lone it would be no small joy to her, and of great service to our good
host's little daughter, if Oil-of-Gladness could take my place at home
for a year or two."

"None will do that, Cis; but there is much that would be well in the
notion, and I will consider of it. She is a maid of good conditions,
and the mother is lonesome."

His consideration resulted in his making the proposal, much startling,
though greatly gratifying. Master Heatherthwayte, who thanked him,
talked of his honour for that discreet and godly woman Mistress Susan,
and said he must ponder and pray upon it, and would reply when Mr.
Talbot returned from his voyage.

At the wharf lay the Mastiff's boat in charge of Gervas and Gillingham.
All three stepped into it together, the most silent bride and
bridegroom perhaps that the Humber had ever seen. Only each of the
three wrung the hand of the good clergyman. At that moment all the
bells in Hull broke forth with a joyous peal, which by the association
made the bride look up with a smile. Her husband forced one in return;
but his father's eyes, which she could not see, filled with tears. He
knew it was in exultation at her mother's death, and they hurried into
the boat lest she should catch the purport of the shouts that were
beginning to arise as the townsfolk awoke to the knowledge that their
enemy was dead.

The fires of Smithfield were in the remembrance of this generation. The
cities of Flanders were writhing under the Spanish yoke; "the richest
spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain," were already mustering
to reduce England to the condition of Antwerp or Haarlem; and only
Elizabeth's life had seemed to lie between them and her who was bound
by her religion to bring all this upon the peaceful land. No wonder
those who knew not the tissue of cruel deceits and treacheries that had
worked the final ruin of the captive, and believed her guilty of
fearful crimes, should have burst forth in a wild tumult of joy, such
as saddened even the Protestant soul of Mr. Heatherthwayte, as he
turned homewards after giving his blessing to the mournful young girl,
whom the boat was bearing over the muddy waters of the Hull.

They soon had her on board, but the preparations were hardly yet
complete, nor could the vessel make her way down the river until the
evening tide. It was a bright clear day, and a seat on deck was
arranged for the lady, where she sat with Humfrey beside her, holding
her cloak r