One dialogue, or Colloquye of Erasmus (entituled Diuersoria): Translated oute of Latten into Englyshe: And Imprinted, to the ende that the Judgement of the Learned maye be hadde before the Translator procede in the reste.Erasmus, Desiderius
History
One dialogue, or Colloquye of Erasmus (entituled Diuersoria): Translated oute of Latten into Englyshe: And Imprinted, to the ende that the Judgement of the Learned maye be hadde before the Translator procede in the reste.
Erasmus, Desiderius
Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern) -- Translations into English; Imaginary conversations
¶ Yt was neuer my chaunce to see the Contreye yet: and therfore I pray you
take so muche paine as to tell in what sorte they entertaine a straunger
with them.
Bertulphe.
¶ I am not sure whether it be so in euerye place or no, but I will not
sticke to reherse that whiche I haue sene with mine owne eyes. There no man
biddeth him welcome that comes, lest they shuld seme to go about to procure
a guest. And that of all sauces, they accompt a dishonest and beggarly
thing, and vnmete for their demurenes & grauetie. After you haue stoode
cryinge oute at the doore a good while, at the length some one or other
pereth out his hed at the stoue[2] window like as a snaile should pepe out
of his shell: for they liue ther in stoues, til the somer be almoste in the
Tropick of Cancer. Then must you aske of him, whether you may haue a
lodging there or no? yf he do not geue a contrary beck with his hed, you
may perceiue, that you shall haue entertainment. To those whiche aske where
aboutes the stable standes, he pointes vnto it with the wagging of his
hand. There maye you vse youre horse after your own diet, for no seruaunt
of the house shall once lay handes vnto it to help you. But if it bee an
Inne some what occupied or haunted, th[~e] the seruaunt sheweth there which
is the stable, & telleth you also a place where your horse shal stãd, full
vnhansomely for that purpose god knoweth for they reserue the better romes
for the after commers, specially for the noble men, yf you finde any fault
with any thinge, by an by they snub you with this: Sir, if mine Inne please
you not, goe seeke an other elsewhere in the name of god in cities, it is
longe ere they wil bring you hay forthe for your horse, and when they do
bring it, it is after a niuer facion[3] I warraunt you, and yet will they
aske asmuch mony of you for it (in a maner) as if it were Otes. After your
horse is once dressed you come with all your cariage into the stoue with
Bootes, Male, or Packe, and with Dirte, Bag and Baggage and all. Euery man
is vsed to this generally.
William.
¶ In Fraunce they haue certaine chaumbers for the nonce, where guests may
put of their clothes may wipe or make clean th[~e] selues, may warme them
selues: yea may take their ease to, if they bee so disposed.
Bertulphe.
¶ Yea, but here is no suche facions I tel you. In the stoue, you pul of
youre Bootes, you pull on youre Shooes, you chaunge youre Shirt if you bee
so minded, you hange vp youre clothes all weate, with raine harde by the
Chimney, and to make youre selfe drye doe stande by the same your selfe,
you haue also water sette readye for your handes, which moste commonly is
so clenlye, that you muste after seeke other water, to washe of that water
againe.
William.
¶ I commende them as menne not corrupted with to much finenesse or
daintinesse.
Bertulphe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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