"
"In which there is surely some truth."
"But, holy father, we hold no more than the law has allowed."
"True, brother, and yet between ourselves, we may admit that the
heavier purse may weigh down the scales of Justice. When I have
passed the old house and have seen that aged woman with her
ruddled cheeks and her baleful eyes look the curses she dare not
speak, I have many a time wished that we had other neighbors."
"That we can soon bring about, holy father. Indeed, it is of it
that I wished to speak to you. Surely it is not hard for us to
drive them from the country-side. There are thirty years' claims
of escuage unsettled, and there is Sergeant Wilkins, the lawyer of
Guildford, whom I will warrant to draw up such arrears of dues and
rents and issues of hidage and fodder-corn that these folk, who
are as beggarly as they are proud, will have to sell the roof-tree
over them ere they can meet them. Within three days I will have
them at our mercy."
"They are an ancient family and of good repute. I would not treat
them too harshly, brother."
"Bethink you of the pike in the carp pond!"
The Abbot hardened his heart at the thought. "It was indeed a
devil's deed--when we had but newly stocked it with char and with
carp. Well, well, the law is the law, and if you can use it to
hurt, it is still lawful to do so. Have these claims been
advanced?"
"Deacon the bailiff with his two varlets went down to the Hall
yesternight on the matter of the escuage, and came screaming back
with this young hothead raging at their heels.
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