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[121]

‘John,’ asked Priest Evans, the Bishop's kinsman, ‘is your house free to entertain such men as we are?’

‘Yes, George,’ said Roberts; ‘I entertain honest men, and sometimes others.’

‘My Lord,’ said Evans, turning to the Bishop, ‘John's friends are the honest men, and we are the others.’

The Bishop told Roberts that they could not then alight, but would gladly drink with him; whereupon the good wife brought out her best beer. ‘I commend you, John,’ quoth the Bishop, as he paused from his hearty draught; ‘you keep a cup of good beer in your house. I have not drank any that has pleased me better since I left home.’ The cup passed next to the Chancellor, and finally came to Priest Bull, who thrust it aside, declaring that it was full of hops and heresy. As to hops, Roberts replied, he could not say, but as for heresy, he bade the priest take note that the Lord Bishop had drank of it, and had found no heresy in the cup.

The Bishop leaned over his coach door and whispered: ‘John, I advise you to take care you don't offend against the higher Powers. I have heard great complaints against you, that you are the Ringleader of the Quakers in this Country; and that, if you are not suppressed, all will signify nothing. Therefore, pray, John, take care, for the future, you don't offend any more.’

‘I like thy Counsel very well,’ answered Roberts, ‘and intend to take it. But thou knowest God is the higher Power; and you mortal Men, ’

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