Kings & rulers > Kenilworth > Volume 1

KEXILWORTH.
5
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
consequence—
‘ The horse to the rack.
And to fire with the sack.’ ”
“ 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, Sit
Traveller, if you call on your host for help for
such a sipping matter as a quart of sack—were
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 with¬
in 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 convers¬
ing, and some, whose business called them to
be early risers on the morrow, concluding their
evening meal, and conferring with the chamber-
lain about their night’s quarters.
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