Rome ere I will be priest-ridden by this cursed cardinal." He spoke this so loud, that it reached the ears of those at the further end of the hall; and while some of the barons made the sign of the cross, others hesitated not to murmur their applause. But great was the king's astonishment, on turning round, at beholding the cardinal, clad in the sacred vestments of his office For so much had the conversation engrossed the monarch's attention, that Langton had entered the hall unperceived by either the king or De Marchmont.

Holding the pastoral crook before him, and standing with his proud form drawn to its full height, the haughty cardinal fixed his keen piercing eyes upon King John, with so severe and searching a glance, as caused the monarch to quail before him. The bold prelate, after standing a few moments in silence, thus addressed the king:

"I wonder not, my liege, that the sheep obey not the call of the shepherd, when even those who are entrusted with the care of the fold, threaten, in the absence of their spiritual superiors, to shake off their subjection. I repeat not that, which you have even now publicly

uttered. I am but one of the humblest of the children of that church, against which you have breathed rebellion."

"Proud cardinal, dost thou dare to beard me in my own palace?" exclaimed the king, his face growing crimson with rage; "by the blessed rood, thou must have drawn unbounded limits to our patience, if thou thinkest that we shall quietly submit to thy taunts, in this place."

"I care not for thy threats, my liege," replied the cardinal, undaunted. "I am but the servant of his Holiness, and shall not be the first who has died in obeying the commands of our holy master. But I come not to quarrel with your grace, but to bear back your answer to the Pope, on whose mission I am now here;" saying which, he took out a packet from a slip in his mantle, and, pressing it to his lips, presented it to the king.

Without any sign of reverence, King John broke open the seal, and perused the epistle in silence, his lip quivering with rage the while; and when he had finished reading the epistle, he tore it to pieces, and scattered the remnants on the floor of the hall, stamping his foot, and exclaiming, "Tell the Pope, that I am no reed

to be shaken by the wind, but will repel threat by threat, and force by force. As to the see of Canterbury, I will burn it to the ground ere thou shalt preside over it. I have already made my choice, and am prepared to maintain the election."

"Then, from this moment," said the cardinal,

England is placed under an interdict; and should you still persevere in opposing my rightful election, as archbishop of Canterbury, a few more days shall see you despised and excommunicated, and every one who obeys you shall be pronounced an heretic. No man shall pay you allegiance; and blessed shall be the hand that takes away your life."

"Get thee from my sight," exclaimed King John, in a voice of thunder, "lest thy insolence causeth me to forget my kingly dignity, and I crush thee like a toad or serpent. Tell the Pope that I am ruler in my own realm, nor will I share that power with any pilfering priest. Away! or, by the soul of my father, I will have thee scourged from my gates by the grooms."

The cardinal departed with his train, without making further reply.

"Assuredly, your majesty speaketh only in

anger," said Hugh de Lacy, who had hitherto stood among the barons, and witnessed the scene in silence, "and meaneth not to send so severe an answer to his Holiness."

"When the Earl of Eltham is called upon to become my counsellor," answered King John sharply, "I will consult his opinion; but until then, methinks, it would be wisely done to leave these affairs in my own hands."

"Your majesty was not wont to prize my counsel so slightly," replied the fiery earl, "when I kept my saddle from sun-rise to sunset, and was unable to open my hand, long after the battle had closed, so tightly had it all day grasped my sword."

"I crave thy pardon, De Lacy," said the king; "but while that cursed cardinal remained in sight, I could have quarrelled with myself. But let us forget this. De Marchmont, I would have you acquainted with the worthy earl, as he is of near kin to Edith of Lincoln, your promised bride."

"By the good Lord, my liege," said De Lacy, "I would fain that my fair cousin was left to her own choice. Marry, Sir Knight," continued he, addressing De Marchmont, "I fear that you

will scarce possess her yet, without some knight shivering a lance in her behalf, albeit your suit is backed by his majesty."

"I shall not shrink from maintaining my claim, noble earl," answered De Marchmont, "should any one be so headstrong as to deny my right to the maiden, when I receive her as a ward from the crown."

Nay, God forbode," exclaimed the king, "that we should withdraw our pledge, or suffer any one to do battle in such a cause."

"An' there be a fair lady in the case," said the young knight, who had spread such confusion through allowing the hawk to escape, "I would wager my golden spurs that she stirs up some one to break a lance in her behalf."

"By the holy saints! my liege," said De Marchmont, "an' I had to do battle with these beardless youths, who are so ready to oppose your majesty's wishes, I need but take a lady's riding-rod and her hawk-whistle the one to overthrow them, and the other to sound a blast of victory."

"An' thou numberest me among such, thou mightest have spared thy boast until after