"Look thou, Ambrose, thou art my sister's son, and fool though I be,
thou art bound in duty to me, and I to have charge of thee, nor will
I--for the sake of thy father and mother--have thee lying I know not
where, among gulls, and cutpurses, and beguilers of youth here in
this city of London. So, till better befals thee, and I wot of it,
thou must be here no later than curfew, or I will know the reason
why."

"And I hope the young gentleman will find it no sore grievance,"
said Perronel, so good-humouredly that Ambrose could only protest
that he had feared to be troublesome to her, and promise to bring
his bundle the next day.



CHAPTER IX. ARMS SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL



"For him was leifer to have at his bedde's hedde
Twenty books clothed in blacke or redde
Of Aristotle and his philosophie
Than robes riche or fiddle or psalterie."

CHAUCER.


Master Headley was found spending the summer evening in the bay
window of the hall. Tibble sat on a three-legged stool by him,