"I see plainly that Truth is hidden in a well," said Goring, drily.
Sir John Finett, courtier and dissembler as he was, could scarcely hide
the truth of this sally. But he quickly recovered his self-possession
ere the king's eye could detect a change. Yet did he not escape the
vigilance of his two friends, who suspected the real cause of his
absence on the preceding night.
"Thou shalt be her true knight to-morrow, and she shall be queen of our
sports," said the king, graciously extending his hand to the blushing
maiden.
But this speech pleased not some of the courtiers, and Buckingham,
having his eye on this fair flower, secretly resolved that Sir John
should not enjoy its fragrance unmolested.
On the following morning, being Sunday, there came a great company of
peasants and handicraftsmen--notorious idlers about the parish--with a
petition, wherein it was shown that the loyal and peaceable inhabitants
of Lancashire had been long hindered of their usual diversions on
Sundays and other holidays by the rigour of Puritans, Precisians, and
such like folk,[32] who, being enemies to all innocent and lawful mirth,
did mightily begrudge and maliciously restrain their use.
Pages:
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551