Such men as these have been termed "Protestants before the Reformation." The only reason why they were not Protestants, was because there was as yet no Protestantism. The heavenly call to "come out of her" had not yet been heard. These men were to be found in all stations and callings; on the throne--as in Alfred the Great, Saint Louis, and Henry the Sixth; in the hierarchy--as in Anselm, Bradwardine, and Grosteste; in the cloister--as in Bernard de Morlaix; but perhaps most frequently in that rank and file of whom the world never hears, and of some of whom, however low their place in it, the world is not worthy. These men often made terrible blunders--as Saint Louis did when he persecuted the Jews, under the delusion that he was thus doing honour to the Lord whom they had rejected: and Bernard de Morlaix, when he led a crusade against the Albigenses, of whom he had heard only slanderous reports. Do we make no blunders, that we should be in haste to judge them? How much more has been given to us than to them! How much more, then, will be required? CHAPTER ONE. FATHER AND MOTHER. "He was a true man, this--who lived for England, And he knew how to die." "Sweet? There are many sweet things. Clover's sweet, And so is liquorice, though 'tis hard to chew; And sweetbriar--till it scratches." "Look, Margaret! Thine aunt, Dame Marjory, is come to spend thy birthday with thee." "And see my new bower? [Boudoir]. O Aunt Marjory, I am so glad!" The new bower was a very pretty room--for the thirteenth century--but its girl-owner was the prettiest thing in it. Her age was thirteen that day, but she was so tall that she might easily have been supposed two or three years older. She had a very fair complexion, violet-blue eyes, and hair exactly the colour of a cedar pencil. If physiognomy may be trusted, the face indicated a loving and amiable disposition.