So things went with me and the University, till in the summer of the year of grace 1564 a great and notable thing for us came to pass.
CHAPTER V
It was after hall one day, in the middle of July, that Mr. Cartwright came up to me with the great news.
'Our time has come at last, Jasper,' said he; 'this day the Vice-Chancellor has received a letter from Mr. Secretary with very sharp orders for the burying of our differences, seeing that the Queen's grace will make progress here early in August.'
'That is news indeed,' said I; 'will there not be great things done for her entertainment?'
'That is the way my content lies,' answered Mr. Cartwright, radiant. 'There will be disputations, great disputations, where we shall pour into her gracious ear the true wisdom of Reformation, and refute our backsliding, halting adversaries.'
'But it is always said,' I replied, 'that the Queen clings to ceremonies and superstitions.'
'So she does,' he said, 'and were it not that that godly man, Lord Robert Dudley, is ever at her side, things might go harder with the faithful than they do.'
'Truly,' said I, 'our High Steward is very earnest for the truth, but how shall we prevail with her better than he?'