But having conceded this much, he was allowed to sit in silence and think of Mistress Cicely Guildford, and wonder he had not discovered the secret of his own heart before. Rude fingers had torn away the veil that hid it from himself, yet, he could not but feel thankful that he had taken his father to pay this visit; though he felt equally thankful that the business which had brought his father to London was well-nigh settled, and that he would go back to Woodstock in a few days.
But Sir Thomas was determined to have some legal, as well as Church opinion, about the proposed marriage with Lady Audrey; and, if it should be favourable to his wishes, then he would take a house in London, and send for the young widow and her mother, that the marriage might be brought about with as little delay as possible. So, while Miles sat and dreamed of the sweet pure face he had learned to love, his father was wondering where he had better go for advice for the delicate business he was contemplating.
Hitherto Miles had been at his service in every emergency; but Miles was not to be trusted in this matter, and so he sought counsel of a chance acquaintance he had made during his stay.
"You need a learned priest, and a man well versed in the law," said his new friend.
"Well now, there is a priest who preaches sometimes at St. Dunstan's, and I have heard the gossips say that there is not another in London like him for learning. Why not seek him out, and lay the matter before him? The man of law is more easily found, and I will take you to one on whose judgment you can rely."
So Miles was told the next day that this friend was going to take his father to see some other part of London; and the two went together to lay the matter before the lawyer first.
But when the client stated the case the man of law was too wary to give a direct opinion.
"Marriage is a Sacrament of the Church, and therefore can only be decided by the Church," he said. "We have a royal example that such marriages can be made legal by help of the Pope, and therefore I cannot say they are illegal for others."
It was small comfort, perhaps, to Sir Thomas, but he was glad enough of it, and, as he had no idea that Master William Tyndale was a friend of his son's, he went without scruple to "The Sign of the Golden Fleece," and asked to see the priest Master William Tyndale.
But Sir Thomas thought he would be more cautious this time, and not give his name, so he simply told Monmouth, whom he saw at the door of his shop, that he wanted to see the priest on a matter of conscience, and he was taken upstairs, and Master William Tyndale sent for to see this grim-looking old penitent, as the merchant thought him. He was not the first who had come on the same errand, for here in London there were many strangers coming and going, who had not their own parish priest at hand, upon whom the burden troubling their conscience could be laid; so that from preaching in St. Dunstan's Master Tyndale had become the recipient of many strange confessions.