THE BATH ROAD 



67 



armed with which instrument and attired in the costume 

 of a druid bard (lent by the local costumier of the day), 

 he, at the head of his parishioners, disguised for their 

 part as shepherds, assaulted the ears of Queen Anne of 

 Denmark at the Wansdyke, in April, 161 3, with a four- 

 part song of his own composing. Let me hope that it 

 was not as windy an April day on those downs as I have 



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Wraxhall Manor. 



known it, or our reverend druid must have cursed his 

 ancestors' airy taste in costume ; and our royal Solomon 

 himself, who on this occasion accompanied his queen, 

 would have found a pipe of that tobacco, which he had 

 lately counter-blasted, greatly beneficial to his health. I 

 make no doubt that Oueen Anne herself caught a cold 

 in the head, but she was gracious enough notwithstand- 



F 2 



