Constance Sherwood: An Autobiography of the Sixteenth Century

could see herthrough the window as busy in the kitchen amongst her maids as thequeen-bee amidst her subjects. Mistress Ward took occasion to observe,as we watched one of these little commonwealths of nature, that sheadmired how they do live, laboring and swarming, and gathering honeytogether so neat and finely, that they abhor nothing so much asuncleanliness, drinking pure and clear water, even the dew-drops onthe leaves and flowers, and delighting in sweet music, which ifthey hear but once out of tune they fly out of sight.

  "They live," she said, "under a law, and use great reverence to theirelders. Every one hath his office; some trimming the honey, anotherframing hives, another the combs. When they go forth to work, theymark the wind and the clouds, and whatsoever doth threaten their ruin;and having gathered, out of every flower, honey, they return loaded intheir mouths and on their wings, whom they that tarried at homereceive readily, easing their backs of their great burthens with asgreat care as can be thought of."

  "Methinks," I answered, "that if it be as you say, Mistress Ward, thebees be wiser than men."

  At the which she smiled; but withal, sighing, made reply:

  "One might have wished of late years rather to be a bee than such aswe see men sometimes to be. But, Mistress Constance, if they areindeed so wise and so happy, 'tis that they are fixed in a conditionin which they must needs do the will of him who created them; and thelike wisdom and happiness in a far higher state we may ourselvesenjoy, if we do but choose of our free will to live by the same rule."

  Then, after some further discourse on the habits of these littlecitizens, I inquired of Mistress Ward if she were acquainted with mineaunt, Mistress Congleton; at the which question she seemed surprised,and said,

  "Methought, my dear, you had known my condition in your aunt's family,having been governess for many years to her three daughters, and onlyby reason of my sister's sickness having stayed away from them forsome time."

  At the which intelligence I greatly rejoiced; for the few hours we hadrode together, and our discourse that evening, had wrought in me aliking for this lady as great as could arise in so short a period. ButI minded me then of my jests at her fears anent robbers, and also ofhaving been less dutiful in my manners than I should have been towardone who was like to be set over me; and I likewise bethought me thismight be the cause that she had spoken of the bees having a reverencefor their elders, and doubted if I should crave her pardon for my wantof it. But, like many good thoughts which we give not entertainment toby reason that they be irksome, I changed that intent for one whichhad in it more of pleasantness, though less of virtue. Kissing her, Isaid it was the best news I had heard for a long time that I shouldlive in the same house with her, and, as I hoped, under her care andgood government. And she answered, that she was well pleased with ittoo, and would be a good friend to me as long as she lived. Then Iasked her touching my cousins, and of their sundry looks andqualities. She answered, that the eldest, Kate, was very fair, andsaid nothing further concerning her. Polly, she told me, wasmarvellous witty and very pleasant, and could give a quick answer,full of entertaining conceits.

  "And is she, then, not fair?" I asked.

  "Neither fair nor foul," was her reply; "but well favored enough, andhas an excellent head."

  "Then," I cried, letting my words exceed good behavior, "I shall likeher better than the pretty fool her sister." For the which speech Ireceived the first, but not the last, chiding I ever had from MistressWard for foolish talking and pert behavior, which was what I very welldeserved. When she had done speaking, I put my arm round her neck--forit put me in mind of my mother to be so gravely yet so sweetlycorrected--and said, "Forgive me, dear Mistress Ward, for my saucywords, and tell me somewhat I beseech you touching my youngest cousin,who must be nearest to mine own age."

  "She is no pearl to hang at one's ear," quoth she, "yet so gifted witha well-disposed mind that in her grace seems almost to supersedenature. Muriel is deformed in body, and slow in speech; but inbehavior so honest, in prayer so devout, so noble in all her dealings,that I never heard her speak anything that either concerned not goodinstruction or godly mirth."

  "And doth she not care to be ugly?" I asked.

  "So little doth she value beauty," quoth Mistress Ward, "save in theadmiring of it in others, that I have known her to look into a glassand smiling cry out, 'This face were fair if it were turned and everyfeature the opposite to what it is;' and so jest pleasantly at her owndeformities, and would have others do so too. Oh, she is a raretreasure of goodness and piety, and a true comfort to her friends!"

  With suchlike pleasant discourse we whiled away the time until goingto rest; and next day were on horseback betimes on our way toCoventry, where we were to lie that night at the house of Mr. Page, aCatholic, albeit not openly, by reason of the times. This gentleman isfor his hospitality so much haunted, that no news stirs but comes tohis ears, and no gentlefolks pass his door but have a cheerful welcometo his house; and 'tis said no music is so sweet to his ears asdeserved thanks. He vouchsafed much favor to us, and by his merryspeeches procured us much entertainment, provoking me to laughterthereby more than I desired. He took us to see St. Mary's Hall, whichis a building which has not its equal for magnificence in any town Ihave seen, no, not even in London. As we walked through the streets heshowed us a window in which was an inscription, set up in the reign ofKing Richard the Second, which did run thus:

  "I, Luriche, for the love of thee Do make Coventry toll free."

  And further on, the figure of Peeping Tom of Coventry, that falseknave I was so angry with when my father (ah, me! how sharp and suddenwas the pain which went through my heart as I called to mind the hoursI was wont to sit on his knee hearkening to the like tales) told methe story of the Lady Godiva, who won mercy for her townsfolk by aride which none had dared to take but one so holy as herself. And, asI said before, being then in a humor as prone to tears at one momentas laughter at another, I fell to weeping for the noble lady who hadbeen in so sore a strait that she must needs have chosen betweencomplying with her savage lord's conditions or the misery of her poorclients. When Mr. Page noticed my tears, which flowed partly formyself and partly for one who had been long dead, but yet lived in thehearts of these citizens, he sought to cheer me by the recital of thefair and rare pageant which doth take place every year in Coventry,and is of the most admirable beauty, and such as is not witnessed inany other city in the world. He said I should not weep if I were tosee it, which he very much desired I should; and he hoped he might bethen alive, and ride by my side in the procession as my esquire; atthe which I smiled, for the good gentleman had a face and figure suchas would not grace a pageant, and methought I might be ashamed someyears hence to have him for my knight; and I said, "Good Mr. Page, bethe shutters closed on those days as when the Lady Godiva rode?" atthe which he laughed, and answered,

  "No; and that for one Tom who then peeped, there were a thousand eyesto gaze on the show as it passed."

  "Then if it please you, sir, when the time comes," I said, "I wouldlike to look on and not to ride;" and he replied, it should be as Ipleased; and with such merry discourse we spent the time till supperwas ready. And afterward that good gentleman slackened not his effortsin entertaining us; but related so many laughable stories, and took sogreat notice of me, that I was moved to answer him sometimes in amanner too forward for my years. He told us of the queen's visit tothat city, and that the mayor, who had heard her grace's majestyconsidered poets, and herself wrote verses, thought to commend himselfto her favor by such rare rhymes as these, wherewith he did greet herat her entrance into the town:

  "We, the men of Coventry, Be pleased to see your majesty, Good Lord! how fair you be!"

  at the which her highness made but an instant's pause, and thenstraightway replied,

  "It pleaseth well her majesty To see the men of Coventry. Good Lord! what fools you be!"

  "But," quoth Mr. Page, "the good man was so well pleased that theQueen had answered his compliment, that 'tis said he has had he
rmajesty's speech framed, and hung up in his parlor."

  "Pity 'tis not in the town-hall," I cried; and he laughing commendedme for sharpness; but Mistress Ward said:

  "A sharp tongue in a woman's head was always a stinging weapon; but ina queen's she prayed God it might never prove a murtherous one." Whichwords somewhat checked our merriment, for that they savored of rebuketo me for forward speech, and I ween awoke in Mr. Page thoughts of agraver sort.

  When we rode through the town next day, he went with us for the spaceof some miles, and then bade us farewell with singular courtesy, andprofessions of good will and proffered service if we should do him thegood at any time to remember his poor house; which we told him he