PREPARATIONS FOR CHURCH 7
Mass. A large wooden tub on the trestle-table served for a wash-
bowl, and after a little washing they occupied themselves for
some time in plaiting and arranging their hair, before they drew
out of a wooden chest, that stood at the foot of the bed, the bright
coloured dresses which they wore only on Sundays and festivals.
There were other childish garments in the chest, but they had
not been worn these many days, for they were those of the two
little girls, both dead now for ten years and more, one of the
plague, and one lost by what the coroner called " misadventure ".
What this was exactly her mother never knew; for, while she was
at play, she had fallen from the bridge over the big river, but no
one could be found to say what had taken her so far from home,
or how the end had come. Other children there had been, but
like so many others they had died at birth or very soon after, and
were no more than distant memories.
The return of the men-folk threw the cottage into confusion,
for there was little room, and they all tried to wash and dress
themselves for Mass at the same time. It did not take them long,
however—the old "tabard" or sleeveless smock with all its
traces of weekday work ("baudy tabard" Chaucer called it) was
discarded for that kept for Sundays and special occasions, and
they were ready. The bell was already ringing, and they moved
off and were soon joined by friends and neighbours as they made
their short journey to the church. John noticed that the low wall
which enclosed the church and the graveyard was rapidly breaking
down in several places: for many months now it had been crack-
ing and stones falling away from it here and there, but nothing
had been done to repair it, in spite of the archdeacon's periodical
warnings. On two or three occasions John had noticed that pigs
and sheep had wandered into the graveyard itself and had
started to graze among the tombs. But he had little time to
reflect on this, for his neighbours were pressing into the church
since the time for service had come, and even the men-folk, who
habitually lingered outside in little groups till the last moment,
had turned to go in.