h for any strange-born
companion as ever cumbered the soil of merry England."

Mr Underhill laughed, as did John and Robin.

"Dr Thorpe, you are exceedingly courteous, and I thank you heartily,"
said Mrs Rose, smiling almost for the first time.

"Body o' me! what is a man to do when he falleth into the ditch o' this
manner?" said he, with a comical look. "Mrs Rose, I am an ass by
nature, and shall find little hardship in braying. I do beseech you of
pardon, for that I meant not to offend you; and in very deed, I scarce
ever do remember that you are not my countrywoman. You are good enough
for an English woman, and I would you were--There! I am about to make
yet again a fool of myself. Heed not, I pray you, an old man in his
dotage."

"My good friend, say not one other word," answered Mrs Rose, kindly. "I
do feel most delighted that you should say I am good enough for an
English woman. I can see that is very much from you."

Spaniards were everywhere. England had become a nation of Spaniards in
her streets, as she was a province of Spain in her government. And
Englishmen knew that Spain, like Rome, whose true daughter she was,
never unloosed her hand from any thing she had once grasped. Isoult
begged her husband to teach her Spanish; but Kate desired to know why
they were all come.

"Is there no meat ne drink in their country, that they come to eat up
ours?" she asked in her simplicity.

Her mother told her "they were come to wait on the King, which was a
gentleman of their nation."

"But wherefore so?" said she. "Could the Queen not marry an Englishman,
that could have talked English? I am sure our Robin is good enough for
any Queen that ever carried a crown on her head."

A view of the subject which so greatly tickled Robin that he could not
speak for laughing. He was, and always had been, very fond of Kate, and
she of him.

A fresh rumour now ran that five thousand more Spaniards would shortly
be brought over; and some of them preferred to the vacated benefices and
sees.

On the 30th of September, Gardiner preached at the Cross, the Bishop of
London bearing his crosier before him. All the Council _were_ present
who were then at Court. He spoke much of charity, which is commonly
lauded by false teachers; and said that "great heresy had heretofore
been preachen at that place, by preachers in King Edward's time, which
did preach no thing but voluptuousness and blasphemous lies." Then he
tou