KILWORTHY. 199 



On the morning of the coming feast, Winifred 

 arose at cock-crowing, and with her tire woman 

 Cicely, proceeded to inspect the arrangements for 

 the day. She slowly descended the grand staircase 

 leading to the entrance hall, and viewed again and 

 again the massive board, groaning beneath the 

 weight of shining plate. She proceeded to the 

 kitchen, well garnished with trenchers, where red- 

 faced cook-maids laboured to prepare savoury viands 

 for their lady's table : and some positively affirm, 

 that the Lady Winifred did not disdain to plunge 

 her own dainty fingers in the whitened meal, for the 

 sake of fashioning with curious art, sundry pasties 

 and comfitures, pleasant to the eye as sweet to the 

 taste of those who were destined to regale thereon. 

 Lastly, after worthily bedecking herself in sacque 

 and tucker, she proceeded to the withdrawing room, 

 prepared to pay all due honour to her numerous 

 guests. Surely pride swelled the heart of Dame 

 Winifred, and lurked in her bright eye, as she 

 saluted, with swimming grace, the various groups 

 who crowded to do honour to their hostess. Then 

 began the pastimes of the day. There were cock- 

 fighting and bull-baiting for the gentlemen, and 

 archery or scandal for the ladies, and about noon, a 

 banquet in the hall was announced, which was wel- 

 comed right willingly both by dame and squire. 

 Now to this same feast had been invited Sir Francis 

 Glanville, elder brother of the worthy Sir John (the 

 same who, by his ill conduct, lost the favour of his 

 father, and the fair estates of his family ; for that 

 just parent seeing that his eldest son was prodigal 

 and foolish, committed the care of his property to 

 his second child, who carefully preserved the same 

 until his brother. Sir Francis, had repented him of 

 his misdeeds, which was about the time of which I 

 write). Then when all the guests had place ac- 

 cording to their respective ranks, from the highest 

 to the lowest, the Lady Winifred was impatient to 

 remove the covers, and display to their wondering 



