The Black Death came to that cottage among the rest, and
John Stone and wife and children, all were swept away. Nay! not all:
little Margery Stone was spared; but she had not a kinsman upon
earth. Poor little maid, she was barely nine years old and absolutely
alone! Who cared? Thomas Porter and his weeping wife cared, and they
took little Margery to their home, and they comforted themselves for
all that they had lost, and the little maid became unto them as a
daughter. Henceforth life was less dreary for the old couple. But
five years passed, and Margery had grown up to be a sturdy damsel and
very near the marriageable age.
Oh, ho! friend Porter, what is it we have heard men tell? That when
the Black Death came upon us, your house was left unto you desolate
and there remained neither chick nor child. Who is this? Then some
one told the steward, or told the lord, and thereupon ensued inquiry.
What right had Thomas Porter to adopt the child? She belonged to the
lord, and he had the right of guardianship. Aye! and the right of
disposing of her in marriage too. Thomas Porter, with a heavy heart,
was summoned before the homage. He pleaded that the marriage of the
girl did not belong to the lord by right, and that on some ground or
other, which is not set down, she was not his property at all. That
might have been very true or it might not, but one thing was certain,
Thomas Porter had no right to her, and so the invariable result
followed--he had to pay a fine.
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