"Nay, she is wedded wife. 'Tis five years or more sithence they were wed. My Lady Custance had years four, and my Lord Le Despenser five. They could but just syllable their vows. And I mind me, the Lady Custance stuck at `obey,' and she had to be threatened with a fustigation [beating, whipping] ere she would go on." "But who dared threaten her?" inquired Maude. "Marry, my Lord her father, which fell into a fit of ire to see her perversity.--There goeth the dinner bell; lap thy work, child. For me, I am well fain to hear it." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1. The child was Constance, only daughter of Edmund Duke of York (seventh son of Edward the Third) and Isabel of Castilla. Note 2. Agnes de La Marche had been the nurse of two of Edward the Third's sons, Lionel and Edmund. She lived to old age, and was long in receipt of a pension from the Crown for her former service. Note 3. Wycliffe's rendering of Revelations sixteen 6. In various places he follows what are now determined to be the best and most ancient authorities. CHAPTER THREE. STRANGE TALES. "Oh stay me not, thou holy friar! Oh stay me not, I pray! No drizzling rain that falls on me Can wash my fault away."--Bishop Percy. On entering the banquet-hall of Langley Palace, Maude the tire-maiden found herself promoted to a very different position from that which had been filled by Maude the scullion. Her former place had been near the door, and far below that important salt-cellar which was then the table-indicator of rank. She was directed now to take her seat as the lowest of the Countess's maidens, on a form just opposite the salt-cellar, which was more than half-way up the hall. Maude had hardly sat down when her next neighbour below accosted her in a familiar voice. "Why, little Maude! I looked for thee in vain at yon board end, and I was but now marvelling what had befallen thee. How earnest up hither?" Maude smiled back at Bertram Lyngern. "It pleased the Lady's Grace to make me of her especial following." "Long life to the Lady!--Now will I cause thee to wit who be all my friends. This on my left hand is Master Hugh Calverley, Mistress Maude (for thou art now of good degree, and must be spoken unto belike); he is mine especial friend, and a very knight-errant in succour of all unceli [distressed, unhappy] damsels." "And who is he that is next unto the Lady Custance?" "On her right hand, the Lord Edward, and the Lord Richard at her left-- her brethren both." Lord Richard pleased Maude. He was a winning little fellow of eight years old. But Edward she disliked instinctively:--a tall, handsome boy of twelve, but completely spoiled by the supercilious curl of his lip and the proud carriage of his head. "And the Lord Earl?" she whispered to Bertram, who pointed out his royal master.