ar proverb.

Note 8.

"He that would in Court dwell
Must curry Favelle."

Favelle was the mediaeval name for a chestnut horse, as Bayard for a
bay, and Lyard for a grey. From this proverb has been corrupted our
modern phrase "to curry favour." The word is sometimes spelt Fauvelle.

Note 9. These expressions do no violence to her Grace's epistolary
style. They are to be found in her genuine letters.

Note 10. Diary of Edward the Sixth, Cott. Ms. Nero, c. x. folio 9, b.

CHAPTER TWO.

THE SILVER AND THE SABLE.

"`We measure life by years and tears,' he said;
`We live a little; then life leaves us dead,
And the long grass grows greenly overhead.'"

While the party were still conversing, the post came in--always an
important event at that day--and brought two letters for Isoult. The
first was from Beatrice Dynham [fictitious persons], who had been her
fellow bower-woman with the Duchess of Suffolk, and requested her old
friend to remember her in the first week in May, when she was to marry
Mr Vivian [a fictitious person], a gentleman of the late King's
household. She also informed her that the young Duke of Suffolk, a boy
of eleven years, had been placed about the person of the young
Sovereign, under the care of the Duke of Somerset. The second letter
was from Crowe. Lady Ashley had arrived, and had tried hard to effect a
truce between the contending parties, she hoped not entirely without
good results. Lady Lisle had been obliged to sell two pieces of land
from the Frithelstoke estate, called Choldysoke and Meryfield; and
Philippa Basset sent Isoult word that it was well Meryfield was sold,
seeing that all mirth had departed from them long ago.

"When shall my mistress your friend be wed, Mrs Avery?" very gravely
inquired Jennifer Trevor, Isoult's bower-woman.

"The first week in May," repeated Isoult, referring to the letter.

"Ay, methought you read so much," responded Jennifer, looking still more
solemn.

"Come, out with your thought, Mrs Trevor," said Tremayne; "for I do see
plainly that you have one."

"Why, Mr Tremayne," replied she, "'tis but that I would not be wed in
May for all the gold in Cornwall."

"But how if your servant [suitor] were a sailor, Mrs Jennifer, and
should set forth the last day of May?" queried Avery.

"Then," she said, "I would either be wed in April, or he should wait
till he came back. But 'tis true, Mrs Avery, a May babe never liveth,
no more t