In Doublet and Hose A Story for Girls   By: Lucy Foster Madison (1865-1932)

A STORY FOR GIRLS

By LUCY FOSTER MADISON

Author of "A Colonial Maid" etc.

Illustrated by CLYDE O. DELAND

The Penn Publishing Company PHILADELPHIA MCMIV

COPYRIGHT 1904 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY

In Doublet and Hose

[Illustration: " METHINKS THE MAID WILL SERVE OUR PURPOSE WELL "]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I A QUESTION OF SKILL 7 II THE SOLDIER GUEST 17 III THE PAGE'S DRESS 27 IV ANTHONY BABINGTON 37 V ON THE ROAD TO STAFFORD 48 VI A GLIMPSE OF MARY 56 VII FRANCIS TO THE FRONT 66 VIII THE DELIVERY OF THE LETTERS 75 IX THE COMING OF ELIZABETH 90 X THE QUEEN TAKES OFFENSE 101 XI AT THE QUEEN'S COMMAND 111 XII THE FAVOR OF PRINCES 121 XIII A FAMILIAR FACE AND A CHALLENGE 137 XIV A STRANGE DUEL 149 XV THE STRANGE WEAKNESS OF FRANCIS STAFFORD 160 XVI WHAT CAME OF AN OFFER OF FRIENDSHIP 171 XVII WHAT FRANCIS OVERHEARD 182 XVIII AN ADVENTURE 192 XIX A SHELTER FROM THE STORM 203 XX FRANCIS FINDS A HELPER 213 XXI AN UNLOOKED FOR RECEPTION 223 XXII AS IT FELL OUT 229 XXIII IN THE TOWER OF LONDON 238 XXIV A FRIEND IN NEED 250 XXV A GREAT SORROW BEFALLS FRANCIS 260 XXVI A FELLOW PRISONER 272 XXVII THE ESCAPE 284 XXVIII THE THREE VOLUNTEERS 297 XXIX A BRITOMARTE OF THE ARMADA 304 XXX PARDON AND HAPPINESS 321

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE "METHINKS THE MAID WILL SERVE OUR PURPOSE WELL!" frontispiece QUEEN MARY'S WIT GRASPED THE SITUATION 77 ELIZABETH EXTENDED HER HAND GRACIOUSLY 107 THE TWO WERE DEEP IN THE MYSTERIES OF FENCING 156 SHE GAVE A FAINT GASP 190 "I WILL NOT TELL, SIR FRANCIS" 248 "PULL, PULL FOR YOUR LIFE!" 318

IN DOUBLET AND HOSE

CHAPTER I

A QUESTION OF SKILL

It was June, and the peaceful stillness of a summer's day hung over an ancient wood which lay in the heart of the New Forest near the village of Lyndhurst. The wood was a part of a large demesne which had at one time been bordered by hedges of yew and holly, but these, having been untrimmed for years, had grown into great bushes which in many places were choked up by underwood and brambles.

The forest stretched in every direction. Wood after wood rose before the eye, masses of color, the birches hung with softest green, the oak boughs breaking into amber and olive made doubly bright by the dark gloom of the firs. Wide branched oaks were intermingled with beeches and copsewood of various descriptions so closely in some places as to intercept the sunshine. In others the trees receded from each other, forming wide vistas that gave glimpses of other recesses of sylvan solitude.