istened to with many exclamations: Dennet jumped for joy, her
grandmother advised that the angels should be consigned to her own safe
keeping, and when Master Headley heard of Henry's scruples about the
indentures, he declared that it was a rare wise king who knew that an
honest craft was better than court favour.

"Yet mayhap he might do something for thee, friend Ambrose," added the
armourer. "Commend thee to some post in his chapel royal, or put thee
into some college, since such is thy turn. How sayst thou, Master
Randall, shall he send in this same token, and make his petition?"

"If a fool--if a plain man may be heard where the wise hath spoken,"
said Randall, "he had best abstain. Kings love not to be minded of
mishaps, and our Hal's humour is not to be reckoned on! Lay up the toy
in case of need, but an thou claim overmuch he may mind thee in a
fashion not to thy taste."

"Sure our King is of a more generous mould!" exclaimed Mrs Headley.

"He is like other men, good mistress, just as you know how to have him,
and he is scarce like to be willing to be minded of the taste of mire,
or of floundering like a hog in a salt marsh. Ha! ha!" and Quipsome Hal
went off into such a laugh as might have betrayed his identity to any
one more accustomed to the grimaces of his professional character, but
which only infected the others with the same contagious merriment.
"Come thou home now," he said to Ambrose; "my good woman hath been in a
mortal fright about thee, and would have me come out to seek after thee.
Such are the women folk, Master Headley. Let them have but a lad to
look after, and they'll bleat after him like an old ewe that has lost
her lamb."

Ambrose only stayed for Dennet to divide the spoil, and though the
blackberries had all been lost or crushed, the little maiden kept her
promise generously, and filled the bag not only with nuts but with three
red-cheeked apples, and a handful of comfits, for the poor little maid
who never tasted fruit or sweets.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A LONDON HOLIDAY.

"Up then spoke the apprentices tall
Living in London, one and all."
_Old Ballad_.

Another of the many holidays of the Londoners was enjoyed on the
occasion of the installation of Thomas Wolsey as Cardinal of Saint
Cecilia, and Papal Legate.

A whole assembly of prelates and "lusty gallant gentlemen" rode out to
Blackheath to meet the Roman envoy, who, robed in full splendour, with
Saint Peter's