During the last few Months, _Tomkins_ had been much eased of his Lameness; and the worn Look of Suffering had altogether departed, leaving him a much younger looking Man than before this Relief. One day, to my great Surprise, he told me he was going to be married. I asked him, to whom; and he said, to an old Acquaintance of his he had long lost Sight of, but had fallen in with in St. _Magnus_' Church ... one who would gladly have had him when they were many Years younger, but who was kind enough to care for him and wish to make him happy now. He added, reflectively, when he had told me this, "There are a great many good Women in the World." So he removed his Loom to a tidy Lodging in _Shoreditch_, which Master _Hewet_ furnished for him; and Mistress _Fraunces_ gave him his Wedding Dinner, and _Miles_ and I helped to eat it. The Wife, though middle-aged, had a pleasant Aspect; and I thought _Tomkins_ had done a very good Thing for himself; but his Attick looked very dreary without him. The Marching Watch was revived with great Splendour this Year by the Lord Mayor, Sir _John Gresham_, both on St. _John's_ Eve, and the Eve of St. _Peter_: and the Array was augmented by three Hundred Demi-lances and light Horse, prepared by the City to be sent into _Scotland_ for the Rescue of the Town of _Haddington_. Five Hundred of the Cressets were furnished by the great Companies, the other two Hundred by the Chamber of _London_, and every Cresset had two Men, one to hold, and one to trim it: and every Cresset-bearer had Wages, his Breakfast, a Badge, and a Straw Hat. And, what with Halberdiers, Billmen, etc., there mustered about two Thousand. There were also many City Feasts, some of which Master _Hewet_ and Mistress _Fraunces_ attended very richly dressed. It was some little Time after this, that I, copying a Letter at my Master's Behest, could not hinder myself of hearing the following Address made to him by Mistress _Fraunces_. "_William_, I have been laying up thy black Velvet Suit with Care, this Morning, thinking thou wouldest have no more present Occasion for it.—How well thou becamest it, I thought! And so thought Mistress _Beatrix_. She said she had never seen a Man look so well since thou warest thy white Sarcenet Coat in the great Muster for King _Harry_." "Sarcenet Speeches, Sister," sayth Master _Hewet_. "Nay, I know not what you mean by Sarcenet Speeches," returns she, "I am sure they were sincere enough; and truly I think, Brother, if you pushed your Fortune a little in that Quarter, you might have Success." Finding he uttered no Word, she, after a little waiting, saith, "Dear _Alice_ hath now been long in her Grave, and would, I am certified, wish you to be happy." —"And what is to make me so?" asks he, huskily. "Nay, Brother, a good Wife." "I've had one," quod he, "and one is enough to my Share.—Are you tired of keeping House for me? What would you do, now, if I set a Lady above you at my Table?"