[317] A very usual practice in those days. At p. 254 of the
_Northumberland House-hold Book_ (ed. 1827) we find:--
"Two Gentlemen waiters for the Bordes Ende and a servaunt betwixt theim
iii--Hannsmen and Yonge Gentlemen at their Fryndes fynding v (as to say
Hanshmen [Henchmen] iii and yong Gentlemen iii)."
Orig. and Singer, for _trane_ read _trade_.
+ _Of the gentilman that checked hys seruant for talke of ryngyng._
cxxx.
+ A gentilman, brought vp at London in an In of court, was maryed, and
kepte an house in the countrey: and as he sate at supper with his
neyghbours aboute hym, vpon an alhalow-daie at night, amonge other
communication, he talked of the solemne ringyng of the belles (as was
the vsage than). His man, that waited on the table, sayd to his maister:
sir, he that were this nyghte in London, shoulde here wonderfull
ryngyng, and so began a tale. Hys mayster, not content with his talke,
said: Hold thy peace, foole, wilt thou tel me of ringing in London? I
know it (I trow) a lyttell better than thou. For I haue beene there an C
alhalow nyghtes.
+ _Of the blynde man and his boye._ cxxxi.
+ A certayne poore blynde man[318] in the countrey was ledde by a curst
boy to an house where a weddyng was: so the honest folkes gaue him
meate, and at last one gaue hym a legge of a good fatte goose: whiche
the boy receyuyng kept a syde, and did eate it vp hym selfe. Anon the
blynde man saide: Iacke, where is the leg of the goose? What goose (quod
the boy)? I haue none. Thou liest (quoth the blinde man), I dyd smell
it. And so they wente forth chidyng together, tyll the shrewde boye led
the poore man against a post: where hittyng his brow a great blow, he
cryed out: A hoorson boy, what hast thou done? Why (quod the boy) could
you not smell the post, that was so nere, as wel as the goose that was
so farre from your nose?
+ _Of him that sold two lodes of hey._ cxxxii.
+ In London dwelled a mery pleasant man (whiche for [t]his tyme we may
call Makeshift[319]) who, beyng arrayed somewhat haruest lyke, with a
pytcheforke on his necke, went forth in a mornyng and mette with twoo
lode of hey comeyng to the citieward, for the whiche he bargayned with
the owners to paye xxx shillynges. Whyther shall we bring them, quoth
thei? To the Swan in Longe Lane[320] by Smithfeeld (quoth he), and soo
left them, and sped him thether the next[321] waye. Whan he came to the
good man of the Swanne, he asked, if he would bye two good lodes of hey?
Yes marie, sayde he. Where be thei? Euen here they come (quoth
Makshyft). What shall I paye? sayde the inholder. Foure nobles (quoth
hee): but at length they agreed to xx shilling. Whan the hey was come,
Makshyft bad them vnlode. While they were doyng so,[322] he came to the
inholder,[323] and said: sir, I prai you let me haue my monei: for,
while my men be vnloding, I wil goe into the citee to buy a littell
stuffe to haue home with me. The good man was content, and gaue it hym.
And so he went his way. Whan the men had vnloded the hey, they came and
demanded their money. To whom the inholder saide: I haue paid your
maister. What master (quoth they)? Mary, quod he, the same man that made
you bring the hey hether. We know hym not, quod they. No more doe I
(quod he); that same man bargayned with me for the hey, and hym haue I
payed: I neyther bought nor sold with you. That is not enough for vs,
quod they; and thus thei stroue together. But what ende thei made, I
know not. For I thynke Makeshift came not againe to agree them.