three o'clock in the afternoon
`` Not a sinful one I hope , '' Jocelyn replied , glancing at the ring . And they proceeded on their way towards Tottenham , and were presently saluted by the merry ringing of bells , proclaiming some village festival . NOTE : -LSB- 1 -RSB- Lest we should be charged with an anachronism , we may mention that the Bell at Edmonton , immortalized in the story of John Gilpin , was in good repute in the days we treat of , as will appear from the following extract from John Savile 's Tractate entitled , _ King James , his Entertainment at Theobald 's , with his Welcome to London _ . Having described the vast concourse of people that flocked forth to greet their new Sovereign on his approach to the metropolis , honest John says -- `` After our breakfast at Edmonton at the sign of _ the Bell _ , we took occasion to note how many would come down in the next hour , so coming up into a chamber next to the street , where we might both best see , and likewise take notice of all passengers , we called for an hour-glass , and after we had disposed of ourselves who should take the number of the horse , and who the foot , we turned the hour-glass , which before it was half run out , we could not possibly truly number them , they came so exceedingly fast ; but there we broke off , and made our account of 309 horses , and 137 footmen , which course continued that day from four o'clock in the morning till three o'clock in the afternoon , and the day before also , as the host of the house told us , without intermission . '' Besides establishing the existence of the renowned _ Bell _ at this period , the foregoing passage is curious in other respects . CHAPTER XIV . The May-Queen and the Puritan 's Daughter .