Lack-a-daisy, but how easy is it to fall of a rut in thy journeying! Here was I but to write my thoughts touching these maids' writings, and after reading the same, I am fallen of their rut, and am going on to keep the Chronicle as though I were one of them. Of a truth, there is somewhat captivating therein: and _Edith_ saith she shall continue, for her own diversion, to keep a privy Chronicle. So be it. Methinks, as matter of understanding and natural turn thereto, she is fittest of the three. _Nell_ saith she found it no easy matter, and should never think so to do: while _Milisent_, as I guess, shall for a while to come be something too much busied living her chronicle, to write it. For me, I did once essay to do the same; but it went not, as I mind, beyond a week or so. Either there were so much to do there was no time to write it; or so little that there was nought to write. I well-nigh would now that I had kept it up. For sure such changes in public matters as have fallen in my life shall the world not see many times o'er again. When I was born, in Mdxxv [1525], was King _Harry_ the Eight young and well-liked of all men, and no living soul so much as dreamed of all the troubles thereafter to ensue. Then came the tumult that fell of the matter of the King's divorce. (All 'long of a man's obstinateness, for was not my sometime Lord Cardinal [Wolsey] wont to say that rather than miss the one half of his will, he would endanger the one half of his kingdom? Right the man is that. A woman should know how to bend herself to circumstances.) Then came the troubles o'er Queen _Anne_, that had her head cut off (and by my troth, I misdoubted alway if she did deserve the same); and then of the divorce of the Lady _Anne_ of _Cleve_ (that no _Gospeller_ did ever think to deserve the same); and then of Queen _Katherine_, whose head was cut off belike--eh me, what troublous times were then! Verily, looking back, they seem worser than at the time they did. For when things be, there be mixed with all the troubles little matters that be easy and even delightsome: but to look back, one doth forget all them, and think only of the great affairs. And all the time, along with this, kept pace that great ado of religion which fell out in the purifying of the Church men call the Reformation. (Though, of a truth, the _Papists_ have of late took up a cry that afore the Reformation the Church of _England_ was not, and did only then spring into being. As good say I was not _Joyce Morrell_ this morrow until I washed my face.) Then, when King _Harry_ died--and it was none too soon for this poor realm--came the goodly days of our young _Josiah_ King _Edward_, which were the true reforming of the Church; that which went afore were rather playing at reform. Men's passions were too much mixed up with it. But after the blue sky returned the tempest. Ay me, those five years of Queen _Mary_, what they be to look back on!