Prevent it, resist it, let it not be so, Lest child, child's children, cry against you 'Woe!' The patriotism of the women is described by the Bastard in King John: Your own ladies and pale-visag'd maids Like Amazons come tripping after drums: Their thimbles into armed gauntlets change, Their needles to lances, and their gentle hearts To fierce and bloody inclination.

When mending their clothes, the foxglove gives them thimbles; and many other flowers might be added which are equally in request for their various needs.

In each of these is a bier for the body, directly above which hangs a cord, having on the end ten thimbles, which are put upon the fingers of the corpse, so that the slightest motion strikes a bell in the watchman's room.

Some of the children wear thimbles, and some set them upon their desks and wiggle the needle through without their aid.