hammers at the forges; but the men who stood about were in holiday
attire: and the brothers assumed their best clothes.

Breakfast was not a meal much accounted of. It was reckoned
effeminate to require more than two meals a day, though, just as in
the verdurer's lodge at home, there was a barrel of ale on tap with
drinking horns beside it in the hall, and on a small round table in
the window a loaf of bread, to which city luxury added a cheese, and
a jug containing sack, with some silver cups beside it, and a
pitcher of fair water. Master Headley, with his mother and
daughter, was taking a morsel of these refections, standing, and in
out-door garments, when the brothers appeared at about seven o'clock
in the morning.

"Ha! that's well," quoth he, greeting them. "No slugabeds, I see.
Will ye come with us to hear mass at St. Faith's?" They agreed, and
Master Headley then told them that if they would tarry till the next
day in searching out their uncle, they could have the company of
Tibble Steelman, who had to see one of the captains of the guard
about an alteration of his corslet, and thus would have every
opportunity of facilitating their inquiries for their uncle.

The mass was an ornate one, though not more so than they were
accustomed to at Beaulieu. Ambrose had his book of devotions,
supplied by the good monks who had brought him up, and old Mrs.
Headley carried something of the same kind; but these did not
necessarily follow the ritual, and neither quiet nor attention was
regarded as requisite in "hearing mass." Dennet, unchecked, was
exchanging flowers from her Sunday posy with another little girl,
and with hooded fingers carrying on in all innocence the satirical