THE KING AND THE BONDMEN.

 "but had ye seen them look at one another, and grasp
 their stout ash staves the tighter, ye would have known
 that the song was to their liking. It will not be long,
 I warrant, before they sing it for themselves."
 The tax will rouse many to anger who would have
 remained peaceable," observed Hubert.
 Ay, it will so," rejoined the packman. "As I
 was leaving the town, I saw in one of the streets
 women and young girls weeping, and their husbands
 and brothers looking sullen and angry, for the tax-
 gatherers had been there with brutal words, and seized
 their blankets and household stuff, because the humble
 folk could not pay the tax for lack of money. It
 made me sad to see the sight, and I gave six groats to
 a widow and her daughter, to save them from the like
 trouble."
 Ye did kindly, good packman," said Joan, may
 Heaven reward you for it."
 "Then I went a little farther," continued the dursty-
 foot, "and saw a throng of folk with a man speaking
 in their midst. I was minded to see what was doing,
 and on coming up found it was a gospeller-a Lollard
 as some call him-preaching to the crowd."
 "I have heard of them," said Hubert; but whence
do they come, and what do they preach about ?"
 "They be disciples of one John Wycliffe, a zealous
churchman, but who says that the church has many
errors which must be amended. Great numbers have
joined themselves to him, and some of these he sends
forth to preach in all the country. They go barefoot
and clad in a coarse gown, for Wycliffe says it is not
seemly for a preacher to be rich, or to wear fine
apparel."
 "If one would come to this poor dwelling," inter-
rupted Hubert, "he would be right welcome."