¶ Thoughe it be youre chaunce to come thether about iiii. of the clocke at afternoone, yet shall you not go to supper for all that vntill it be nine of the clocke at night, and sometime not before tenne. William. ¶ How so? Bertulphe. ¶ They make nothinge ready til they see all their guestes come in, that they may serue them all vnder one without more adoe. William. ¶ These men seeke the neerest way to woorke, I see wel. Bertulphe. ¶ You say true in deede: They doe so, and therfore often times there come all into one Stooue, lxxx. or xC. Footemen, Horsemen, Marchauntmen, Mariners, Carters, Plowemen, Children, Wemen, hole and sicke. William. ¶ Marye this is a communitye of lyfe in deede. Bertulphe. ¶ One kembes his head there. An other doth rubbe of his sweat there. An other maketh cleane his startops[4] or bootes there. An other belcks out hys Garlicke there. What needes manye wordes? There is as muche mingle mangle of parsons there, as was in the old time at the Towre of Babell. And if they chaunce to see a straunger amonge them, whiche in his apparell semeth somewhat braue, galaunt and gentlemanlike, they all stand prying vpon him with their eyes, gasing and gapinge as if some straunge beaste were brought them out of Aphrick, in so much as after they are once set, they be eye him stil an end and neuer looke of, as men forgetting th[~e] selues that they be now at supper. William. ¶ At Rome, at Parise, and at Venice, no mã maketh any such wonderment at all. Bertulphe. ¶ Nowe it is a sore matter I tell you to call for ought there al this while: when it is farre night and they looke for no more guestes at that time, then commeth forthe an olde stager of the house, with a gray beard, a polled hed, a frowning co[~u]tenaunce, clad in il fauored apparaile. William. ¶ Yea mary suche fellowes as these you speak of, should fill the Cardinals cups at Rome. Bertulphe. ¶ He casting his eyes about, reckeneth vnto him selfe howe manye therebe in the stoue at all, the moe he seeth there, the greater he maketh his fire, though the sonne beside doth greatly annoy with his perching heat. Among them, this is accoumpted the principallest pointe of good entertainment, if they all sweat like Bulles, that they doe euen drop again. But if one not vsed to this choking and smotheringe ayre, should chaunce to open but a chinke of the window to keepe him self from stifeling, he should by and by haue this saied vnto him: Shut it I pray you, if you aunswere that you canne not abide it, ye haue this in your nose for your labor, why? then go seeke you an other Inne, on gods name. William.