and elastic than the weary, languid one
with which she had come up.

"God bless the maid!" he said half aloud, "and may He `stablish,
strengthen, settle' her! `He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy.'
But we on whom He has had it aforetime, how unbelieving and hopeless we
are apt to be! Verily, the last recruit that I looked to see join
Christ's standard was Nicholas Clere's daughter."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

THE LAST MARTYRDOM.

"Good-morrow, Mistress Clere! Any placards of black velvet have you?"

A placard with us means a large handbill for pasting on walls: in Queen
Mary's time they meant by it a double stomacher,--namely an
ornamentation for the front of a dress, put on separate from it, which
might either be plain silk or velvet, or else worked with beautiful
embroidery, gold twist, sometimes even pearls and precious stones.

Mrs Clere came in all haste and much obsequiousness, for it was no less
a person than the Mayoress of Colchester who thus inquired for a black
velvet placard.

"We have so, Madam, and right good ones belike. Amy, fetch down yonder
box with the bettermost placards."

Amy ran up the little ladder needful to reach the higher shelves, and
brought down the box. It was not often that Mrs Clere was asked for
her superior goods, for she dealt chiefly with those whose purses would
not stretch so far.

"Here, Madam, is a fine one of carnation velvet--and here a black
wrought in gold twist; or what think you of this purple bordered in
pearls?"

"That liketh me the best," said the Mayoress taking up the purple
velvet. "What cost it, Mistress Clere?"

"Twenty-six and eightpence, Madam, at your pleasure."

"'Tis dear."

"Nay, Madam! Pray you look on the quality--velvet of the finest, and
pearls of right good colour. You shall not find a better in any shop in
the town." And Mrs Clere dexterously turned the purple placard to the
light in such a manner that a little spot on one side of it should not
show. "Or if this carnation please you the better--"

"No, I pass not upon that," said the Mayoress; which meant, that she did
not fancy it. "Will you take four-and-twenty shillings, Mistress
Clere?"

It was then considered almost a matter of course that a shopkeeper must
be offered less than he asked; and going from shop to shop to "cheapen"
the articles they wanted was a common amusement of ladies.

Mrs Clere looked doubtful. "Well, truly, Madam, I should gain not a
penny