“Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
      Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
      Did not go forth of us, ’twere all alike
      As if we had them not.  Spirits are not finely touch’d
      But to fine issues.” [32]

[Footnote 32:  Measure for Measure, I. i.]

Can he linger?  Away with blank misgivings, fears, and doubts!  He will climb the rugged, steep ascent, and follow even unto the end.

The following morning a little before sunrise saw a party of five assembled for a hawking expedition on the downs.  Besides the squire and William Shakespeare, the parson had turned up, whilst Bill Peregrine (ancestor of all the Peregrines, including, no doubt, the famous Peregrine Pickle) brought one of his brothers from the farm to “help him out” with the hawks.  It was somewhat of a peculiar dawn—­one of those dull grey mornings which often bodes a fine day.  The bard was much interested in the glowing eastern sky, and as the sun began to appear he turned to William Peregrine and enthusiastically exclaimed: 

                  “’.... what envious streaks
     Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east: 
     Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day
     Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.’” [33]

[Footnote 33:  Romeo and Juliet, III. v.]

“To be sure, to be sure, it do look a bit comical, don’t it?” answered the yeoman, with a cackle; and then, turning to his brother, he said, “Ain’t ’e ever seen the sun rise before?”

“Please, squire, who be the gent from Warwickshire?” says Peregrine, sotto voce; “I cannot tell what the dickens his name is!”

“Oh! ’is name’s Shakespy, William Shakespy.  A good un at his books, I’ll be bound.  Get the hawks, Bill; the sun be up.  A’ must be off to Stratford shortly,” answered the squire, glancing at the poet.

Whereupon the yeoman opened the door of a long covered shed commonly called the “mews,” and shortly appeared again with four hooded hawks—­two falcons, and two males or tiercel-gentles—­placed on a wooden frame or cadge.  These he handed to a stout yokel to carry, and the whole party sallied forth towards the downs.  The squire and the parson were mounted on their palfreys, the rest of the party being on foot.

It was not long before William Peregrine started an interesting conversation with the stranger somewhat after this manner: 

“Did you ’ave a pretty good day’s spart yesterday, Master Quakespear?”

“Ah, that we had!  I never saw such a day’s sport in all my life!”

“I thought ye did.  I could see the ’art was tired smartish.  I qeum along by the bruk, and give un the meeting.  When I sees un I says, ’I can see you’ve ‘ad a smartish doing, old boy.’  Then the ’ounds qeum yoppeting along as nice as could be.  Then I sees you and the ’untsman lolloping along arter the dogs, and soon arter I ‘urd the trumpets goin’; and so says I, ‘It’s a case,’ and I qeums up and skins un.  ’E did skin beautiful to be sure!  I never see a better job in all my life—­never!”