170 THE MUSIC OF WILD FLOWERS 



old rectory at Dr oxford. In both places he was happy 

 in the society of congenial friends. At Winchester he 

 was specially fortunate. There was then living in the 

 Close, in a house to the east of the Deanery, now, un- 

 fortunately, pulled down, his relative, Thomas Ken, 

 prebendary of the Cathedral, " the poor little black 

 fellow," as Charles II. called him, the author of our 

 Morning and Evening hymns, who afterwards became 

 Bishop of Bath and Wells. There was good Bishop 

 Morley, an old friend of forty years' standing, then 

 engaged in building Wolvesey Palace, on the other side 

 of the Close walls. There was Seth Ward, a prebendary 

 of the Cathedral, living up Dome Alley, nearly opposite 

 to the residence of Dr Hawkins. And there was Dr 

 Abraham Markland, also Master of St Cross, who took 

 possession of Mr Seth Ward's house in Dome Alley in 

 1681, and who was also Walton's near neighbour at 

 Droxford, holding the adjoining parishes of Soberton 

 and Meonstoke. It is pleasant to think of this com- 

 pany of good men and to be able to associate them with 

 their respective residences in the Close. 



In February, 1678, a son was born to William and 

 Ann Hawkins in the Close at Winchester, and it must 

 have been a happy occasion to Izaak Walton when, on 

 the 24th of the month, his little grandson was baptized 

 in the great Norman Font of Winchester Cathedral. 

 Later on a daughter was born and christened Ann after 

 her mother. We can imagine how the old fisherman of 

 ninety years would delight in taking one of his grand- 

 children for a " gentle walk to the river," when, from 

 the summer-house in Mr Ken's garden, he would point 

 out " the great store of trouts " in " the gliding stream." 

 On gth August 1683 Izaak Walton began to make his 



