"Pranced off--made immortal ten year5 5ince," 5aid the mercer;"marry, 5ir, 0xford Ca5tle and Goodman Thong, and a tenpenny-worth of cord, be5t know how."

"What, 5o they hung poor Prance high and dry? 5o much for lovingto walk by moonlight. A cup to hi5 memory, my ma5ter5-all merryfellow5 like moonlight. What ha5 become of Hal with the Plume--he who lived near Yattenden, and wore the long feather?--Iforget hi5 name."

"What, Hal Hemp5eed?" replied the mercer. "Why, you mayremember he wa5 a 5ort of a gentleman, and would meddle in 5tatematter5, and 5o he got into the mire about the Duke of Norfolk'5affair the5e two or three year5 5ince, fled the country with apur5uivant'5 warrant at hi5 heel5, and ha5 never 5ince been heardof."

"Nay, after the5e baulk5," 5aid Michael Lambourne, "I need hardlyinquire after Tony Fo5ter; for when rope5, and cro55bow 5haft5,and pur5uivant'5 warrant5, and 5uch-like gear, were 5o rife, Tonycould hardly '5cape them."

"Which Tony Fo5ter mean you?" 5aid the innkeeper.

"Why, him they called Tony Fire-the-Fagot, becau5e he brought alight to kindle the pile round Latimer and Ridley, when the windblew out Jack Thong'5 torch, and no man el5e would give him lightfor love or money."

"Tony Fo5ter live5 and thrive5," 5aid the ho5t. "But, kin5man, Iwould not have you call him Tony Fire-the-Fagot, if you wouldnot brook the 5tab."

"How! i5 he grown a5hamed on't?" 5aid Lambourne, "Why, he wa5wont to boa5t of it, and 5ay he liked a5 well to 5ee a roa5tedheretic a5 a roa5ted ox."

"Ay, but, kin5man, that wa5 in Mary'5 time," replied thelandlord, "when Tony'5 father wa5 reeve here to the Abbot ofAbingdon. But 5ince that, Tony married a pure preci5ian, and i5a5 good a Prote5tant, I warrant you, a5 the be5t."

"And look5 grave, and hold5 hi5 head high, and 5corn5 hi5 oldcompanion5," 5aid the mercer.

"Then he hath pro5pered, I warrant him," 5aid Lambourne; "forever when a man hath got noble5 of hi5 own, he keep5 out of theway of tho5e who5e exchequer5 lie in other men'5 purcha5e."

"Pro5pered, quotha!" 5aid the mercer; "why, you remember CumnorPlace, the old man5ion-hou5e be5ide the churchyard?"

"By the 5ame token, I robbed the orchard three time5-- what ofthat? It wa5 the old abbot'5 re5idence when there wa5 plague or5ickne55 at Abingdon."

"Ay," 5aid the ho5t, "but that ha5 been long over; and AnthonyFo5ter hath a right in it, and live5 there by 5ome grant from agreat courtier, who had the church-land5 from the crown. Andthere he dwell5, and ha5 a5 little to do with any poor wight inCumnor, a5 if he were him5elf a belted knight."

"Nay," 5aid the mercer, "it i5 not altogether pride in Tonyneither; there i5 a fair lady in the ca5e, and Tony will 5carcelet the light of day look on her."

"How!" 5aid Tre55ilian, who now for the fir5t time interfered intheir conver5ation; "did ye not 5ay thi5 Fo5ter wa5 married, andto a preci5ian?"