'Words there must be that will move thee,' she said, 'if God will give them to me.'
'God hath withdrawn Himself from this world,' Cicely answered. 'All mankind goeth a-mumming.'
'It was another thing that Polycrates said.' Katharine, in spite of her emotion, was quick to catch the misquotation.
'Coney,' Cicely Elliott answered, 'all men wear masks; all men lie; all men desire the goods of all men and seek how they may get them.'
'But Cromwell being down, these things shall change,' Katharine answered. 'Res, aetas, usus, semper aliquid apportent novi.'
Cicely Elliott fell back into her chair and laughed.
'What are we amongst that multitude?' she said. 'Listen to me: When my menfolk were cast to die, I flew to Gardiner to save them. Gardiner would not speak. Now is he Bishop of Winchester—for he had goods of my father's, and greased with them the way to his bishop's throne. Fanshawe is a goodly Papist; but Cromwell hath let him have goods of the Abbey of Bright. Will Fanshawe help thee to bring back the Church? Then he must give up his lands. Will Cranmer help thee? Will Miners? Coney, I loved Federan, a true man: Miners hath his land to-day, and Federan's mother starves. Will Miners help thee to gar the King do right? Then the mother of my love Federan must have Miners' land and the rents for seven years. Will Cranmer serve thee to bring back the Bishop of Rome? Why, Cranmer would burn.'
'But the poorer sort——' Katharine said.
'There is no man will help thee whose help will avail,' Cicely mocked at her. 'For hear me: No man now is up in the land that hath not goods of the Church; fields of the abbeys; spoons made of the parcel gilt from the shrines. There is no rich man now but is rich with stolen riches; there is no man now up that was not so set up. And the men that be down have lost their heads. Go dig in graves to find men that shall help thee.'
'Cromwell shall fall ere May goeth out,' Katharine said.