' Moreover, to Grey Dick here, she sends many messages, and
a present of wines and spiced foods for his stomach and of six score
arrows made after his own pattern for his quiver."
"But for me no gift, father?" said Hugh.
"Nothing, son, save her love, which she said was enough. Also, in all
this press of business and in my joy at finding you safe I had almost
forgotten it, there is a letter from the holy Father, Sir Andrew. I have
it somewhere in my pouch amid the bills of exchange," and he began to
hunt through the parchments which he carried in a bag within his robe.
At length the letter was found. It ran thus:
To Sir Hugh de Cressi, knight, my beloved godson:
With what rejoicings I and another have heard of your knightly deeds
through the letters that you have sent to us and from the mouths of
wounded soldiers returned from the war, your honoured father will tell
you. I thank God for them, and pray Him that this may find you unhurt
and growing ever in glory.
My son, I have no good news for you. The Pope at Avignon, having studied
the matter, (if indeed it ever reached his own ears) writes by one of
his secretaries to say that he will not dissolve the alleged marriage
between the Count of Noyon and the lady Eve of Clavering until the
parties have appeared before him and set out their cause to his face.
Therefore Eve cannot come to you, nor must you come to her while de
Noyon lives, unless the mind of his Holiness can be changed.
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