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 Monks of Saint Edmund's singing the death's hymn for him; and, moreover, there was a rich death-meal and dole at the Castle of Conningsburgh, as right was, and thither had I gone but for Mabel Parkins, who"——

"Ay, dead was Athelstane," said the old man, shaking his head, "and the more pity it was, for the old Saxon blood"——

“But, your story, my masters—your story," said the Minstrel, somewhat impatiently.

"Ay, ay—construe us the story," said a burley Friar, who stood beside them, leaning on a pole that hovered in appearance between a pilgrim's staff and a quarter-staff, and probably acted as either when occasion served,—"Your story," said the stalwart churchman; "burn not day-light about it—we have short time to spare."

"An please your reverence," said Dennet, "a drunken priest came to visit the Sacristan at Saint Edmunds"——

"It does not please my reverence," answered the churchman, "that there should be such an animal as a drunken priest, or, if there were, that