Master Simon told me,
afterwards, that the Queen of May was to have spoken a few verses
which the schoolmaster had written for her; but that she had neither
wit to understand, nor memory to recollect them. "Besides," added he,
"between you and I, she murders the king's English abominably; so she
has acted the part of a wise woman, in holding her tongue, and
trusting to her pretty face."
Among the other characters from the Hall was Mrs. Hannah, my Lady
Lillycraft's gentlewoman; to my surprise, she was escorted by old
Christy, the huntsman, and followed by his ghost of a grayhound; but I
find they are very old acquaintances, being drawn together by some
sympathy of disposition. Mrs. Hannah moved about with starched dignity
among the rustics, who drew back from her with more awe than they did
from her mistress. Her mouth seemed shut as with a clasp; excepting
that I now and then heard the word "fellows!" escape from between her
lips, as she got accidentally jostled in the crowd.
But there was one other heart present that did not enter into the
merriment of the scene, which was that of the simple Phoebe Wilkins,
the housekeeper's niece. The poor girl has continued to pine and whine
for some time past, in consequence of the obstinate coldness of her
lover; never was a little flirtation more severely punished.
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