``Truly，reverendfather，’’saidtheFriar，``I
　　knowbutonemodeinwhichthoumaystescape。
　　ThisisSaintAndrew’sdaywithus，wearetakingourtithes。’’
　　``Butnotofthechurch，then，Itrust，mygoodbrother?’’saidthePrior。
　　``Ofchurchandlay，’’saidtheFriar；``andtherefore，SirPrior_facitevobisamicosdeMammoneiniquitatis_——makeyourselvesfriendsoftheMammonofunrighteousness，fornootherfriendshipisliketoserveyourturn。’’
　　``Iloveajollywoodsmanatheart，’’saidthePrior，softeninghistone；``come，yemustnotdealtoohardwithme——Icanwellofwoodcraft，andcanwindahornclearandlustily，andhollotilleveryoakringsagain——Come，yemustnotdealtoohardwithme。’’
　　``Givehimahorn，’’saidtheOutlaw；``wewillprovetheskillheboastsof。’’
　　ThePriorAymerwindedablastaccordingly。
　　TheCaptainshookhishead。
　　``SirPrior，’’hesaid，``thoublowestamerrynote，butitmaynotransomthee——wecannotafford，asthelegendonagoodknight’sshieldhathit，tosettheefreeforablast。Moreover，Ihavefoundthee——thouartoneofthose，who，withnewFrenchgracesandTra-li-ras，disturbtheancientEnglishbuglenotes——Prior，thatlastflourishontherecheathathaddedfiftycrownstothyransom，forcorruptingthetrueoldmanlyblastsofvenerie。’’
　　``Well，friend，’’saidtheAbbot，peevishly，``thouartilltopleasewiththywoodcraft。Ipraytheebemoreconformableinthismatterofmyransom。
　　Ataword——sinceImustneeds，foronce，holdacandletothedevil——whatransomamItopayforwalkingonWatling-street，withouthavingfiftymenatmyback?’’
　　``Wereitnotwell，’’saidtheLieutenantofthegangaparttotheCaptain，``thatthePriorshouldnametheJew’sransom，andtheJewnamethePrior’s?’’
　　``Thouartamadknave，’’saidtheCaptain，``butthyplantranscends！——Here，Jew，stepforth——
　　LookatthatholyFatherAymer，PrioroftherichAbbeyofJorvaulx，andtellusatwhatransomweshouldholdhim?——Thouknowesttheincomeofhisconvent，Iwarrantthee。’’
　　``O，assuredly，’’saidIsaac。``Ihavetraffickedwiththegoodfathers，andboughtwheatandbarley，andfruitsoftheearth，andalsomuchwool。
　　O，itisarichabbey-stede，andtheydoliveuponthefat，anddrinkthesweetwinesuponthelees，thesegoodfathersofJorvaulx。Ah，ifanoutcastlikemehadsuchahometogoto，andsuchincomingsbytheyearandbythemonth，Iwouldpaymuchgoldandsilvertoredeemmycaptivity。’’
　　``HoundofaJew！’’exclaimedthePrior，``nooneknowsbetterthanthyowncursedself，thatourholyhouseofGodisindebtedforthefinishingofourchancel——’’
　　``AndforthestoringofyourcellarsinthelastseasonwiththedueallowanceofGasconwine，’’interruptedtheJew；``butthat——thatissmallmatters。’’
　　``Heartheinfideldog！’’saidthechurchman；
　　hejanglesasifourholycommunitydidcomeunderdebtsforthewineswehavealicensetodrink，_propternecessitatem，etadfrigusdepellendum_。Thecircumcisedvillainblasphemeththeholychurch，andChristianmenlistenandrebukehimnot！’’
　　``Allthishelpsnothing，’’saidtheleader——
　　``Isaac，pronouncewhatbemaypay，withoutflayingbothhideandhair。’’
　　``Ansixhundredcrowns，’’saidIsaac，``thegoodPriormightwellpaytoyourhonouredvalours，andneversitlesssoftinhisstall。’’
　　``Sixhundredcrowns，’’saidtheleader，gravely；
　　``Iamcontented——thouhastwellspoken，Isaac——
　　sixhundredcrowns——Itisasentence，SirPrior。’’
　　``Asentence！——asentence！’’exclaimedtheband；
　　``Solomonhadnotdoneitbetter。’’
　　``Thouhearestthydoom，Prior，’’saidtheleader。
　　``Yearemad，mymasters，’’saidthePrior；
　　``whereamItofindsuchasum?IfIselltheverypyxandcandlesticksonthealtaratJorvaulx，Ishallscarceraisethehalf；anditwillbenecessaryforthatpurposethatIgotoJorvaulxmyself；
　　yemayretainasborrows*mytwopriests。’’
　　*Borghs，orborrows，signifiespledges。Henceourwordto*borrow，becausewepledgeourselvestorestorewhatislent。
　　``Thatwillbebutblindtrust，’’saidtheOutlaw；
　　``wewillretainthee，Prior，andsendthemtofetchthyransom。Thoushaltnotwantacupofwineandacollopofvenisonthewhile；andifthoulovestwoodcraft，thoushaltseesuchasyournorthcountryneverwitnessed。’’
　　``Or，ifsopleaseyou，’’saidIsaac，willingtocurryfavourwiththeoutlaws，``IcansendtoYorkforthesixhundredcrowns，outofcertainmoniesinmyhands，ifsobethatthemostreverendPriorpresentwillgrantmeaquittance。’’
　　``Heshallgranttheewhateverthoudostlist，Isaac，’’saidtheCaptain；``andthoushaltlaydowntheredemptionmoneyforPriorAymeraswellasforthyself。’’
　　``Formyself！ah，courageoussirs，’’saidtheJew，``Iamabrokenandimpoverishedman；abeggar’sstaffmustbemyportionthroughlife，supposingIweretopayyoufiftycrowns。’’
　　``ThePriorshalljudgeofthatmatter，’’repliedtheCaptain——``Howsayyou，FatherAymer?
　　CantheJewaffordagoodransom?’’
　　``Canheaffordaransom?’’answeredthePrior``IshenotIsaacofYork，richenoughtoredeemthecaptivityofthetentribesofIsrael，whowereledintoAssyrianbondage?——Ihaveseenbutlittleofhimmyself，butourcellarerandtreasurerhavedealtlargelywithhim，andreportsaysthathishouseatYorkissofullofgoldandsilverasisashameinanyChristianland。MarvelitistoalllivingChristianheartsthatsuchgnawingaddersshouldbesufferedtoeatintothebowelsofthestate，andevenoftheholychurchherself，withfoulusuriesandextortions。’’
　　``Hold，father，’’saidtheJew，``mitigateandassuageyourcholer。IprayofyourreverencetorememberthatIforcemymoniesuponnoone。
　　Butwhenchurchmanandlayman，princeandprior，knightandpriest，comeknockingtoIsaac’sdoor，theyborrownothisshekelswiththeseuncivilterms。Itisthen，FriendIsaac，willyoupleasureusinthismatter，andourdayshallbetrulykept，soGodsa’me?——andKindIsaac，ifeveryouservedman，showyourselfafriendinthisneed！Andwhenthedaycomes，andIaskmyown，thenwhathearIbutDamnedJew，andThecurseofEgyptonyourtribe，andallthatmaystiruptherudeanduncivilpopulaceagainstpoorstrangers！’’
　　``Prior，’’saidtheCaptain，``Jewthoughhebe，hehathinthisspokenwell。Dothou，therefore，namehisransom，ashenamedthine，withoutfartherrudeterms。’’
　　``Nonebut_latrofamosus_——theinterpretationwhereof，’’saidthePrior，``willIgiveatsomeothertimeandtide——wouldplaceaChristianprelateandanunbaptizedJewuponthesamebench。Butsinceyerequiremetoputapriceuponthiscaitiff，Itellyouopenlythatyewillwrongyourselvesifyoutakefromhimapennyunderathousandcrowns。’’
　　``Asentence！——asentence！’’exclaimedthechiefOutlaw。
　　``Asentence！——asentence！’’shoutedhisassessors；
　　``theChristianhasshownhisgoodnurture，anddealtwithusmoregenerouslythantheJew。’’
　　``TheGodofmyfathershelpme！’’saidtheJew；``willyebeartothegroundanimpoverishedcreature?——Iamthisdaychildless，andwillyedeprivemeofthemeansoflivelihood?’’
　　``Thouwilthavethelesstoprovidefor，Jew，ifthouartchildless，’’saidAymer。
　　``Alas！mylord，’’saidIsaac，``yourlawpermitsyounottoknowhowthechildofourbosomisentwinedwiththestringsofourheart——ORebecca！
　　laughterofmybelovedRachel！wereeachleafonthattreeazecchin，andeachzecchinmineown，allthatmassofwealthwouldIgivetoknowwhetherthouartalive，andescapedthehandsoftheNazarene！’’
　　``Wasnotthydaughterdark-haired?’’saidoneoftheoutlaws；``andworeshenotaveiloftwistedsendal，broideredwithsilver?’’
　　``Shedid！——shedid！’’saidtheoldman，tremblingwitheagerness，asformerlywithfear。``TheblessingofJacobbeuponthee！canstthoutellmeaughtofhersafety?’’
　　``Itwasshe，then，’’saidtheyeoman，``whowascarriedoffbytheproudTemplar，whenhebrokethroughourranksonyester-even。Ihaddrawnmybowtosendashaftafterhim，butsparedhimevenforthesakeofthedamsel，whoIfearedmighttakeharmfromthearrow。’’
　　``Oh！’’answeredtheJew，``IwouldtoGodthouhadstshot，thoughthearrowhadpiercedherbosom！——BetterthetombofherfathersthanthedishonourablecouchofthelicentiousandsavageTemplar。Ichabod！Ichabod！thegloryhathdepartedfrommyhouse！’’
　　``Friends，’’saidtheChief，lookinground，``theoldmanisbutaJew，nathelesshisgrieftouchesme——Dealuprightlywithus，Isaac——willpayingthisransomofathousandcrownsleavetheealtogetherpenniless?’’
　　Isaac，recalledtothinkofhisworldlygoods，theloveofwhich，bydintofinveteratehabit，contendedevenwithhisparentalaffection，grewpale，stammered，andcouldnotdenytheremightbesomesmallsurplus。
　　``Well——goto——whatthoughtherebe，’’saidtheOutlaw，``wewillnotreckonwiththeetooclosely。
　　WithouttreasurethoumaystaswellhopetoredeemthychildfromtheclutchesofSirBriandeBois-Guilbert，astoshootastag-royalwithaheadlessshaft——WewilltaketheeatthesameransomwithPriorAymer，orratheratonehundredcrownslower，whichhundredcrownsshallbemineownpeculiarloss，andnotlightuponthisworshipfulcommunity；andsoweshallavoidtheheinousoffenceofratingaJewmerchantashighasaChristianprelate，andthouwilthavesixhundredcrownsremainingtotreatforthydaughter’sransom。Templarslovetheglitterofsilvershekelsaswellasthesparkleofblackeyes——HastentomakethycrownschinkintheearofDeBois-Guilbert，ereworsecomesofit。Thouwiltfindhim，asourscoutshavebroughtnotice，atthenextPreceptoryhouseofhisOrder——SaidIwell，mymerrymates?’’
　　Theyeomenexpressedtheirwontedacquiescenceintheirleader’sopinion；andIsaac，relievedofonehalfofhisapprehensions，bylearningthathisdaughterlived，andmightpossiblyberansomed，threwhimselfatthefeetofthegenerousOutlaw，and，rubbinghisbeardagainsthisbuskins，soughttokissthehemofhisgreencassock。TheCaptaindrewhimselfback，andextricatedhimselffromtheJew’sgrasp，notwithoutsomemarksofcontempt。
　　``Nay，beshrewthee，man，upwiththee！IamEnglishborn，andlovenosuchEasternprostrations——KneeltoGod，andnottoapoorsinner，likeme。’’