CHAPTER XVI.

THE INVENTION.

FEW more seasons, and Whitgift at
Elizabeth's right hand urged the
fulfilment of the Act of Uniformity.
Hundreds of good men were ejected

from their pulpits, and their parishes left destitute, while they 'travelled up and down the country preaching where they could get leave,' holding forth in streets, fields, and woods, and 'in the privacy of the houses and other buildings of their disciples.' The preachers and the hearers were alike liable to fine and imprisonment, and if they appealed to the press to redress their wrongs, 'the printer and publisher forfeited all the copies of the ' defences' and 'apologies,' were imprisoned three months, and could never print afterwards. The very sellers, binders, and stitchers were fined twenty shillings for every book, and no place or person safe from search.'

Thus William Lee and Cicely were exposed to a stronger blast of adversity, and as, notwith

standing their previous deceit, they did not think of dissembling and compromising their faith, perhaps it is safe to say that had their backs not been already at the wall, this hurricane alone was sufficient to prostrate them.

Master Lee and Cicely kept house and company at their pinched fireside one bleak night in March—that early spring promising and enlivening to the rich, but hardest of all on the wasted sinews of the poor. Years had brought no change but for the worse to their beggared fortunes, save that there lay in the cradle a dark-haired nursling, and an urchin sturdy and mischievous stood at Cicely's knee. Wasting illness was on the poor student, whose heart was slowly breaking in the perpetual battle with his early bent and breeding, and the long sickness of hope deferred. The dame-school was dispersed with Master Lee's batch of scholars, the little maid had found another place, and it is a well-accredited fact that Cicely maintained her entire household-her husband, herself, and her children, by the exercise of that knitting, spreading amain, which she had learned to practise as a curious art in her free maiden days at Barne-elms.

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Somewhat sharp and meagre were the old rounded lines of the well-knit figure, the comely face was worn and hollow in its prime, but the symmetry of mould' remained, and still the boddice was busked trimly, the linen apron and coif were fresh and spotless, the brown eyes bright as stars, the full

mouth soft and peaceful, and Cicely cockered her ailing goodman, and rocked her children to the tune of 'Green Sleeves,' and that 'Whistle' of those melodious Carmen' who, like the lilting, tripping milkmaids, seem to have belonged by right to this musical age. Up early and down late, toiled, and moiled, and scrimped, Cicely kept her promise, and came out of tribulation glorified, not marred.

Opposite her, wistfully watching her long fingers growing lean in their constant aching employ, a haggard, unshaven man sat drooping into decay. Zealously Cicely guarded, and tenderly soothed him. Cheerily, Will,' she would say, 'thou'lt soon be well; thou must try the rasher for supper, or shall it be the mackerel? I have a full cupboard to-night, and no wonder, for thou didst eat nothing at dinner. Doth thy head ache, my poor man? Now, wilt thou take the bolus from the barber, since he would not bleed thee again?' and Cicely declared that it was taking breath and resting herself to bathe the hot, troubled brow. Suddenly Master Lee caught the hand that was tending him, and kissed it, but Cicely knew right well what was not good for him in his weak state, and pulled it away, and slapped him across the mouth, protesting merrily that he was making game of his old wife, yet she could not resist adding sorrowfully: 'Hast forgotten, William, lad, it held a thorn the first time it was pressed in thine ?" 'And it plucked out the prickle long agone, and I have given it back with interest-an unmanly re

prisal-shall I ever be able to undo it?' sighed Lee, and Cicely frowned at herself for being so stupid and careless as to awaken the distempered fancies ever lodging in that brain.

'Poor Diccon is nodding on his stool, but I must turn my heel ere I tuck him in.'

'Lay him on my knees, Cicely,' importuned Lee; 'I am fit to bear his weight.'

Cicely would have demurred, but she was conscious that if she denied the request, the inward pain would far exceed the bodily weariness. 'He is a great boy for his years,' Cicely said, turning away her head, that she might not be struck by the contrast between the chubby, well-favoured child, thriving on his bit of oaten bread and his milk-andwater, or on his handful of filberts sometimes, when the bin was very bare, as on beef and dumpling, and his sick father. 'Diccon tries the criss-cross rows already, and laughs where other boys cry over their letters; he'll be a scholar anon.'

Nay!' put in Lee, hastily, rear him to what thou wilt, Cicely. Make him a modest workman, or a brattling man-at-arms, but no scholar; thou hast seen enough of it in his father.'

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Fie, Will!' protested Cicely, warmly; 'dost forget whom we are come of? A workman or a manat-arms, indeed! I wont keep these shifts for little Will. Besides what thou wilt come to thyself one day, when thou art strong again and fit to astonish the world with a paper on the strange star we saw

last year which affrighted the people-thou laughing at their folly, and telling them there had been such since the world began; or thy version of those grand songs, orations, and histories thou hast put into English of a winter night for my benefit. I vow they are worth a score of mummings and high dances. Thou art the Lord's servant, Will; He uses all kinds-He will call thee presently.'

Lee shook his head in settled despondency, and made no other rejoinder.

Cicely chatted on, heartening him in her way. 'I have a heap of work upon my hands, and well paid; I vow I'll grow rich on my hose. Thou❜lt be getting thy hands on an old pot full of angels one of these days, or rather tradesmen's tokens, for I'm mostly paid with the coin in hand. They say the Queen's Grace and her Government are opposed to these issues; but they be mighty convenient for poor bodies who cannot change silver. To think that the Mistress Dorsets should have come by such a lot, only payable in Nottingham; and glad they were to send them to me as over and above payment of the six pair stocks-half Flanders thread half lamb's-wool-ordered at a bout, and so get them off their hands. Well, Will, it was kind of the Mistress Dorsets to arrange to be supplied with their knitting so far from home. I take shame to myself that I ever dubbed them furies and scolds, when they have proved my very good friends. Ah, Will! they whispered such a terrible story of Mistress Maud's