"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.
Father broughte home a strange gueste 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 ye Holie Citie and to Damascus, to Urmia and Assyria, and I think alle over ye knowne world; and tolde us manie strange tales, one hardlie knew how to believe; as, for example, of a sea-coast tribe, called ye Balouches, who live on fish and build theire dwellings of the bones. Alsoe, of a race of his countrie-men beyond Euphrates who believe in Christ, but know nothing of ye Pope; and of whom were ye Magians yt followed ye Star. This agreeth not with our legend. He averred that, though soe far apart from theire brethren, theire speech was ye same, and even theire songs; and he sang or chaunted one which he sayd was common among ye Jews alle over ye world, and had beene so ever since theire citie was ruinated and ye people captivated, and yet it was never sett down by note. Erasmus, who knows little or nought of Hebrew, listened to ye words with curiositie, and made him repeate them twice or thrice: and though I know not ye character, it seemed to me they sounded thus: —
Adir Hu yivne bethcha beccaro,
El, b'ne; El, b'ne; El, b'ne;
Bethcha beccaro.
Though Christianish, he woulde not eat pig's face; and sayd swine's flesh was forbidden by ye Hebrew law for its unwholesomenesse in hot countries and hot weather, rather than by way of arbitrarie prohibition. Daisy took a great dislike to this man, and woulde not sit next him.
In the hay-field alle ye evening. Swathed father in a hay-rope, and made him pay ye fine, which he pretended to resist. Cecy was just about to cast one round Erasmus, when her heart failed and she ran away, colouring to ye eyes. He sayd, he never saw such pretty shame. Father reclining on ye hay, with head on my lap and his eyes shut, Bess asked if he were asleep. He made answer, "Yes, and dreaming." I askt, "Of what?" "Of a far-off future daye, Meg; when thou and I shall looke back on this hour, and this hay-field, and my head on thy lap."
"Nay, but what a stupid dream, Mr. More," says mother. "Why, what woulde you dreame of, Mrs. Alice?" "Forsooth, if I dreamed at alle, when I was wide awake, it shoulde be of being Lord Chancellor at ye leaste." "Well, wife, I forgive thee for not saying at the most. Lord Chancellor quotha! And you woulde be Dame Alice, I trow, and ride in a whirlecote, and keep a Spanish jennet, and a couple of grey hounds, and wear a train before and behind, and carry a jerfalcon on your fist." "On my wrist." "No, that's not such a pretty word as t'other! Go to, go!"
Straying from ye others, to a remote corner of the meadow, or ever I was aware, I came close upon Gammer Gurney, holding somewhat with much care. "Give ye good den, Mistress Meg," quoth she, "I cannot abear to rob ye birds of theire nests; but I knows you and yours be kind to dumb creatures, soe here's a nest o' young owzels for ye – and I can't call 'em dumb nowther, for they'll sing bravelie some o' these days." "How hast fared, of late, Gammer?" quoth I. "Why, well enow for such as I," she made answer; "since I lost ye use o' my right hand, I can nowther spin, nor nurse sick folk, but I pulls rushes, and that brings me a few pence, and I be a good herbalist; and, because I says one or two English prayers and hates ye priests, some folks thinks me a witch." "But why dost hate ye priests?" quoth I. "Never you mind," she gave answer, "I've reasons manie; and for my English prayers, they were taught me by a gentleman I nursed, that's now a saint in heaven, along with poor Joan."
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