THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
pose, much trouble to find the parson; though the good man had taken to call himself Beeche since he had changed the Wye for the Uske, thinking perhaps that his parishioners had quite enough Latin on Sundays and holidays. But Sir Symon soon made out the parsonage and found Master Andrew dogmatising and theologically disporting himself in company with a volume of the "Questions," and a flagon of wine; for he was not ignorant of any philosophy. Hospitably he received the stranger and gave him his best chair, and bore another flagon of wine for refreshment and post-viaticum; and then received his daughter Bertha's letter; which made him stare and disturbed his brain. For he thought within himself "If I don't marry them they will certainly agree to dispense with any service at all; and thus they and I through them shall be guilty of mortal sin; to say nothing of robbing the Church of her dues. But if I do marry them there'll be trouble for me and the Archdeacon of Monmouth will doubtless be moved to interfere and take order in the matter to my no small discomfort and annoy." This, you see, was what is called a dilemma, a dilemma that pushed hard and had sharp horns; but since Father Andrew loved Bertha exceedingly and cared more for her health and pleasure than his own; he concluded affirmative, after subjecting Sir Symon to a short examination to make sure that he had no pestilent notions in him, and believed entirely all the doctrines of our Holy Faith. Here indeed he was on safe ground; since the knight hated hereticks as the devil, and it was
[ 325 ]
