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bodes burial。 And here be words written。 Wipe the blood away。
What read ye？〃
〃'APPULYAIRD FRO JON AMEND…ALL；'〃 read Shelton。 〃What should this
betoken？〃
〃Nay； I like it not；〃 returned the retainer； shaking his head。
〃John Amend…All！ Here is a rogue's name for those that be up in
the world！ But why stand we here to make a mark？ Take him by the
knees； good Master Shelton； while I lift him by the shoulders； and
let us lay him in his house。 This will be a rare shog to poor Sir
Oliver； he will turn paper colour； he will pray like a windmill。〃
They took up the old archer； and carried him between them into his
house； where he had dwelt alone。 And there they laid him on the
floor； out of regard for the mattress； and sought； as best they
might； to straighten and compose his limbs。
Appleyard's house was clean and bare。 There was a bed； with a blue
cover； a cupboard； a great chest； a pair of joint…stools； a hinged
table in the chimney corner； and hung upon the wall the old
soldier's armoury of bows and defensive armour。 Hatch began to
look about him curiously。
〃Nick had money；〃 he said。 〃He may have had three score pounds put
by。 I would I could light upon't！ When ye lose an old friend；
Master Richard； the best consolation is to heir him。 See； now；
this chest。 I would go a mighty wager there is a bushel of gold
therein。 He had a strong hand to get； and a hard hand to keep
withal； had Appleyard the archer。 Now may God rest his spirit！
Near eighty year he was afoot and about； and ever getting； but now
he's on the broad of his back； poor shrew； and no more lacketh； and
if his chattels came to a good friend； he would be merrier；
methinks； in heaven。〃
〃Come； Hatch；〃 said Dick； 〃respect his stone…blind eyes。 Would ye
rob the man before his body？ Nay； he would walk！〃
Hatch made several signs of the cross； but by this time his natural
complexion had returned； and he was not easily to be dashed from
any purpose。 It would have gone hard with the chest had not the
gate sounded； and presently after the door of the house opened and
admitted a tall； portly； ruddy； black…eyed man of near fifty； in a
surplice and black robe。
〃Appleyard〃 … the newcomer was saying； as he entered； but he
stopped dead。 〃Ave Maria！〃 he cried。 〃Saints be our shield！ What
cheer is this？〃
〃Cold cheer with Appleyard； sir parson；〃 answered Hatch； with
perfect cheerfulness。 〃Shot at his own door； and alighteth even
now at purgatory gates。 Ay！ there； if tales be true； he shall lack
neither coal nor candle。〃
Sir Oliver groped his way to a joint…stool； and sat down upon it；
sick and white。
〃This is a judgment！ O； a great stroke！〃 he sobbed； and rattled
off a leash of prayers。
Hatch meanwhile reverently doffed his salet and knelt down。
〃Ay； Bennet；〃 said the priest； somewhat recovering； 〃and what may
this be？ What enemy hath done this？〃
〃Here； Sir Oliver； is the arrow。 See； it is written upon with
words；〃 said Dick。
〃Nay；〃 cried the priest； 〃this is a foul hearing！ John Amend…All！
A right Lollardy word。 And black of hue； as for an omen！ Sirs；
this knave arrow likes me not。 But it importeth rather to take
counsel。 Who should this be？ Bethink you； Bennet。 Of so many
black ill…willers； which should he be that doth so hardily outface
us？ Simnel？ I do much question it。 The Walsinghams？ Nay； they
are not yet so broken； they still think to have the law over us；
when times change。 There was Simon Malmesbury； too。 How think ye；
Bennet？〃
〃What think ye； sir；〃 returned Hatch； 〃of Ellis Duckworth？〃
〃Nay； Bennet； never。 Nay； not he；〃 said the priest。 〃There cometh
never any rising； Bennet； from below … so all judicious chroniclers
concord in their opinion； but rebellion travelleth ever downward
from above； and when Dick； Tom； and Harry take them to their bills；
look ever narrowly to see what lord is profited thereby。 Now； Sir
Daniel； having once more joined him to the Queen's party； is in ill
odour with the Yorkist lords。 Thence； Bennet； comes the blow … by
what procuring； I yet seek； but therein lies the nerve of this
discomfiture。〃
〃An't please you； Sir Oliver；〃 said Bennet； 〃the axles are so hot
in this country that I have long been smelling fire。 So did this
poor sinner； Appleyard。 And； by your leave； men's spirits are so
foully inclined to all of us； that it needs neither York nor
Lancaster to spur them on。 Hear my plain thoughts： You； that are
a clerk； and Sir Daniel； that sails on any wind； ye have taken many
men's goods； and beaten and hanged not a few。 Y' are called to
count for this； in the end； I wot not how； ye have ever the
uppermost at law； and ye think all patched。 But give me leave； Sir
Oliver： the man that ye have dispossessed and beaten is but the
angrier； and some day； when the black devil is by； he will up with
his bow and clout me a yard of arrow through your inwards。〃
〃Nay； Bennet； y' are in the wrong。 Bennet； ye should be glad to be
corrected；〃 said Sir Oliver。 〃Y' are a prater； Bennet； a talker； a
babbler； your mouth is wider than your two ears。 Mend it； Bennet；
mend it。〃
〃Nay； I say no more。 Have it as ye list；〃 said the retainer。
The priest now rose from the stool； and from the writing…case that
hung about his neck took forth wax and a taper； and a flint and
steel。 With these he sealed up the chest and the cupboard with Sir
Daniel's arms； Hatch looking on disconsolate； and then the whole
party proceeded； somewhat timorously； to sally from the house and
get to horse。
〃'Tis time we were on the road； Sir Oliver；〃 said Hatch； as he held
the priest's stirrup while he mounted。
〃Ay； but； Bennet； things are changed；〃 returned the parson。 〃There
is now no Appleyard … rest his soul！ … to keep the garrison。 I
shall keep you； Bennet。 I must have a good man to rest me on in
this day of black arrows。 'The arrow that flieth by day；' saith
the evangel； I have no mind of the context； nay； I am a sluggard
priest； I am too deep in men's affairs。 Well； let us ride forth；
Master Hatch。 The jackmen should be at the church by now。〃
So they rode forward down the road； with the wind after them；
blowing the tails of the parson's cloak； and behind them； as they
went； clouds began to arise and blot out the sinking sun。 They had
passed three of the scattered houses that make up Tunstall hamlet；
when； coming to a turn； they saw the church before them。 Ten or a
dozen houses clustered immediately round it； but to the back the
churchyard was next the meadows。 At the lych…gate； near a score of
men were gathered； some in the saddle； some standing by their
horses' heads。 They were variously armed and mounted； some with
spears； some with bills； some with bows； and some bestriding
plough…horses； still splashed with the mire of the furrow； for
these were the very dregs of the country； and all the better men
a