Kenilworth Book

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. Talk you of young Master Lancelot? Merchant of Venice. After some brief interval, Master Goldthred, at the earnest instigation of mine host, and the joyous concurrence of his guests, indulged the company with the following morsel of melody: Of all the birds on bush or tree, Commend me to the owl, Since he may best example be To those the cup that trowl. For when the sun hath left the west, He clius.es the tree that he loves the best, And he whoops out his song, and he laughs at his jest; Then though hours be late, and weather foul. We'll drink to the health of the bonny, bonny owl The lark is but a bumpkin fowl, He sleeps in his nest till morn; But my blessing upon the jolly owl, That all night blows his horn. Then up with your cup till you stagger in speech, And match me this caich, though you swagger and screech, And drink till you wink, my merry men each; For though hours be late, and weather be foul, We'll drink to the health of the bonny, bonny owl. "There is savour in this, my hearts," said Michael, when the mercer had finished his song, " and some goodness seems left among you yet i?but what a beadroll you have read me of old comrades, and to every man's name tacked some' ill-omened motto! And so Swashing Will of Wal- lingford hath bid us good night?" " He died the death of a fat buck," said one of the party, " being shot with a cross-bow bolt, by old Thatcham, the Duke's stout park-keeper at Donnington Castle." " Ay, he always loved venison well,"?replied Michael, " and a cup of claret to boot?and so here's one to his memory. Do me right, my masters." When the health of this departed worthy had been duly honoured, Lambourne proceeded to inquire after Prance of Padworth. " Pranced off?made immortal ten ...Read More