Well I wot Master _Cheke_ had the Truth on't. For the Queen's Grace, being now seven an' thirty Year old, had no Time to lose, if she minded to marry at all; and _Reginald Pole_, albeit now in his fifty-fourth Year, was the very handsomest Man of his Time; more by Token _Michael Angiolo_ (the greater Shame to him!) had put in his Face for that of our SAVIOUR in his Scholar's famous Picture of the Raising of _Lazarus_. Howbeit, e'en a Queen, it seemeth, may woo in vain. She sent for _Pole_ with a legatine Power, and moreover writ private Letters unto him and to the _Pope_ with her own Hand. But, albeit the _Pope_ rejoiced in his Heart at the Thought of regaining _England_, _Pole_ gave such manifest Signals of hanging back until the Queen were married, as that her Grace without more Ado entertained Proposals from _Philip_ of _Spain_; she having, thirty Years before, been promised to his Father! This Year, Master _Hewet_ was made _Sheriff_. Well remember I young Mistress _Anne_, tripping down from her Closet in sky-blue Taffeta, and flirting a little Feather-fan as she passed me, crying, "Make Way for the _Sheriff's_ Daughter! Oh, _Ned_, how grand I am!— _'Thereof the Mayor he was full fain, An' eke the Sheriff also_—'" I said, "Sure, Mistress, the _Sheriff_ in that Song came to no Good—I wist not ye had so much Pride." [Illustration: JJ "Make way for the Sheriff's Daughter"] She looked about on me with her sweet, smiling Face, and said, "I've no Pride for myself, _Edward_, but I may have for him!—May I not? may I not?" playfully calling after me as I turned away. I said, "Oh, forsooth, Mistress, ye can do no Wrong." "Is that in jest or earnest?" saith she, growing serious. "Am I proud, _Edward_?" When I saw her wistful Look, and thought within me how much indeed she had to be both proud and vain of, yet was neither, I could carry it no farther, but said, "In sooth, sweet Mistress, you are not." "All's right then," quod she gaily, and hastened to the Window to see the new Sheriff mount his gray Horse, richly caparisoned. Thereafter, _Miles_ and I attended her and Mistress _Fraunces_ to the River Stairs, where the Company were to embark on a Pleasure-party; I thought the Barge had a goodly and lovely Freight!