At the "Sign of the Golden Fleece"

by Emma Leslie

It may be that some of them thought that with a plentiful harvest they might spend most of the winter in the old sports again, but, if they did, they were quickly undeceived; for, at the Harvest Home supper, when master and men sat down together, he told them frankly that they must work on the land, or on the finishing of their houses and barns during the winter, and in the bad weather come to the weaving-house, which was just being finished, close to his own kitchen door.

Then he explained that the wool he had in store had been sent to be cleaned, and would be returned to him almost immediately; and the women and girls must learn to spin this on their wheels, and a Flemish weaver was coming to stay during the winter to teach them the art and craft of weaving this thread into cloth, which they were in great need of, to make new doublets, and petticoats, and bed coverings.

A few of the younger men shook their heads vigorously at each other over this proposal, but Sir Miles had an unanswerable argument to meet all their objections. If they did not like the conditions upon which alone he would grant them the use of his land as tenants, they could leave it. But he had been so convinced that half the poverty and wretchedness of the poor had been brought about by their own thriftless habits that he was determined to alter this on his land. He, or she, who was able to work, and would not, should not eat, whether winter or summer. So the choice lay before them now, and they must decide within the next seven days whether they would stay and pledge themselves to work at least six hours every day during the winter, or give up their houses to those who would gladly accept such conditions to escape from the life of a thief or beggar.

They knew only too well that there were plenty waiting to take their place if they should fail to satisfy their master; but they were not disposed to rebel or think the conditions hard when they heard that six hours a day would only be required of them for work, and that the rest of the time they might do as they pleased; and so, before the seven days expired, everyone had pledged himself to work the required time each day, or ask leave to give additional labour one day for extra time for sport another.

Miles had also formed another project, but he did not venture to speak of this just now, for he saw more and more the need of caution, and so he did not say a word about wishing them to learn to read, though this was the next innovation he intended to introduce.

Margery and Cicely, too, had their plans about this, and they had already bought all the hornbooks a pedlar carried in his pack, and had asked him to bring some more the next time he came that way, for they had made up their minds to teach some of the girls of the village to read, as well as their own house-servants, in readiness for the time when the New Testament should be printed and sent over from the Continent.

Sir Miles had received one letter from Master William Tyndale, who was still working at his translation, with the help of his assistant, the monk who had left the priory at Greenwich. He was useful in many ways, he wrote, and a cheerful companion, who would be of still greater service when the sheets were being printed. He intended to go to Wittenberg to see Luther, and perhaps he would get the printing done there; but he had not settled upon this point just now. Sir Miles was greatly cheered by this letter, for Tyndale wrote altogether more hopefully of the final success of his project, about which he seemed to be in grave doubt when he went away. The letter had been some months reaching him, but was none the less welcome on that account.

This, and the success that had crowned his efforts for the benefit of his own people, made Miles almost a boy again in his light-hearted gladness, and, instead of sending his steward to buy the plenishings of salt and other household commodities at Oxford Fair, he proposed to go himself, of course taking servants with him, and sumpter mules to carry the baggage that he hoped to bring back.

Staid man that he had grown since the day when he joined in the fight of "Grecians" against "Trojans," he was still young enough to feel elated, and join the rushing students as they tore about the fair-ground from one point to another, and still using the same old battle-cry of "A Grecian! a Grecian!" But he noticed that there were fewer now to take up the answering shout, and the few "Trojans" had to bear the jokes and jibes now without retaliating with sticks and cudgels as before.

Sir Miles smiled and nodded, and gave liberally to every begging student that he met; for had he not begged in the streets of Oxford himself, to eke out the little he could earn by his translation.