The Roman Power I defy.
At my Palmyra, in the East,
I rule o'er every man and beast"


Here was an allusion couched in the Roman power, which Master Antony
had missed, or he would hardly have uttered it, since he was of a
Roman Catholic family, though, while in the Earl's household, he had
to conform outwardly.

A slender, scholarly lad, with a pretty, innocent face, and a voice
that could "speak small, like a woman," came in and announced himself
thus--


"I'm Thisbe, an Assyrian maid,
My robe's with jewels overlaid."


The stiff colloquy between the two boys, encumbered with their
dresses, shy and awkward, and rehearsing their lines like a task, was
no small contrast to the merry impromptu under the oak, and the gay,
free grace of the children.

Poor Philidaspes acquitted himself worst of all, for when done up in
a glittering suit of sham armour, with a sword and dagger of lath,
his entire speech, though well conned, deserted him, and he stood
red-faced, hesitating, and ready to cry, when suddenly from the midst
of the spectators there issued a childish voice, "Go on, Humfrey!