glee-women's feet were well used to his rebeck. Moreover, the Fire-
eater had an eye to little Perronel, though her mother had never let
him train her--scarce let him set an eye on her; and when Mistress
Fulford died, poor soul, of ague, caught when we showed off before
the merry Prior of Worcester, her last words were that Perronel
should never be a glee-maiden. Well, to make an end of my tale, we
had one day a mighty show at Windsor, when the King and Court were
at the castle, and it was whispered to me at the end that my Lord
Archbishop's household needed a jester, and that Quipsome Hal had
been thought to make excellent fooling. I gave thanks at first, but
said I would rather be a free man, not bound to be a greater fool
than Dame Nature made me all the hours of the day. But when I got
back to the Garter, what should I find but that poor old Martin had
been stricken with the dead palsy while he was playing his rebeck,
and would never twang a note more; and there was pretty Perronel
weeping over him, and Nat Fire-eater pledging his word to give the
old man bed, board, and all that he could need, if so be that
Perronel should be trained to be one of his glee-maidens, to dance
and tumble and sing. And there was the poor old franklin shaking
his head more than the palsy made it shake already, and trying to
frame his lips to say, 'rather they both should die.'"

"Oh, uncle, I wot now what thou didst!" cried Stephen.

"Yea, lad, there was nought else to be done. I asked Master Fulford
to give me Perronel, plighting my word that never should she sing or
dance for any one's pleasure save her own and mine, and letting him
know that I came of a worthy family. We were wedded out of hand by
the priest that had been sent for to housel him, and in our true
names. The Fire-eater was fiery enough, and swore that, wedded or