"Will you never forget that unlucky Beverage?" sayth _Father_. "Why, Man, think how manie poor Scholars there be, that content themselves, as I have hearde one of St. _John's_ declare, with a penny piece of Beef amongst four, stewed into Pottage with a little Salt and Oatmeal; and that after fasting from four o'clock in the Morning! Say Grace for us this Daye, _Erasmus_, with goode Heart." At Table, Discourse flowed soe thicke and faste that I mighte aim in vayn to chronicle it--and why should I? dwelling as I doe at the Fountayn Head? Onlie that I find Pleasure, alreadie, in glancing over the foregoing Pages whensoever they concern _Father_ and _Erasmus_, and wish they were more faithfullie recalled and better writ. One Thing sticks by me,--a funny Reply of _Father's_ to a Man who owed him Money and who put him off with "_Memento Morieris_." "I bid you," retorted _Father_, "_Memento Mori Æris_, and I wish you woulde take as goode Care to provide for the one as I do for the other." _Linacre_ laughed much at this, and sayd,--"That was real Wit; a Spark struck at the Moment; and with noe Ill-nature in it, for I am sure your Debtor coulde not help laughing." "Not he," quoth _Erasmus_. "_More's_ Drollerie is like that of a young Gentlewoman of his Name, which shines without burning," ... and, oddlie enow, he looked acrosse at _me_. I am sure he meant _Bess_. _July 1st._ _Father_ broughte home a strange Guest to-daye,--a converted _Jew_, with grizzlie Beard, furred Gown, and Eyes that shone like Lamps lit in dark Cavernes. He had beene to _Benmarine_ and _Tremeçen_, to the _Holie Citie_ and to _Damascus_, to _Urmia_ and _Assyria_, and I think alle over the knowne World; and tolde us manie strange Tales, one hardlie knew how to believe; as, for Example, of a Sea-coast Tribe, called the _Balouches_, who live on Fish and build theire Dwellings of the Bones. Alsoe, of a Race of his Countriemen beyond _Euphrates_ who believe in _Christ_, but know nothing of the Pope; and of whom were the Magians that followed the Star. This agreeth not with our Legend. He averred that, though soe far apart from theire Brethren, theire Speech was the same, and even theire Songs; and he sang or chaunted one which he sayd was common among the Jews alle over the World, and had beene soe ever since theire Citie was ruinated and the People captivated, and yet it was never sett down in Prick-song. _Erasmus_, who knows little or nought of Hebrew, listened to the Words with Curiositie, and made him repeate them twice or thrice: and though I know not the Character, it seemed to me they sounded thus:-- _Adir Hu yivne bethcha beccaro, El, b'ne; El, b'ne; El, b'ne; Bethcha beccaro._ [Illustration: The Jew.]