set an example of high and holy living in his own person, such as he can scarce fail to appreciate in others." "And such too," said Jack, "as with all reverence to his royal father, was not by any means shown forth by him. Had our young prophet lived in his day and preached in his Court his doctrines of abstinence and self-denial, it had perchance been better for King James--peace be to his memory!--and worse, I trow, for himself! He had been fortunate then to have escaped with his ears!" "There is but little doubt that the late king hastened his death by his excesses," said Master Rhys. "Temptations, such as are common to man, are not always best resisted in high life, and we must needs be thankful that the Court of to-day is purer and more sober. I doubt not the young man will gain some royal support for his new doctrines." "I pray the Lord Bryn Afon himself may profit by them," said Jack earnestly, "for he has need, though to none but yourself, good sir, would I say it.--How now, Primrose? Thy readings over, child? What book hast thou now stolen from thy pastor's shelves?" The young girl drew from under her arm a copy of Spenser's _Faery Queene_, over which she had been poring for some hours in the vicar's library, while he had taken his afternoon walk to the hamlet, and indulged in his long chat with the old boatman. "It is not King Arthur to-day," she said with a smile. "What think you, dad? Passing the village shop a few moments since, I bethought me of a trifle I needed there, and going in to purchase it, I laid my book upon the counter, whereupon Master Jones seized upon it like a vulture upon his prey, and reading its title, flung it from him as though it had been a coal red-hot from the fire. 'Have pity on my book, since it is a borrowed one, good Master Jones!' I said. 'What has it done to deserve such treatment at your hands?' 'It is a pestilent volume, forsooth,' said he, speaking thus"--and Primrose imitated the good man's nasal twang to such perfection that her hearers were convulsed with laughter--"'a book which no godly damsel should look upon, a book full of evil imaginations and lying wonders, writ by one of Satan's messengers, to lure the young ever nearer to the pit of destruction. Beware, young woman, lest the vain visions of unholy poets ensnare and destroy your soul!' 'You would fain burn the book together with our Prayer Books, is it not so?' I said; 'and many more precious volumes, I doubt not, an you could lay violent hands on them! Have you then gained much ill for your own soul by its perusal, that you are thus bitter against it?' 'Heaven forbid!' he answered, uplifting his hands in horror, and rolling the whites of his eyes till I verily feared some fit was overtaking him. 'I would not touch the book with a pair of tongs, much less look therein!' 'Then,' I said, 'methinks, good sir, it is a wicked sin you commit, in so slandering good Master Spenser, when you know not