THE CHANCELLOR'S JUDGMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 5

THE CHANCELLOR'S JUDGMENT

A GOOD-MIGHT TALE Dame Alice was walking in the water meadows. The sun was hot, the lady portly, so she had commanded Henry the fool to go before her to gather the purple and golden flags that flaunted so bravely by the boggy pools. As they walked a rough yellow mongrel streaked past them with a kettle tied to its tail. “ Cruel children belike I ” said Dama Alice. “ Sirrah, catch me that dog and let its misery be ended.” Not without difficulty the jester caught the fugitive and relieved it of its burden. “ A bag of bones, mistress,” said he. “ As well end its woes altogether in the river.” Dame Alice looked down at the poor, wretched, panting'creature, that rolled up its beseeching brown, eyes at her. "‘Tilly rally 1 ” said she. “Carry him home, Henry.” In the garden of the beautiful housa in the village of. Chelsea the stray dog found friends and comfort. But ha made no mistake as to whom he owed his good fortune. It was not the fool who fed him nor the children who petted him that he followed, but tha formidable mistress of the house. Ha was about her path all day. It was evening, the master of tha house had climbed to the leads of tha gate house to watch the evening star when his meditations were disturbed by a great hubbub below, the chiding of angry women, the barking of dogs. Ha called the fool Henry to him to learn what the commotion was. ■ “ Lord, it is a beggar woman wh» has come to the door,” said the jester, “and saith that your lady hath stolen her dog.” • (t I must descend, said the maste? of .the house. With his gown awry, as usual, and his right shoulder thrust forward in tha student’s stoop, Sir Thomas More entered his hall. “ What is all this coil, Dame? said he to his wife. “ This woman claims my dog,” replied she. “ But I shall not part with him. Of all the’beasts we nourish her* he loves me best.” “ Shall not justice be done in tha Chancellor’s house? ’’ said Sir Thomas More. . ■ ' He took the seat in the midst of tha hall and set the dog on his knee. “ Take your stand at the head of tha hall, as becomes your degree,” said ha to Lady More. “ And do you, woman, stand at the lower end. Now. both call the dog at the same moment.” . They did so, and Sir Thomas let him go. ' - To whom did the faithful creatUra rush, like an arrow from the bow? T« the kind, sleek mistress in whose housa he had fed from the flesh pots? No; he ran straight to his first owner, with whom he had starved and tramped the roads. Lady More plucked out her ■ purse, “ Name his worth,” said she, “ and J , will give Ahee thrice” the .suniv !?■