And as this morning, when he came into the parlour where we sat a-sewing, what should _Father_ set down afore me, in the stead of the sheets of rough paper I looked to see, but this beautiful book, all full of fair blank paper ready to be writ in,--and an whole bundle of pens, with a great inkhorn. _Milly_ fell a-laughing. "Oh dear, dear!" saith she. "Be we three to write up all those? Verily, _Father_, under your good pleasure, but methinks you should pen a good half of this chronicle yourself." "Nay, not so much as one line," saith he, "saving those few I have writ already on the first leaf. Let _Nell_ read them aloud." So I read them, as I set them down here, for without I do copy them, cannot I put in what was said. "_Fees and Charges of the Chronicle of Selwick Hall_.--_Imprimis, to be writ, turn about, by a month at each, by Helen, Milisent, and Editha Louvaine_." _Milly_ was stuffing her kerchief into her mouth to let her from laughing right out. "_Item, the said Helen to begin the said book_. "_Item, for every blot therein made, one penny to the poor_." "Oh, good lack!" from _Milly_. "I care not, so _Father_ give us the pennies," from _Edith_. "I reckon that is what men call a dividing of labour," saith _Father_ in his dry way. "I to pay the pennies, and _Edith_ to make the blots. Nay, my maid: the two must come of one hand." "Then both of yours, _Father_," saith _Milly_, saucily. "_Item, for every unkind sentence touching an other, two pence to the poor_." "Lack-a-daisy!" cries _Milly_; "I shall be ruined!" "Truth for once," quoth Aunt _Joyce_. "I am sorry to hear it, my maid," saith _Father_. "_Item, for every sentence disrespectful to any in lawful authority over the writer thereof, sixpence to the poor_." "_Father_," quoth _Milly_, "by how much mean you to increase mine income while this book is a-writing?" _Father_ smiled, but made no further answer. "_Item, for a gap of so much as one week, without a line herein writ, two pence to the poor_." "That is it which shall work my ruin," saith _Edith_, a-laughing. "Therein art thou convict of laziness," quoth _Father_. "_Item, on the ending of the said book, each of them that hath writ the same shall read over her own part therein from the beginning: and for so many times as she hath gainsaid her own words therein writ, shall forfeit each time one penny to the poor_." "That will bring both _Edith_ and me to beggary," quoth _Milly_, "Only _Nell_ shall come off scot-free. _Father_, have you writ nought that will catch her?" "_Item, the said book shall, when ended, but not aforetime, be open to the reading of Aubrey Louvaine, Lettice Louvaine, Joyce Morrell, and Anstace Banaster_." "And none else? Alack the day!" saith _Milly_. "I said not whom else," quoth _Father_. "Be that as it like you."