large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb_6
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb
English
6138
A German traveller, writing quite at the end of the mediæval period, speaks of the English as the laziest and proudest people and the best cooks in Europe. A Spanish ambassador about the same period says, "These English live in houses built of sticks and mud, {87} but therein they fare as plenteously as lords." A GERMAN TRAVELLER WRITING QUITE AT THE END OF THE MEDIAEVAL PERIOD SPEAKS OF THE ENGLISH AS THE LAZIEST AND PROUDEST PEOPLE AND THE BEST COOKS IN EUROPE A SPANISH AMBASSADOR ABOUT THE SAME PERIOD SAYS THESE ENGLISH LIVE IN HOUSES BUILT OF STICKS AND MUD BUT THEREIN THEY FARE AS PLENTEOUSLY AS LORDS
as now to the very existence of the State, was carried out quite crudely without any concealment or excuse by arbitrary taxation or open violence: on the other hand, life was easy, and common necessaries plenteous; the holidays of the Church were holidays in the modern sense of the word, downright play-days, and there were ninety-six obligatory ones: nor were the people tame and sheep-like, but as rough-handed and bold a set of good fellows as ever rubbed through life under the sun. I remember three passages, from contemporary history or gossip, about the life of those times which luck has left us, and which illustrate curiously the change that has taken place in the habits of Englishmen. A lady writing from Norfolk 400 years ago to her husband in London, amidst various commissions for tapestries, groceries, and gowns, bids him also not to forget to bring back with him a good supply of cross-bows and bolts, since the windows of their hall were too low to be handy for long-bow shooting. SSARY THEN AS NOW TO THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THE STATE WAS CARRIED OUT QUITE CRUDELY WITHOUT ANY CONCEALMENT OR EXCUSE BY ARBITRARY TAXATION OR OPEN VIOLENCE ON THE OTHER HAND LIFE WAS EASY AND COMMON NECESSARIES PLENTEOUS THE HOLIDAYS OF THE CHURCH WERE HOLIDAYS IN THE MODERN SENSE OF THE WORD DOWNRIGHT PLAY DAYS AND THERE WERE NINETY SIX OBLIGATORY ONES NOR WERE THE PEOPLE TAME AND SHEEP LIKE BUT AS ROUGH HANDED AND BOLD A SET OF GOOD FELLOWS AS EVER RUBBED THROUGH LIFE UNDER THE SUN I REMEMBER THREE PASSAGES FROM CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OR GOSSIP ABOUT THE LIFE OF THOSE TIMES WHICH LUCK HAS LEFT US AND WHICH ILLUSTRATE CURIOUSLY THE CHANGE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE HABITS OF ENGLISHMEN A LADY WRITING FROM NORFOLK FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO TO HER HUSBAND IN LONDON AMIDST VARIOUS COMMISSIONS FOR TAPESTRIES GROCERIES AND GOWNS BIDS HIM ALSO NOT TO FORGET TO BRING BACK WITH HIM A GOOD SUPPLY OF CROSS BOWS AND BOLTS SINCE THE WINDOWS OF THEIR HALL WERE TOO LOW TO BE HANDY FOR LONG BOW SHOOTING
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