s Eye,
the Esquire began to think it might divert her mind to more cheerful
thoughts if she quitted for a season that part of the country (for it
was at Home that she had received the dreadful news of her misfortune);
and, Sir Fortunatus Geddings and his family being extremely willing to
receive her, and do her honour, he despatched Arabella to London, under
protection of Mr. Landrail, his steward, a neighbour of his, Sir
Hardress Eustis, lending his Coach for the journey.

Being now come to London, every means which art could devise, or
kindness could imagine, were made use of by Sir Fortunatus, his wife,
and daughter, to make Arabella's life happier. But I should tell you a
strange thing that came about at her father's house the day after she
left it for the Town. Mr. Greenville chanced to go in a certain long
building (by the side of his pleasure-pond) that was used as a
boat-house, when, to his amazement, he sees, piled up against the wall,
a number of pictures, some completed, some but half finished, but all
representing the Lord Protector Cromwell. But the strangest thing about
them was, that in every picture the canvas about the head was pricked
through and through in scores of places with very fine clean holes, and,
looking around in his marvel, he found an arbalist or cross-bow, with
some very sharp bolts, and was so led to conjecture that some one had
been setting these heads of the Protector up as a target, and shooting
bolts at them. He was at first minded to send an express after his
daughter to London to question her if she knew aught of the matter; but
on second thoughts he desisted, remembering that in the Message, almost,
(as the times stood) there was Treason, and concluding that, after all,
it might be but some idle fancy of Arabella, and part of the Demi-Craze
under which she laboured. For there could be no manner of doubt that
the Pictures, if not the Holes in them, were of her handiwork.

Meanwhile Arabella was being entertained in the stateliest manner by Sir
Fortunatus Geddings, who stood in great favour with the government, and
had, during the troubles, assisted the Houses with large sums of money.
There were then not many sports or amusements wherewith a sorrowing
maiden could be diverted; for the temper of England's Rulers was against
vain pastimes and junketings. The Maypoles had been pulled down; the
players whipped and banished; the bear and bull baitings, and even the
mere harmless minstr