Yes: those were happy Days! All the fairer they seem now, for the dark ones that were coming. The only Sorrow among us that I remember was when the Pestilence brake out, in the fifth Year of our young King, which at first only prevailed in the North, but at length reached _London_, where it raged with prodigious Fury, carrying off eight Hundred Souls the first Week, and mostly after a Sickness of only twelve or twenty-four Hours. We had it not on the Bridge, which was attributed to the free Access of fresh Air to our Dwellings; howbeit, Mistress _Anne_ (like a ministering Angel as she was,—such a Child, too! only in her twelfth Year!) must needs go about, relieving poor Wretches in their Dwellings; whereby she caught a low Fever that brought her to Death's Door, and filled the House with Tears. If my Master, a Man in Years, forbare not to weep, Reason was, a Lad such as I should weep too. Howbeit, through the Grace of God, she recovered: but for a long Time she was too enfeebled to walk, wherefore Master _Hewet_ took her much on the Water during the long Summer Evenings, after we had been nigh stifled by the Day's sultry Heat. For the eastern Side of the House was close; and the western, though open, yet was much exposed to the Glare of the Sun on the River. We shut it out with Blinds and Lattices all we could; but still, the Crown of the Day was after Sundown on the Water. Master _Hewet_ liked his 'Prentices to pull; and sometimes we fell into the Wake of some Court Barge with Horns and Sackbuts, and lay on our Oars; Mistress _Anne_ full silent, resting her Head, for Weakness, against my Master's Shoulder, and with the Tears sometimes stealing down from her large, bright Eyes. My Master carried her down to the Boat, but 'twas my Portion, for I will not say Burthen, to carry her up. How light she was! She did not much like it, and managed presently to ascend slowly, with the help of my Master's Arm; but I remember the Goodness and Sweetness with which, with a sweet Blush on her Face, she sayth, "Do you remember the first Time? But for thee, I had not been here now." As she strengthened, we kept out longer, and went up to _Chelsea_ and _Fulham_, and rambled about the pleasant Fields; eating Curds and Cream at Milkhouses, and returning by Moonlight; _Miles_ and I singing, "Row the Boat, _Norman_." [Illustration: JJ "Eating Curds & Cream"]