"Were it not better, Robin," suggested Isoult, "to fix thee a time, not unreasonable distant, whereat, if thou mayest not hap to receive orders afore, thou shalt resign that expectation, and be free to wed?" "Good and wise counsel!" cried John. "Thou hast hit the nail on the head. Thinkest not so, Robin?" Robin sat silent for a moment. Then he said,--"Ay--if Mr Rose agree thereto." "We will ask him that," answered John, "so soon as we may." On the 11th of August, to borrow the expression of the Gospellers, the abominable thing was once more set up in England. For the first time for six years, an old priest sang the Latin mass in Saint Bartholomew's Church, to the awakening of such burning indignation on the part of his hearers, that he was compelled to escape for his life by a side door. The application to Mr Rose was made on the Sunday evening following, when John and Isoult, with Robin, rode over to the evening service at West Ham. Mr Rose's sermon was a very solemn one, on the text, "I am now ready to be offered." Ready to be offered! how many of the Gospellers needed to be so, in that autumn of 1553! After the sermon, they waited for Mr Rose, and he walked with them for one or two miles on their way home. Robin led the horses a short distance behind them. Mr Rose was quite satisfied with Isoult's proposal to fix a time beyond which Robin should resign the hope of entering the ministry, and indeed seemed relieved by the suggestion. At his request, Robin was waited for, and when he came up with them, Mr Rose asked him what was the reason of his unwillingness to resign the hope of receiving holy orders. Robin answered, that "having offered himself and his service unto God, he counted it not right to withdraw the same, unless it should be plain that this was not the way wherein God would have him to serve." And Mr Rose's reply was,--"Then, Robin, wouldst thou give up rather Thekla than thine orders?" "It were well-nigh giving up my life; yet I would do as God will have me," said Robin, softly. Mr Rose grasped his hand, and called him a brave lad, adding that "if God so would, he would be right glad of such a son." This speech made the tears no further from Robin's eyes, but he smiled and thanked him. And he continued,--"Mr Rose, I would have you to know that I do desire only to know and do what is God's will for me. If He will make me His minister, I will be thankful for so great an honour; for I do account the service of God higher than the dominion over men. Yet, if I can serve Him better as a door-porter or a scullion, I would have Him do His will with me." "Ah Robin, God bless thee!" answered Mr Rose, earnestly. "Thou hast learned a lesson which many a scholar of threescore and ten can yet hardly spell." ------------------------------------------------------------------------