"And you trulie believe there was a Signe in the Heavens?" we inquired of _Erasmus_. "What know I?" returned he smiling; "you know, _Constantine_ saw a Cross. Why shoulde _Polus_ not see a Dragon? We must judge by the Event. Perhaps its Mission may be to fly away with _him_. He swore to the curly Tail." How difficulte it is to discerne the supernatural from the incredible! We laughe at _Gillian's_ Faith in our Latin; _Erasmus_ laughs at _Polus_ his Dragon. Have we a righte to believe noughte but what we can see or prove? Nay, that will never doe. _Father_ says a Capacitie for reasoning increaseth a Capacitie for believing. He believes there is such a Thing as Witchcraft, though not that poore olde _Gammer Gurney_ is a Witch; he believes that Saints can work Miracles, though not in alle the Marvels reported of the _Canterbury_ Shrine. Had I beene Justice of the Peace, like the King's Grandmother, I would have beene very jealous of Accusations of Witchcraft; and have taken infinite Payns to sift out the Causes of Malice, Jealousie, &c., which mighte have wroughte with the poore olde Women's Enemies. _Holie Writ_ sayth, "Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live;" but, questionlesse, manie have suffered Hurte that were noe Witches; and for my Part, I have alwaies helde ducking to be a very uncertayn as well as very cruel Teste. [Illustration: Margaret in the Tree.] I cannot helpe smiling, whenever I think of my Rencounter with _William_ this Morning. Mr. _Gunnell_ had set me _Homer's_ tiresome List of Ships; and, because of the excessive Heate within Doors, I took my Book into the Nuttery, to be beyonde the Wrath of far-darting _Phoebus Apollo_, where I clomb into my favourite Filbert Seat. Anon comes _William_ through the Trees without seeing me; and seats him at the Foot of my Filbert; then, out with his Tablets, and, in a Posture I should have called studdied, had he known anie one within Sighte, falls a poetizing, I question not. Having noe Mind to be interrupted, I lett him be, thinking he would soone exhaust the Vein; but a Caterpillar dropping from the Leaves on to my Page, I was fayn, for Mirthe sake, to shake it down on his Tablets. As ill Luck would have it, however, the little Reptile onlie fell among his Curls; which soe took me at Vantage that I coulde not helpe hastilie crying, "I beg your Pardon." 'Twas worth a World to see his Start! "Why!" cries he, looking up, "are there indeede _Hamadryads_?" and would have gallanted a little, but I bade him hold down his Head, while that with a Twig I switched off the Caterpillar. Neither coulde forbeare laughing; and then he sued me to step downe, but I was minded to abide where I was. Howbeit, after a Minute's Pause, he sayd, in a grave, kind Tone, "Come, little Wife;" and taking mine Arm steadilie in his Hand, I lost my Balance and was faine to come down whether or noe. We walked for some Time _juxta Fluvium_; and he talked not badlie of his Travels, insomuch as I founde