Chapter XXI.

MORGAN GOES TO WHITEHALL.

In the early forenoon of the next day a man in the livery of Sir Walter
came to "Ye Swanne" and asked for Master Morgan. He brought a command
that the forester was to repair instantly to Whitehall, as the Queen
had intimated that she would see him in the afternoon. The summons
threw Johnnie into a small fever of nervous apprehension, and he wished
heartily that he had never left his snug homestead at Blakeney. His
fingers turned into thumbs, and Dorothy busied herself in fastening
points and laces, adjusting his ruff, and setting his cap at the proper
angle. Captain Dawe found that sword and belt required his critical
attention, and Master Jeffreys started a most elaborate dissertation on
court etiquette in "the most polite court in Europe." Johnnie's head
buzzed, his mind wandered in a maze; and when at last he stepped out
into the sunshine of the streets, he confessed to Mistress Stowe that
he felt "like a thief going to be hanged." Captain Dawe had a desire
to see the royal palace and its precincts, Jeffreys was wanted at
Raleigh's lodgings, so all four gentlemen went westwards.

Along Chepe, through St. Paul's Churchyard, down the hill to the Lud
Gate lay their way. Then they crossed the Fleet River and stepped out
into Fleet Street. On their left was the palace of Bridewell,
stretching down to the green margin of the Thames; on their right the
fields went northwards to the villages of Bloomsbury, Clerkenwell, and
Islington. The street was thick with dust and crowded with pedestrians
and horsemen. Staid burghers walked soberly along, fops strutted,
bullies swaggered, gentlefolks went in fitting dignity, and beggars
whined for alms at the corners of the narrow lanes that, between the
houses, led down to the river. Law students from the Temple were to be
met with, chaffering with the market wenches for nuts and apples and
bunches of flowers.

Master Jeffreys took charge of Morgan, and fed him full with
information. "A wonderful thoroughfare, good sir!" he cried; "its dust
hath been pressed by the feet of notable folk for many centuries, and
will take the footprints of the great ones for many centuries to come.
'Tis the highway between our two ancient cities of London and
Westminster. We will keep to the south side, for it is the more
famous, and contains the houses of many of our nobles. The north side
is left for the shopkeepers and smaller gentry. W