Kings & rulers > Kenilworth > Volume 1

4
KENILWORTH.
ling, a man of a goodly person, and of somewhat a
round belly, fifty years of age and upwards, mo¬
derate 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 look¬
ing in the face of majesty. The men of Cumnor
were proud of their Host, and their Hostwas 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 jour¬
ney, to the hostler, and made some inquiry, which
produced the following dialogue betwixt the myr¬
midons of the bonny Black Bear.
“ What, ho ! John Tapster.”
“ At hand, Will Hostler,” replied the man of
the spiggot, showing 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 tap¬
ster, “ 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 con¬
vince my pate with the pewter flagon.”
“ Call you that Oxford logic,” said the stranger,
who had now quitted the rein of his horse, and