Loveday's history : $b A tale of many changesGuernsey, Lucy Ellen
History
Loveday's history : $b A tale of many changes
Guernsey, Lucy Ellen
Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603 -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Reformation -- Fiction
"Mine is fine print—I fear you could not read it," said I. And then, as
a thought struck me: "My lady hath given me leave to visit my friends
to-day, and I think I may be able to bring you the New Testament in
fair, large print."
Her face brightened, and then fell again. "But that may bring you into
trouble," said she.
"I think not," I answered. "At all events, I will see what can be done."
She consented at last, giving me a gold piece to pay for the book, and
to buy a fairing for myself. As I said, my mistress had given me leave
to go spend the day with my friends, and Mistress Curtis sent one of
the men to attend me to Master Hall's, where I purposed to go first.
I had been used to run back and forth between his house and Master
Davis's, but I was now a lady in a great house, so I must needs have a
blue-coated serving man at my heels.
I found them all well and overjoyed to see me, but methought Master
Hall was more sober than his wont, and Margaret's fair brow had a shade
of care. When: we were alone together, I asked her if any ill fortune
had befallen.
"Nothing as yet," she answered, "but, Loveday, we are living, as it
were, on the edge of a quicksand which may any day open and engulf
us. It hath somehow become known that my husband has been engaged in
the printing and selling of English Bibles, or at least so we think.
We are beset with spies. One of our best workmen, James Wells, hath
disappeared, and we can get no news of him."
"He may have been murdered in some street brawl," said I; "you know
there have been many of late."
"True; and he may have turned informer, perhaps by force of the
rack—who knows? I am glad you came to-day, for nobody knows when we
shall meet again."
She looked about her, went to the door to see that it was fast, and
then whispered in mine ear: "In a week or two, perhaps in a few days,
my husband will go to the Low Countries, and I shall follow him as soon
as I can settle up our matters here."
This was news, indeed, and the worst I had heard for many a day. I
could not forbear weeping over it, and Margaret joined her tears to
mine.
"But we must not spend our last meeting in tears," said she, presently,
drying her eyes. "Tell me, dear maid, how it fares with you and what
you are doing?"
With that, we fell into our old strain of talk, and it was a wonder to
me to see how she seemed to forget her own concerns in mine, when I
told her of Mrs. Patience.
"Alas, poor soul. She shall have what she wants, but not for hire or
reward."
And going to one of the secret recesses, of which the house was full,
she brought forth a fairly printed New Testament and a Psalter.
"Give these to the poor lady and bid her bestow the price in charity,"
said she. "My husband will be only too glad to give the bread of life
to one more perishing soul. But conceal them carefully. I would not
have you brought into jeopardy. Your cousin, Sir Walter, tells me you
are in great favor with your good lady."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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