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
¶ Besides this it were a sore offence for one all this while to say: Away
with this dishe, no man doth eat of it, here you must sit out your time
appointed, being so euen and iumpe, that I thinke they measure it oute by
some water clockes. At l[~e]gth that bearded Grimson[9] comes forth againe
or els the Inholder him selfe, litle or nothing differing from his
seruauntes in his apparaile and brauery. He asketh what cheere is with vs:
by & by some stronger wine is brought, and they caste a great loue to him
that drinketh lustely: wheras he payes no more money that drinketh moste
then he, that drinketh least.
William.
¶ I put you out of doubt, it is a wonderful nature of the countrey.
Bertulphe.
¶ Yea, this doe they in deede: whereas there bee sometime there, that drink
two times somuche in wine, as they paye in all for the shot. But before I
doe make an end of this Supper, it is a wonderful thing to tell what noise
and iangeling of tongues there is, after they begin all to bee well whitled
with wine. What shoulde I neede manye wordes? All things there haue lost
their hearing and are becom deafe. And many times disguised patches or
coxecomes doe come amonge them to make sporte: whiche kinde of men,
althoughe of all other it be most to be abhorred, yet you wil scant beleue
howe muche the Germaines are delighted with them. They keepe sike a coile
with their singinge, theire chatting, their hoopinge and hallowinge, theire
praunsinge, theire bounsinge, that the Stooue seemeth as if it woulde fall
downe vpon their heds, and none can heare what an other saith. And yet all
thys while they, perswade them selues, that they liue as well as hearte
canne thinke, or, as the day is broad and longe to.
William.
¶ Wel nowe make an ende of this Supper, I pray: for I am weary of so
tedious a Supper my selfe to.
Bertulphe.
¶ So I will. At the laste when the cheese is ones taken vp, whiche scantly
pleaseth their aptite, onlesse it craule ful of magots, that old
Siuicoxe[10] comes forth againe, bringinge with hym a meate Trenchoure in
his hande, vppon the whiche with chalke he hath made certaine rundelles and
halfe rundelles: that same he layeth downe vpon the table, loking very
demurelye & sadlye all the while. They that are acquainted with those
markes or skoares, doe laye downe their monye, after them an other, then
another, vntill suche time as the trenchoure bee couered, then markinge
those whiche layed downe anye thinge, he counteth or maketh reckening
softely vnto him selfe: if he misse nothing of that which the reckening
comes to, hee maketh a becke or dieugard with his hed.
William.
¶ What if theer be any ouerplus there?
Bertulphe.
¶ Peraduenture he woulde giue it them againe, and some whiles they doeso,
if it strike in their braines.
William.
¶ And is there none that speaketh againste this vnegall reckening?
Bertulphe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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