of her former self when, two years and a half after her arrival at
Honfleur, she felt that if she was herself to hand Gervaise over
to the Order of St. John, she must no longer delay. Accordingly
she took ship to London, and landing there made her way with him
to the dwelling of the Order at Clerkenwell. It was in process of
rebuilding, for in 1381 it had been first plundered and then burned
by the insurgents under Wat Tyler. During the ninety years that
had elapsed since that event the work of rebuilding had proceeded
steadily, each grand prior making additions to the pile which,
although not yet fully completed, was already one of the grandest
and stateliest abodes in England.

On inquiring for the grand prior, and stating that she had a letter
of importance for him, Dame Tresham and her son were shown up to
his apartment, and on entering were kindly and courteously received
by him when informed that she was the widow of the late Sir Thomas
Tresham.

"I am the bearer of a letter for you, given into my hand by my
husband's dear friend your predecessor," she said, "a few days
before his murder at Tewkesbury. It relates to my son here."

The grand prior opened the letter and read it.

"Assuredly, madam, I will carry out the wishes here expressed," he
said. "They are, that I should forward at once the letter he has
given you to Sir Peter D'Aubusson, and that until an answer is
received from him, I should take care of the boy here, and see
that he is instructed in all that is needful for a future knight of
our Order. I grieve to see that you yourself are looking so ill."