though he woulde fain have sayd more, and I have
kept mine owne worde of praying for him full earnestlie, for it pitieth
me to see him in such case.

* * * * *

Poor Will, I never see him look grave now, nor heare him sighe, without
thinking I know the cause of his secret discontentation. He hath, I
believe, followed my council to y^e letter, for though y^e men's quarter
of y^e house is soe far aparte from ours, it hath come rounde to me
through Barbara, who hath it from her brother, that Mr. Roper hath of
late lien on y^e ground, and used a knotted cord. As 'tis one of y^e
acts of mercy to relieve others, when we can, from satanic doubts and
inquietations, I have been at some payns to make an abstracte of such
passages from y^e fathers, and such narratives of noted and undeniable
miracles as cannot, I think, but carry conviction with them, and I hope
they may minister to his soul's comfort.

* * * * *

Tuesday.

Supped with my Lord Sands. Mother played mumchance with my lady, but
father, who saith he woulde rather feast a hundred poor men than eat at
one rich man's table, came not in till late, on plea of businesse. My
lord tolde him the king had visitted him not long agone, and was soe
well content with his manor as to wish it were his owne, for the
singular fine ayr and pleasant growth of wood. In fine, wound up y^e
evening with musick. My lady hath a pair of fine toned clavichords, and
a mandoline that stands five feet high; the largest in England, except
that of the Lady Mary Dudley. The sound, indeed, is powerfull, but
methinketh the instrument ungaynlie for a woman. Lord Sands sang us a
new ballad, "The King's Hunt's up," which father affected hugelie. I
lacked spiritt to sue my lord for y^e words, he being soe free-spoken as
alwaies to dash me; howbeit, I mind they ran somewhat thus....

"The hunt is up, the hunt is up,
And it is well-nigh daye.
Harry our King has gone hunting
To bring his deere to baye.
The east is bright with morning lighte,
And darkness it is fled,
And the merrie horn wakes up y^e morn
To leave his idle bed.
Beholde y^e skies with golden dyes,
Are ..."

--The rest hath escaped me, albeit I know there was some burden of
hey-tantera, where my lord did stamp and snap his fingers. He is a merry
heart.

Now that Gunnel is