ram came in when thou wert a babe, Temperance; and I have
heard my mother say that cabbages were brought hither from Flanders the
year my sister Edith was born. She was five years elder than I, and
died in the cradle."

"Well!" concluded Temperance, "then I'll hold my peace and munch my
acorns. But I reckon I may have a little salt to them."

"Ay, that mayest thou, and honey too."

The next day, the Golden Fish swam in at the door; and it came in the
form of Mistress Rookwood and her daughter Gertrude, who seemed
pleasanter people than Mrs Abbott. A few days afterwards came the
Rector, Mr Marshall, with his wife and daughter; and though--or perhaps
because--Agnes Marshall was very quiet, they liked her best of any woman
they had yet seen. Before they had stayed long, the Rector asked if
Lady Louvaine had made acquaintance with any of her neighbours. She
answered, only with two houses, the one on either side.

Mr Marshall smiled. "Well, Mistress Abbott means no ill, methinks,
though her tongue goeth too fast to say she doth none. Yet is her talk
the worst thing about her. Tell her no secrets, I pray you. But I
would warn you somewhat to have a care of the Rookwoods."

"Pray you, Sir, after what fashion?" asked Lady Louvaine. "If I know
from what quarter the arrow is like to come, it shall be easier to hold
up the shield against it."

"Well," said he, "they come to church, and communicate, and pay all
their dues; they may be honest folks: but this can I tell you, Mr
Rookwood is brother to a Papist, and is hand in glove with divers Popish
perverts. Wherefore, my Lady Louvaine, I would not have you suffer your
young folks to be too intimate with theire; for though these Rookwoods
may be safe and true--I trust they are--yet have they near kinsmen which
assuredly are not, who should very like be met at their house. So let
me advise you to have a care."

"That will I, most surely," said she: "and I thank you, Sir, for putting
me on my guard."

In May the King arrived from Scotland, and in June the Queen, with the
Prince, Prince Charles, and the Lady Elizabeth. "Princess" at this time
indicated the Princess of Wales alone, and the first of our King's
daughters to whom the term was applied, except as heiress of England,
were the daughters of Charles the First. Henry Prince of Wales was a
boy of nine years old, his sister a child of seven, and the little
Charles only three. The youthful Princess was placed