderisthisamongye?BeyeTurksorChristians，thathandleachurchman?——Knowyewhatitis，_manusimponereinservosDomini_?Yehaveplunderedmymails——tornmycopeofcuriouscutlace，whichmighthaveservedacardinal！——
Anotherinmyplacewouldhavebeenathis_excommunicabovos_；butIamplacible，andifyeorderforthmypalfreys，releasemybrethren，andrestoremymails，telldownwithallspeedanhundredcrownstobeexpendedinmassesatthehighaltarofJorvaulxAbbey，andmakeyourvowtoeatnovenisonuntilnextPentecost，itmaybeyoushallhearlittlemoreofthismadfrolic。’’
``HolyFather，’’saidthechiefOutlaw，``itgrievesmetothinkthatyouhavemetwithsuchusagefromanyofmyfollowers，ascallsforyourfatherlyreprehension。’’
``Usage！’’echoedthepriest，encouragedbythemildtoneofthesilvanleader；``itwereusagefitfornohoundofgoodrace——muchlessforaChristian——farlessforapriest——andleastofallforthePrioroftheholycommunityofJorvaulx。Hereisaprofaneanddrunkenminstrel，calledAllan-a-Dale——_nebuloquidam_——whohasmenacedmewithcorporalpunishment——nay，withdeathitself，anI
paynotdownfourhundredcrownsofransom，tothebootofallthetreasurehehathalreadyrobbedmeof——goldchainsandgymmalringstoanunknownvalue；besideswhatisbrokenandspoiledamongtheirrudehands，suchasmypouncer-boxandsilvercrisping-tongs。’’
``ItisimpossiblethatAllan-a-Dalecanhavethustreatedamanofyourreverendbearing，’’repliedtheCaptain。
``ItistrueasthegospelofSaintNicodemus，’’
saidthePrior；``heswore，withmanyacruelnorth-countryoath，thathewouldhangmeuponthehighesttreeinthegreenwood。’’
``Didhesoinverydeed?Nay，then，reverendfather，Ithinkyouhadbettercomplywithhisdemands——forAllan-a-Daleistheverymantoabidebyhiswordwhenhehassopledgedit。’’*
*Acommissaryissaidtohavereceivedsimilarconsolation*fromacertainCommander-in-chief，towhomhecomplained*thatageneralofficerhadusedsomesuchthreattowardshimas*thatinthetext。
``Youdobutjestwithme，’’saidtheastoundedPrior，withaforcedlaugh；``andIloveagoodjestwithallmyheart。But，ha！ha！ha！whenthemirthhaslastedthelivelongnight，itistimetobegraveinthemorning。’’
``AndIamasgraveasafatherconfessor，’’repliedtheOutlaw；``youmustpayaroundransom，SirPrior，oryourconventislikelytobecalledtoanewelection；foryourplacewillknowyounomore。’’
``AreyeChristians，’’saidthePrior，``andholdthislanguagetoachurchman?’’
``Christians！ay，marryarewe，andhavedivinityamongustoboot，’’answeredtheOutlaw。
``Letourbuxomchaplainstandforth，andexpoundtothisreverendfatherthetextswhichconcernthismatter。’’
TheFriar，half-drunk，half-sober，hadhuddledafriar’sfrockoverhisgreencassock，andnowsummoningtogetherwhateverscrapsoflearninghehadacquiredbyroteinformerdays，``Holyfather，’’saidhe，``_Deusfaciatsalvambenignitatemvestram_——
Youarewelcometothegreenwood。’’
``Whatprofanemummeryisthis?’’saidthePrior。``Friend，ifthoubestindeedofthechurch，itwereabetterdeedtoshowmehowImayescapefromthesemen’shands，thantostandduckingandgrinningherelikeamorris-dancer。’’