**verse**
Good Lord who findeth, is blessed of God, A cumbersome lord is husbandman’s rod: He noiseth, destroyeth, and all to this drift, To strip his poor tenants of farm and of thrift.
**endverse**
Thus it was, that when Lord Thomas Neville had arrived with his lady wife and newly born daughter, Tusser had stood in the Hall’s court to greet them with scuffling feet and a scowl as bad as one found on a pimply faced lad caught with his hand on the dairymaid’s breast.
Within the hour he had been straight-backed and beaming with pride and joy.
Not only had Lord Neville leaped off his horse and greeted him with such high words of praise that Tusser had blinked in astonishment, Neville had then led him inside and informed him that Tusser’s responsibilities would widen to take in Neville’s other estates as well.
He was to be a High Steward! As Tusser strode along the lane back toward the group of buildings surrounding Halstow Hall, he grinned yet again at the memory. As well as Hal-stow, Tusser now oversaw the stewards who ran Neville’s northern estates, and the second estate in Devon that Lancaster had deeded Neville. Admittedly, this necessitated much extra work—
Tusser had to communicate Neville’s wishes and orders to the northern and Devon stewards, as well as review their estate books quarterly—but it was work that admitted and made full use of his talents.
Why, Tusser now had the opportunity to send his verses to his under-stewards! Thus, every Saturday fortnight, Tusser sat down, ordered his thoughts, and carefully composed and edited his versified directions. He was certain that his under-stewards must appreciate his timely verses and homilies.
Tusser tried not to be prideful of his new responsibilities, but he had to admit before God and the Holy Virgin that he was not completely successful.
Not only had Neville praised Tusser’s abilities, and handed him his new responsibilities, but Neville had also proved to be no fool meddling with Tusser’s handling of the estate. He had a deep interest in what happened to the estate, and kept an eye on it, but he allowed Tusser to run it in the manner he chose and did not interfere with his steward’s authority.
Neville was a good lord, and surely blessed of God. And his wife! Tusser sighed yet again.
The Lady Margaret had an agreeable manner that exceeded her great beauty, and Tusser rose each morning to pray that this day he would be graced with the sweetness of her smile.
Aye, the goodness and grace of God had indeed embraced Halstow Hall and all who lived within its estates.
TUSSER TURNED a corner in the lane and Halstow Hall rose before him. It was a good building, built of stone and brick, and some two or three generations old. Originally, it had consisted only of the great hammer-beamed hall and minstrel gallery, kitchens, pantries and larders, and a vaulted storage chamber that ran under the entire length of the hall, but over the years Lancaster had caused numerous additions to be made, even though he had never lived here. Now a suite of private chambers ran off the back of the hall, allowing a resident lord and his family some seclusion from the public life of the hall, and new stables and barns graced the courtyards.
The sound of horses behind him startled Tusser from this reverie, and he whipped about.
A party of four horsemen approached. Tusser squinted, trying to make them out through the cursed sun … then he started, and frowned as he realized three of the four riders were clothed in clerical robes.
Priests! Cursed priests! Doubtless come to eat Halstow Hall bare in the name of charity before moving on again.
Priests they might be, but Tusser had to admit to himself that their habits were poor, and they showed no glint of jewels or gold about their person. The lead priest was an old man, so thin he was almost skeletal, with long and scraggly hair and beard.
His expression was fierce, almost fanatical, and he glared at Tusser as if trying to scry out the man’s secret sins.
Evening prayers will be no cause for lightness and joy this night, Tusser thought, then shifted his eyes to the fourth rider, whose appearance gave him cause for thought.
This rider was a soldier. Sandy hair fell over a lined, tanned and knife-scarred face, and over his chain mail he wore a tunic emblazoned with the livery of the Duke of Lancaster. As the group rode closer to Tusser, still standing in the center of the laneway, the soldier pushed his horse to the fore of his group, pulled it to a halt a few paces distant from the steward, and grinned amiably at him.
“Good man,” said the soldier to the still-frowning Tusser. “Would you be the oft-praised Master Tusser, of whom the entire court whispers admiration?”
Tusser’s frown disappeared instantly and his face lit up with pride.
“I am,” he said, “and I see that you, at least, are of the Duke of Lancaster’s household. Who may I welcome on Lord Neville’s behalf to Halstow Hall?”
“My name is Wat Tyler,” said the rider, “and, as you can see, I am a sergeant-at-arms within good Lancaster’s household. I ride as escort to my revered companions,” Tyler turned and indicated the three priests, “who know your master well, and have decided to pass the night in his house.” Tyler grinned even more as he said the last few sentences. “Perhaps you have heard of Master John Wycliffe,” he nodded at the fierce-faced old priest, “while his two godly companions,” now Tyler could scarcely contain his amusement, “are named John Ball and Jack Trueman.”
Tusser bowed slightly to the priests, narrowing his eyes a little. He was well aware of John Wycliffe’s reputation, and of the renegade priest’s teachings that the entire hierarchy of the Church was a sinful abomination whose worldly goods and properties ought to be seized and distributed among the poor. Many of Wycliffe’s disciples, popularly called Lollards for their habit of mumbling, now spread Wycliffe’s message far and wide, and Tusser occasionally saw one or two of them at the larger market fairs of Kent.
The steward stared a moment longer, then he smiled warmly. “Master Wycliffe. You are indeed most welcome here to Halstow Hall, as are your companions. I am sure that my master and mistress will be pleased to greet you.”
“The mistress, at least” said a voice behind Tusser, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Margaret walking down the laneway to join him. He bowed, and stepped aside.
Margaret halted, and looked carefully at each of the four men. “I do greet you well,” she said,
“and am most happy to see you. My husband I cannot speak for.”
Wycliffe and Tyler smiled a little at that.
Margaret hesitated, then indicated with her hand that they should ride forward. “Welcome to my happy home,” she said.
THOMAS NEVILLE was anything but happy to welcome John Wycliffe and his two companion priests into his home. He had just finished at his weapons practice with Courtenay when he heard the sound of hoof fall entering the courtyard.
Turning, Neville had been appalled to see the black figure of John Wycliffe walking beside Margaret, two other priests (Lollards, no doubt) close behind him, and Wat Tyler leading the four horses. As he watched, Tusser, who’d been walking at the rear of the group, took the horses from Tyler and led them toward some stable boys.
Margaret said nothing, only halting as Neville strode forward.
“What do you here?” Neville snapped at Wycliffe.
Wycliffe inclined his head. “I and my companions are riding from London to Canterbury, my lord,” he said, “and thought to spend the night nestled within your hospitality.”
“My ‘hospitality’ does not lie on the direct road to Canterbury,” Neville said. “I say again, what do you here?”
“Come to enjoy your charity,” Wycliffe said, his voice now low and almost as menacing as his eyes, “as my Lord of Lancaster suggested I do. I bear greetings and messages from John of Gaunt, Neville. It is your choice whether you decide to accept Lancaster’s goodwill or not.”
Wycliffe paused. “It is for a night only, Neville. I and mine will be gone by the morning.”
Furious at being trapped—he could not refuse Lancaster’s request to give Wycliffe lodging and entertainment—Neville nodded tightly, and indicated the door into the main building.
Then, as Margaret led Wycliffe and the two other priests inside, Neville directed a hard glare toward Tyler.
“And you?” he said.
Tyler shrugged. “I am escort at Lancaster’s request, Tom. There’s no need to glower at me so.”
Neville’s face did not relax, but neither did he say any more as they walked inside. Wat Tyler and he had a long, if sometimes uncomfortable, history together. Tyler had taught Neville his war craft, and had protected his back in battle more times than Neville cared to remember.