When Stephen was taking his leave for the night, he, with no small degree of modesty and respect, requested that he might be permitted to give the parson a sermon in the morning, the next day being Sunday. As, in general, no clergyman has any great objection to a day of rest, the parson willingly accepted of his offered services. The morning came, and the hour of divine service being arrived, the young student was equipped in the parson’s gown and cassock, and as it was about a mile to the church, he was mounted on the parson’s horse, while the latter, with his wife and family, went a nearer path through the fields. When his reverence came to the church, every one was scraping and bowing, and inquiring why he was without his canonical robes on the day of sacred duty. He soon relieved their anxiety, by informing them that a young gentleman of the university of Oxford would be there presently, and would preach for him that day. They waited for some time, then commenced divine service; the prayers were now ended, and the last psalm sung, but no preacher appeared. In short, not to detain our readers with a long narrative, they waited until noon,--the congregation went home without a sermon,--and the parson without his robes and horse, while Bunce was by this time far advanced on his journey, employing the horse to carry a thief instead of a clergyman. Upon another day, as Stephen was going about seeking whom he might render lighter on their journey, he saw a gentleman well mounted upon a gelding, and going into the road along where he was to ride, he laid himself all along the ground, with his ear to it. When the gentleman came up to him, he asked the reason of such unusual conduct. Stephen held up his hand to him, signifying his desire that he should be silent; but the gentleman, being of a hasty temper, cried, “What the plague are you listening to?” Upon this Stephen sat up, saying, “Oh, dear sir, I have often heard great talk of the fairies, but I could never have the faith to believe that there was ever any such thing in nature, till now, in this very place, I hear such a ravishing and melodious harmony of all kinds of music, that it is enough to charm me to sit here, if possible, to all eternity.” Curiosity, that active principle in the human mind, inclined the gentleman to alight from his horse to hear the enchanting music. Having reached the ground, he gave his gelding to Stephen to hold during his interview with the fairies. Then, applying his ear to the ground, he said, “I can hear nothing.” Bunce desired him to turn the other ear. This being done, and his face averted from him, Bunce leaped into his saddle, and rode off with his gelding at full speed, until he came to Romford. Supposing that the owner would have some particular inn where he put up his horse, and therefore that the horse would know that place, he went after the horse at a small distance.