eying with her to Windsor. At that time my little maid Vivien was
not in o'er good health, and it paid me well to be with her. So from
this point mine own remembrances have an end, and I serve me, for the
rest, of the memory of Dame Joan de Vaux, mine old and dear-worthy
friend, and of them that abode with Queen Isabel till she died. For
when her household was 'minished and again stablished on a new footing,
it liked the King of his grace to give leave to such as should desire
the same to depart to their own homes, and such as would were at liberty
to remain--one except, to wit, Dame Isabel de Lapyoun, to whom he gave
conge with no choice. I was of them that chose to depart. Forsooth, I
had seen enough and to spare of Court life (the which I never did much
love), and I desired no better than to spend the rest of my life at
home, with my Jack and my little maids, and my dear mother, so long as
God should grant me.

My brother Robert (of whom, if I spake not much, it was from no lack of
loving-kindness), on the contrary part, chose to remain. He hath ever
loved a busy life.

I found my Vivien full sick, and a weariful and ugsome time had I with
her ere she recovered of her malady. Soothly, I discovered that
diachylum emplasture was tenpence the pound, and tamarinds fivepence;
and grew well weary of ringing the changes upon rosin and frankincense,
litharge and turpentine, oil of violets and flowers of beans, _Gratia
Dei_, camomile, and mallows. At long last, I thank God, she amended;
but it were a while ere mine ears were open to public matter, and not
full filled of the moaning of my poor little maid. So now, to have back
to my story, as the end thereof was told me by Dame Joan de Vaux.

Queen Isabel came to Windsor about Saint Edmund the King [November
20th]; and nine days thereafter, on the eve of Saint Andrew [November
29th], was the Mortimer hanged at Tyburn. He was cast [sentenced] as
commoner, not as noble, and was dragged at horse's tail for a league
outside the city of London to the Elms. But the penalties that commonly
came after were not exacted, seeing his body was not quartered, nor his
head set up on bridge ne gate. His body was sent to the Friars Minors'
Church at Coventry, whence one year thereafter, it was at the King's
command delivered to the Lady Joan his widow and Sir Edmund his son,
that they might bury him in the Abbey of Wigmore with his fathers. His
mother, the Lady Margaret, overliv