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Nay, it be a graver matter, I do assure you,” said my Lord Wiseacre, with a monstrous serious countenance. "Jest not at Death, else he may make your wit come to a sorry ending. You must know that a lady of no indifferent comeliness"

By this sword!" cried Master Aniseed, interrupting of the other, "she be of such wonderful blessed condition that the enamoured air feedeth on the delicacy of her most absolute beauty, as”

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By Charon, she be the very sort of creature for any of us youth to love!" exclaimed Sir Narcissus. "And she hath given me such abundance of her favour as to tell me she could not abide men in general, but that a young fellow of my years was more entertaining to her than many others of riper age."

"And of me she hath said that the very look of my face maketh her smile," observed my lord. "And it must be known unto you that women only smile upon those they most affect. They that be pleased shall have reason for smiling."

“Smile!” cried Master Aniseed, in a seeming ecstacy, "never did the cerulean heavens in sapphire beauteousness shine out on this terraqueous globe, as did this paragon of prodigal attractions smile on me, while to her ever attentive ear I poured out the infinite eloquence of my unfathomable affection. Nay, I would take upon me to swear, by the very everlastingness of my fantasy

that she hath as great regard for the many inconceivable fine qualities I have made manifest to her, as you shall find in a rat for a piece of rusty bacon that has been a little roasted at the fire."

“Well, I dispute not what hath been said," observed the old knight, "but by Cerberus and all his heads! if she loved not me as any pretty woman might regard one so young and active as am I, then know I not what loving be. However, up comes this pestilent varlet, Master Francis".

"Master Francis!" exclaimed Master Shakspeare, in some surprise.

"A paltry secretary," added the retired ratcatcher, with a look of monstrous contempt.

.

"A mere boy," said my Lord Wiseacre, disdainfu although he was not many years his senior. "gloomy Styx !" cried Sir Narcissus, "If he be a boy then am I one likewise, for methinks we are much of an age: but whether or no, he hath had the abominable effrontery to thrust himself into the notice of Mistress Alice

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Speak you of Mistress Alice Throckmorton, my masters?" enquired Master Shakspeare, who now began to have some insight into the matter.

"You have her name of a surety," replied my Lord Wiseacre, very gravely. "A good memory misnameth nothing."

"Ah, 'tis the delectable she herself," added Master Aniseed, with a great earnestness. "The

incomparable dainty sweet creature, who hath such superlative excellences of condition that".

"And so we being filled with indignation at his monstrous impudency," said Sir Narcissus, assuming a very fierce aspect, "have resolved to punish him as the fellow deserveth of us, and would desire of you, from us three, to challenge him to a combat of life or death, if that he do not instantly give up all claim to her hand, and take himself straight away from her society: and, by the god of war! you may tell him from me, he had best provide him a coffin, for I will leave him not while there be any life in his pestilent body."

“I will slay him outright," cried my Lord Wise

acre.

“A dead lover giveth no cause for jealousy." "He shall die before me like unto a rat after a dose of nux vomica," exclaimed Master Aniseed.

"But it seemeth to me you know nothing of this person," observed Master Shakspeare, very seriously. "You surely can have no knowledge of his true character, else would you as soon fight with the devil as fight with him. For all that he look so quiet, there liveth not so deadly a swordsman in the queen's dominions. He is so cunning any hurt. Indeed

of fence that no man can do him

I can say of mine own knowledge, that a great fellow of a Frenchman, who had boasted of his skill at the weapon, he challenged, and after a few passes he left him dead at his feet. In private

quarrel I have heard that he hath killed at least a score. Nay, I know of a surety, he be so bloody minded that he maketh it a rule to kill all who oppose him."

At the hearing of this alarming intelligence the three did look infinitely uneasy, and there was a dead silence for the space of some seconds, each one looking at the face of the other as if he expected of him to speak; and Master Shakspeare gazing upon all, as if watching the effect of what he had said.

"He be nothing better than a paltry secretary!" cried Master Aniseed, at last, with a wonderful disdain, "therefore is he no fit opponent for a gentleman." And then the rat-catcher's son marched himself off very haughtily.

"I will have nought to do with such boys," observed my Lord Wiseacre, in seeming great contempt. "He that would be wise consorteth only with they that have wisdom." And away went he after a like fashion as his companion.

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By Medusa and all her horrid snakes, he be a murderous villain, and I will have none of him," exclaimed Sir Narcissus Wrinkles, in a sort of terrible indignation, and off he started.

When Master Shakspeare had sufficiently laughed at the success of his experiment, he went in search of Master Francis, whom, after some trouble, he found in an adjoining room, dancing of a gullard

with the merry Alice, so gracefully, and with such spirit, that it was the admiration of the whole company. Upon the conclusion of it, his partner hurried away, as she said, to make Dr. Bashful dance with her a coranto, because she knew he could not dance at all. Master Shakspeare found no difficulty in drawing of his young friend out of the crowd, through the glass door, into the open air, where, as they walked together, he told him of what Mistress Alice's lovers had said of him, and how he had made them so marvellous fearful that they would as soon take a mad bull by the horns as meddle with him. Whereat the young secretary could not help smiling; for his companion took off their several humours so capitally.

"I congratulate you that you are on such excellent terms with Mistress Alice," said Master Shakspeare.

"Indeed, 'tis very good of her she should take such notice of me,” replied Master Francis; "but she does it at present merely to vex these fellows who are after her, knowing that she hath a fortune."

"Methinks you have had a lucky escape with that Joanna," observed the other; and at the mention of her name, the youth's cheek became of a sudden paleness. "I must say I had a better opinion of her, for she did appear to me, although acting with great imprudence, considering of her