mission."

Master Inge took the parchment, and scrutinised it most carefully, while
Dame Hilda wiped her eyes and put Beatrice down with a fervent "Bless
thee, my jewel!"

Now out bursts Jack, with a big sob that he could contain no longer.
"Does the King want my new ball of string, and my battledores?"

"Certes," answered Sir Thomas: but I saw a twinkle in his eye, though
his mouth was as grave as might be.

Jack fell a-blubbering.

"No, no--nonsense!" saith the other officer. "Don't spoil the fun,
man!" quoth Sir Thomas. "Fun! it is no fun to these babes," answered
the other. "I've a little lad at home, and this mindeth me of him. I
cannot bear to see a child cry--and for no cause!--Nay, my little one,"
saith he to Jack, "all in this Castle now belongs to the King, as
aforetime to thy father: but thy father took not thy balls and
battledores from thee, nor will he. Cheer up, for thou hast nought to
fear."

"Please, Sir," saith Kate, "shall all our brothers and sisters be made
monks and nuns, whether they like or no?"

Sir Thomas roared with laughter. His comrade saith gently, "Nay, my
little damsel, the King's will is not so. It is but that they shall be
kept safe there during his pleasure."

"And will they get any dinner and supper?" saith Maud.

"Plenty!" he answered: "and right good learning, and play in the convent
garden at recreation-time, with such other young damsels as shall be
bred up there. They will be merry as crickets, I warrant."

Kate fetched a great sigh of relief. She told me afterwards that she
had felt quite sure we should every one of us be had to separate
convents, and never see each other any more.

So matters dropped down again into their wonted course. For over two
years, our mother tarried at Skipton, and then she was moved into
straiter ward at Pomfret, about six weeks only [Note 2] before Queen
Isabel landed with her alien troops under Sir John of Ostrevant, and
drave King Edward first from his throne, and finally from this life.
Our father came with her. And this will I say, that our mother might
have been set free something earlier [Note 3], if every body had done
his duty. But folks are not much given to doing their duties, so far as
I can see. They are as ready as you please to contend for their
rights--which generally seems to mean, "Let me have somebody else's
rights;" ay, they will get up a battle for that at short notice: but who
ever heard of a man petiti