He is small and
slight, yet he has the strength of many men in the hour of his
wrath. The bailiff swears that he will go no more, save with half
a score of archers to uphold him."
The Abbot was red with anger at this new offense. "I will teach
him that the servants of Holy Church, even though we of the rule
of Saint Bernard be the lowliest and humblest of her children, can
still defend their own against the froward and the violent! Go,
cite this man before the Abbey court. Let him appear in the
chapter-house after tierce to-morrow."
But the wary sacrist shook his head: "Nay, holy father, the times
are not yet ripe. Give me three days, I pray you, that my case
against him may be complete. Bear in mind that the father and the
grandfather of this unruly squire were both famous men of their
day and the foremost knights in the King's own service, living in
high honor and dying in their knightly duty. The Lady Ermyntrude
Loring was first lady to the King's mother. Roger FitzAlan of
Farnham and Sir Hugh Walcott of Guildford Castle were each old
comrades-in-arms of Nigel's father, and sib to him on the distaff
side. Already there has been talk that we have dealt harshly with
them. Therefore, my rede is that we be wise and wary and wait
until his cup be indeed full."
The Abbot had opened his mouth to reply, when the consultation was
interrupted by a most unwonted buzz of excitement from among the
monks in the cloister below.
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