and other infirmities. In a
distant and magnificent way, like some of the lesser German potentates,
the mighty Lord of Shrewsbury took toll from the visitors to his baths,
and this contributed to repair the ravages to his fortune caused by the
maintenance of his royal captive.

Arriving just at noontide, the Queen and her escort beheld a motley
crowd dispersed about the sward on the banks of the river, some playing
at ball, others resting on benches or walking up and down in groups,
exercise being recommended as part of the cure. All thronged together
to watch the Earl and his captive ride in with their suite, the
household turning out to meet them, while foremost stood a dapper
little figure with a short black cloak, a stiff round ruff, and a
square barrett cap, with a gold-headed cane in one hand and a paper in
the other.

"Prepare thy patience, Cis," whispered Barbara Mowbray, "now shall we
not be allowed to alight from our palfreys till we have heard his full
welcome to my Lord, and all his plans for this place, how--it is to be
made a sanctuary for the sick during their abode there, for all causes
saving sacrilege, treason, murder, burglary, and highway robbery, with
a license to eat flesh on a Friday, as long as they are drinking the
waters!"

It was as Mistress Mowbray said. Dr. Jones's harangue on the progress
of Buxton and its prospects had always to be endured before any one was
allowed to dismount; but royalty and nobility were inured to listening
with a good grace, and Mary, though wearied and aching, sat patiently
in the hot sunshine, and was ready to declare that Buxton put her in
good humour. In fact the grandees and their immediate attendants
endured with all the grace of good breeding; but the farther from the
scene of action, the less was the patience, and the more restless and
confused the movements of the retinue.

Diccon Talbot, hungry and eager, had let his equally restless pony
convey him, he scarce knew where, from his father's side, when he saw,
making her way among the horses, the very woman with the basket whom he
had encountered at Tideswell in the early morning. How could she have
gone such a distance in the time? thought the boy, and he presently
caught the words addressed to one of the grooms of the Scottish Queen's
suite. "Let me show my poor beads and bracelets." The Scotsman
instantly made way for her, and she advanced to a wizened thin old
Frenchman, Maitre Gorion, the Queen