The Hot Gospeller's age was thirty-seven; of his personal appearance we have no trustworthy account. It may safely be asserted that his feelings were strong, his affections warm, his partisanship fervent, and his organ of humour decidedly developed. I picture him lithe and quick, with ready tongue and brilliant eyes; but perhaps I am as much mistaken as Isoult was concerning Alice Wikes. If the mania "_de faire son portrait_" which was so much the fashion in France in the reign of Louis the Fourteenth had pervaded England in the sixteenth century, we might have obtained much curious information which is now lost to us. When all the members of our little group were gathered round the dinner-table,--which was not until eleven a.m., for the Averys dined unusually late that day--Dr Thorpe laid the subject which had been discussed before Mr Underhill, and requested his opinion on the matter. Could he find a man for the time? Isoult shook her head dubiously. "With whom take you part?" said Dr Thorpe. "With both of you," answered Mr Underhill. "I lean to Mistress Avery's thought that there is no man for the time; but I do partly share your opinion, in that methinks there may be a woman." "A woman, Mr Underhill?" cried Isoult, in amazement. "What woman?" said Dr Thorpe. "My Lady Duchess of Suffolk, I ween. Nay, Master; she is good enough as may be, but her money-bags are a sight scantier than when my Lord Duke was in life." "My Lady of Suffolk! not she, forsooth," replied he. "Nay, good Doctor; mine hopes are anchored (under God) on none other than the King's `sweet sister Temperance'--my young Lady Elizabeth's Grace." "The Lady Elizabeth!" repeated Dr Thorpe, in a voice which intimated his meaning. "A child at her book and needle, Master Underhill!" "She will not alway be so," answered he. "Nor shall she be such long." "And afore her standeth another," continued the doctor. "Afore her standeth another," repeated Mr Underhill. "Nor shall any man alive ever see me to do evil that good may come. But I scantly signified all you would make me to say. I did but point to my Lady Elizabeth's power with the King, not to her being one to stand in her own power, which God long defend!" Dr Thorpe shook his head in turn, but did not further explain himself. "You have friends at Court," said John to Mr Underhill. "Which of these ladies is commonly thought to stand best with the King her brother?" "The Lady Elizabeth, by many a mile," answered he. "And to go by what I hear from her tutor Mr Ascham, a fair and ready wit enough she hath. The Lady Frances [Note 1] her daughters, likewise, be great with the King, and are young damsels of right sweet nature and good learning, so far as their young age may show the same." "What say men of the King's wedding?" quoth Dr Thorpe. "Is it yet the Queen of Scots?"