Whereupon, _Father_ burst out a-laughing, hugged _Mother_, called _Bess_ a silly Puss, and gave _Halliwell_ a Groat for's Payns. Now, while some were laughing, and others taking _Father_ prettie sharplie to Task for soe rough a Crank, I fell a muzing, what could be the Drift of this, and coulde only surmize it mighte be to harden us beforehand, as 'twere, to what was sure to come at last. And the Pre-apprehension of this soe belaboured my alreadie o'erburthened Spiritts, as that I was fayn to betake myself to the Nurserie, and lose all Thought and Reflection in my little _Bess's_ prettie Ways. And, this not answering, was forct to have Recourse to Prayer; then, leaving my Closett, was able to return to the Nurserie, and forget myselfe awhile in the Mirth of the Infants. [Illustration: In cometh a Pursuivant.] Hearing Voyces beneathe the Lattice, I lookt forthe, and behelde his Grace of _Norfolk_ (of late a strange Guest) walking beneath the Window in earnest Converse with _Father_; and, as they turned about, I hearde him say, "By the Mass, Master _More_, 'tis perilous striving with Princes. I could wish you, as a Friend, to incline to the _King's_ Pleasure; for _Indignatio Principis Mors est_." "Is that all?" says _Father_; "why then there will be onlie this Difference between your Grace and me, that I shall die to-daye, and you to-morrow;"--which was the Sum of what I caught. Next Morning, we were breaking our Fast with Peacefullnesse of Heart, on the Principle that sufficient for the Daye is the Evill thereof, and there had beene a wordy War between our two Factions of the _Neri_ and _Bianchi_, _Bess_ having defalked from the Mancheteers on the Ground that black Bread sweetened the Breath and settled the Teeth, to the no small Triumph of the Cob Loaf Party; while _Daisy_, persevering at her Crusts, sayd, "No, I can cleave to the Rye Bread as steddilie as anie among you, but 'tis vayn of _Father_ to maintain that it is as toothsome as a Manchet, or that I eat it to whiten my Teeth, for thereby he robs Self-deniall of its Grace."