English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various SourcesVarious
General
English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various Sources
Various
Anecdotes -- England; English wit and humor
Being informed that Jervis the painter was come from London to ----
in a coach and four, Sir Godfrey, who had an unaccountable antipathy
to that gentleman, cried, “By gar, if de horses draw no better dan
himself, he will never get back to town again.”
PACE, THE JESTER.
Pace, jester to Queen Elizabeth, was so bitter in his retorts upon her,
that he was forbid her presence. After he had been absent for some
time, a few of his friends entreated her Majesty to receive him back
into favour, engaging for him, that he would be more guarded in his
discourse for the future. The very first time they again met Pace was
as bad as ever. “Come on, Pace,” said the Queen in a gracious humour;
“now, we shall hear of our faults.” “No, madam,” said Pace; “I never
talk of what is discoursed by all the world.”
QUEEN ELIZABETH AND SIR THOMAS GRESHAM.
When Queen Elizabeth was at Osterby, near Brentford, the seat of Sir
Thomas Gresham, who built the Royal Exchange, she pointed out to him a
wall on one side of the garden, which confined, in some respect, the
prospect. Sir Thomas seemed to take no farther notice of her majesty’s
remark at that time, than to coincide in it; but as soon as she retired
to her chamber, he had a number of workmen in readiness, who had the
wall entirely pulled down by morning. The Queen, upon her walking in
the gardens, was surprised at the alteration; but, turning about to Sir
Thomas, with great readiness observed, “She did not wonder that he that
could build _a Change_, could so readily _change a building_.”
QUEEN ELIZABETH’S DELICACY OF SCENT.
Sir Roger Williams, who was a Welshman, and had been a tailor, though
afterwards a good soldier, preferred a request to Queen Elizabeth: she
refused him; but he, another time, moved it again. He had on a pair of
new boots, and the Queen could not bear the smell of leather. Stopping
him short, she put her hand to her nose, and cried, “Fah, Williams,
prithee be gone; for thy boots stink.” “Tut, tut,” answered he; “it is
my suit that stinks.”
WIT IN THE ELEVENTH CENTURY.
William the Conqueror being sick, long kept his chamber; whereat
the French King scoffing, said, “The King of England lies long in
child-bed.” When William heard this, he said, “When I am churched,
there shall be a thousand lights in France.” He made good what he said,
by wasting the French frontier with fire and sword.
CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT.
A Catholic asked a Protestant where his religion was before the time
of Luther? “Where was your face this morning,” said the Protestant,
“before it was washed?”
SELLING LANDS.
A yeoman of Kent selling some lands, the lawyer was puzzled as to the
designation which he should have in the deeds. “Say _gentleman_,”
suggested a bystander; “for selling lands is a gentleman’s trade.”
LORD BURLEIGH.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account