imself of having
forgotten up in Oxfordshire, among the King's men. I called down that he
had made amends enough for his sin by his work among the sick, but he
said he would not believe so till the plague was lifted from 'em. He was
at his strength's end--more from melancholy than any just cause. I have
seen this before among priests and over-cheerful men. I drenched him
then and there with a half cup of waters, which I do not say cure the
plague, but are excellent against heaviness of the spirits.'

'What were they?' said Dan.

'White brandy rectified, camphor, cardamoms, ginger, two sorts of
pepper, and aniseed.'

'Whew!' said Puck. 'Waters you call 'em!'

'Jack coughed on it valiantly, and went down hill with me. I was for the
Lower Mill in the valley, to note the aspect of the Heavens. My mind had
already shadowed forth the reason, if not the remedy, for our troubles,
but I would not impart it to the vulgar till I was satisfied. That
practice may be perfect, judgment ought to be sound, and to make
judgment sound is required an exquisite knowledge. Ahem! I left Jack and
his lantern among the sick in Hitheram's field. He still maintained the
prayers of the so-called Church, which were rightly forbidden by
Cromwell.'

'You should have told your cousin at Wigsell,' said Puck, 'and Jack
would have been fined for it, and you'd have had half the money. How did
you come so to fail in your duty, Nick?'

Mr. Culpeper laughed--his only laugh that evening--and the children
jumped at the loud neigh of it.

'We were not fearful of _men's_ judgment in those days,' he answered.
'Now mark me closely, good people, for what follows will be to you,
though not to me, remarkable. When I reached the empty Mill, old Saturn,
low down in the House of the Fishes, threatened the Sun's rising-place.
Our Lady the Moon was moving towards the help of him (understand, I
speak astrologically). I looked abroad upon the high Heavens, and I
prayed the Maker of 'em for guidance. Now Mars sparklingly withdrew
himself below the sky. On the instant of his departure, which I noted, a
bright star or vapour leaped forth above his head (as though he had
heaved up his sword), and broke all about in fire. The cocks crowed
midnight through the valley, and I sat me down by the mill-wheel,
chewing spearmint (though that's a herb of Venus), and calling myself
all the asses' heads in the world! 'Twas plain enough _now_!'

'What was plain?' said Una.

'The