miles of Oxford, boasted, during the eighteenth of Queen Elizabeth, an excellent inn of the old stamp, conducted, or rather ruled, by Giles Gosling, a man of a goodly person, and of somewhat a round belly, fifty years of age and upwards, moderate in his reckonings, prompt in his payments, having a cellar of sound liquor, a ready wit, and a pretty daughter. Since the days of old Harry Baillie of the Tabard in Southwark, no one had excelled Giles Gosling in the power of pleasing his guests of every description; and so great was his fame, that to have been in Cumnor, without wetting a cup at the bonny Black Bear, would have been to avouch one's-self utterly indifferent to reputation as a traveller. A country fellow might as well return from London, without looking in the face of majesty. The men of Cumnor were proud of their Host, and their Host was proud of his house, his liquor, his daughter and himself. It was in the court-yard of the inn which called this honest fellow landlord, that a traveller alighted in the close of the evening, gave his horse, which seemed to have made a long journey, to the hostler, and made some inquiry, which produced the following dialogue betwixt the myrmidons of the bonny Black Bear. At hand, Will Hostler, » replied the man of the spiggot, shewing himself in his costume of loose jacket, linen breeches, and green apron, half within and half without a door, which appeared to descend to an outer cellar. << Here is a gentleman asks if you draw good ale, » continued the hostler. « Beshrew my heart else,» answered the tapster, since there are but four miles betwixt us and Oxford. Marry, if my ale did not convince the heads of the scholars, they would soon convince my pate with the pewter flagon. >> « Call you that Oxford logic, » said the stranger, who had now quitted the rein of his horse, and was advancing towards the inn-door, when he was encountered by the goodly form of Giles Gosling himself. « Is it logic you talk of, Sir Guest? » said the Host; « why, then, have at you with a downright ༥ « Amen! with all my heart, my good host, »> said the stranger; « let it be a quart of your best Canaries, and give me your good help to drink it. Nay, you are but in your accidents yet, Sir Traveller, if you call on your host for help for such a sipping matter as a quart of sackwere it a gallon, you might lack some neighbourly aid at my hand, and yet call yourself a toper. » Fear me not,» said the guest, « I will do my devoir as becomes a man who finds himself within five miles of Oxford; for I am not come from the fields of Mars to discredit myself amongst the followers of Minerva. » As he spoke thus, the landlord, with much semblance of hearty welcome, ushered his guest into a large low chamber, where several persons were seated together in different parties; some drinking, some playing at cards, some conversing, and some, whose business called them to be early risers on the morrow, concluding their evening meal, and conferring with the chamberlain about their night's quar ters. The entrance of a stranger procured him that general and careless sort of attention which is usually paid on such occasions, from which the following results were deduced: - The guest was one of those who, with a well-made person, and features not in themselves unpleasing, are nevertheless so far from handsome, that, whether from the expression of their features, or the tone of their voice, or from their gait and manner, there arises, on the whole, a disinclination to their society. The stranger's address was bold, without being frank, and seemed eagerly and hastily to claim for him a degree of attention and deference, which he feared would be refused, if not instantly vindicated as his right. His attire was a riding-cloak, which, when open, displayed a handsome jerkin, overlaid with lace, and belted with a buff girdle, which sustained a broadsword and a pair of pistols. « You ride well provided, sir, said the host, looking at the weapons as he placed on the table the mulled sack which the traveller had ordered. « Yes, mine host; I have found the use on't in dangerous times, and I do not, like your modern grandees, turn off my followers the instant they are useless. >> « Ay, sir? » said Giles Gosling; « then you are from the Low Countries, the land of pike and caliver? >> "I have been high and low, my friend, broad and wide, far and near; but here is to thee in a cup of thy sack-fill thyself another to pledge me; and, if it is less than superlative, e'en drink as you have brewed. Less than superlative?» said Giles Gosling, drinking off the cup, and smacking his lips with an air of ineffable relish, -- « I know nothing of superlative, nor is there such a wine at the Three Cranes, in the Vintry, to my knowledge; but if you find better sack than that in Sheres, or in the Canaries either, I would I touch either pot or penny more. Why, hold it up betwixt you and the light, you shall see the little motes dance in the golden liquor like dust in the sunbeam. But I would rather draw wine for ten clowns than one traveller. I trust your honour likes the wine? » may never - « It is neat and comfortable, mine host; but to know good liquor, you should drink where the vine grows. Trust me, your Spaniard is too wise a man to send you the very soul of the grape. Why, this now, which you account so choice, were counted but as a cup of bastard at the Groyne, or at Port St Mary's. You should travel, mine host, if you would be deep in the mysteries of the butt and pottle-pot. » ་ « In troth, Signior Guest,» said Giles Gosling, «< if I were to travel only that I might be discontent with that which I can get at home, methinks I should go but on a fool's errand. Besides, I warrant you, there is many a fool can turn his nose up at good drink without ever having been out of the smoke of Old England; and so ever gramercy mine own fireside. « This is but a mean mind of yours, mine host,» said the stranger; « I warrant me, all your town's-folks do not think so basely. You have gallants among you, I dare undertake, that have made the Virginia voyage, or taken a turn in the Low Countries at least. Come, cudgel your memory. Have you no friends in foreign parts that you would gladly have tidings of? >> Troth, sir, not I,» answered the host, << since ranting Robin of Drysandford was shot at the siege of the Brill. The devil take the caliver that fired the ball, for a blither lad never filled cup at midnight. But he is dead and gone, and I know not a soldier, or a traveller who is a soldier's mate, that I would give a peeled codling for. » |