came early (their childre were bidden to _Keswick_
unto a childre's gathering): then about three o' the clock, Master and
Mistress _Lewthwaite_, with _Alice, Nym, Jack_, and _Robin_ (and by the
same token, _Nym_ played the despairing gallant that I could not choose
but laugh, his hat awry and his ruff all o' one side, and a bombasted
[padded] doublet that made him look twice his own size). And methought
it a sore pity to miss _Blanche_, that was wont to be merriest of us all
(when as she were in a good humour) and so _Alice_ said unto me, while
the water stood in her eyes. A little while after come Doctor and
Mistress _Meade_, and their _Isabel_: then old Mistress _Rigg_, and her
three tall daughters, Mrs _Martha_, Mrs _Katherine_, and Mrs _Anne_:
then Farmer _Benson_ and his dame, and their _Margaret_ and _Agnes_; and
Master _Coward_, with their _Tom_ and _Susan_; and Master and Mistress
_Armstrong_, with their _Ben_, _Nicholas_, and _Gillian_. Last of all
come Master _Park_ and Master _Murthwaite_, both together, and their
mistresses, with the young folk,--_Hugh_ and _Austin Park_, and
_Dudley_, _Faith_, and _Temperance Murthwaite_. So our four-and-thirty
guests, with ourselves, thirteen, made in all a goodly company of
forty-seven.

First, when all were come in and had doffed their out-door raiment, and
greeting over, we sat us down to supper: where one of the barons of
beef, and plum-porridge, and apple-pies, and chicken-pies, and syllabub,
and all manner of good things: but in very deed I might scarce eat my
supper for laughing at _Nym Lewthwaite_, that was sat right over against
me, and did scarce taste aught, but spent the time in gazing
lack-a-daisically on our _Helen_, and fetching great sighs with his hand
laid of his heart. Supper o'er, we first had snap-dragon, then hot
cockles, then blindman's buff, then hunt the weasel. We pausing to take
breath at after, _Father_ called us to sing; so we gathered all in the
great chamber, and first _Mynheer_ sang a _Dutch_ song, and then Sir
_Robert_ and Mistress _Martin_ a rare part-song, touching the beauties
of spring-time. Then sang Farmer _Benson_, Master _Armstrong_, and
_Ben_ and _Agnes_, "The hunt is up," which was delightsome to hear.
Then Aunt _Joyce_ would sing "Pastime with good company," and would
needs have _Milisent_ and me and _Robin Lewthwaite_ to help her. After
this _Jack Lewthwaite_ and _Nick Armstrong_ made us to laugh well, by
singing "The cr