I may as well tell thee now, _Hew_, by way of Relief to heavier Matters, the ludicrous Form that _Miles's_ Protestantism took. He was never one of the most serious; and when Master _Hewet_, at the preceding Easter, had, on Compulsion as Alderman of the Ward, given formal Notice to every Householder, with their Families, to prepare to confess and receive the Sacrament, _Miles_ sayth with a knavish Look at me, "I must do Somewhat first, to confess about." Presently after that I heard him coaxing Mistress _Fraunces's_ white Cat with, "Pussy, Pussy, Pussy! come to Preferment, Pussy!" But Puss, as if she smelt Mischief in the Wind, flew up the Chimney. Then quod he, "Thou'rt too good for the Purpose, after all. I must go pay my Duty to the Sub-prioress that lives all alone with her Cats." Quod I, "What Mischief are you about now?" Saith he, "If you ask no unpleasant Questions, you'll hear no unpleasant Answers. What if I want to get up a little Masque of Puss in Boots?" Next Day, at dawning, there was seen in _Chepe_, on the Gallows that had been set up for the _Kentish_ Rioters, a Cat suspended, apparelled like a Priest ready to say Mass, with a shaven Crown, and her two forefeet tied over her Head, with a round Paper like a Wafer-cake put between them, as though in the Act of raising the Host. Fits of boisterous Laughter rang through _Chepe_: howbeit, the Queen and Bishops were in great Dudgeon; and a Proclamation was made, that same Afternoon, that whosoever should bring forth the guilty Party should have twenty Nobles, which was afterwards increased to twenty Marks: but I need not say that nobody ever claimed it. I think I might have put the Money in my Pocket if I would. Howbeit, neither _Miles_ nor I felt ourselves called upon to confess to the Priest; in special as Master _Hewet_ never enforced it on any, after the first formal Notice: and I wot, he went not himself. Indeed, it was marvellous, he said in after Years, that considering how open he laid himself to Animadversion on these Matters, no Enemy took Advantage of him; howbeit, I doubt if he had one; there were many to make common Cause with him, and he was much loved throughout the Ward.