the stable, & telleth you also a place where your horse shal stãd, full vnhansomely for that purpose god knoweth for they reserue the better romes for the after commers, specially for the noble men, yf you finde any fault with any thinge, by an by they snub you with this: Sir, if mine Inne please you not, goe seeke an other elsewhere in the name of god in cities, it is longe ere they wil bring you hay forthe for your horse, and when they do bring it, it is after a niuer facion^[3] I warraunt you, and yet will they aske asmuch mony of you for it (in a maner) as if it were Otes. After your horse is once dressed you come with all your cariage into the stoue with Bootes, Male, or Packe, and with Dirte, Bag and Baggage and all. Euery man is vsed to this generally.

William.

¶ In Fraunce they haue certaine chaumbers for the nonce, where guests may put of their clothes may wipe or make clean thẽ selues, may warme them selues: yea may take their ease to, if they bee so disposed.

Bertulphe.

¶ Yea, but here is no suche facions I tel you. In the stoue, you pul of youre Bootes, you pull on youre Shooes, you chaunge youre Shirt if you bee so minded, you hange vp youre clothes all weate, with raine harde by the Chimney, and to make youre selfe drye doe stande by the same your selfe, you haue also water sette readye for your handes, which moste commonly is so clenlye, that you muste after seeke other water, to washe of that water againe.

William.

¶ I commende them as menne not corrupted with to much finenesse or daintinesse.

Bertulphe.

¶ Thoughe it be youre chaunce to come thether about iiii. of the clocke at afternoone, yet shall you not go to supper for all that vntill it be nine of the clocke at night, and sometime not before tenne.

William.

¶ How so?

Bertulphe.

¶ They make nothinge ready til they see all their guestes come in, that they may serue them all vnder one without more adoe.

William.

¶ These men seeke the neerest way to woorke, I see wel.

Bertulphe.

¶ You say true in deede: They doe so, and therfore often times there come all into one Stooue, lxxx. or xC. Footemen, Horsemen, Marchauntmen, Mariners, Carters, Plowemen, Children, Wemen, hole and sicke.

William.

¶ Marye this is a communitye of lyfe in deede.

Bertulphe.

¶ One kembes his head there. An other doth rubbe of his sweat there. An other maketh cleane his startops^[4] or bootes there. An other belcks out hys Garlicke there. What needes manye wordes? There is as muche mingle mangle of parsons there, as was in the old time at the Towre of Babell. And if they chaunce to see a straunger amonge them, whiche in his apparell semeth somewhat braue, galaunt and gentlemanlike, they all stand prying vpon him with their eyes, gasing and gapinge as if some straunge beaste were brought them out of Aphrick, in so much as after they are once set, they be eye him stil an end and neuer looke of, as men forgetting thẽ selues that they be now at supper.

William.

¶ At Rome, at Parise, and at Venice, no mã maketh any such wonderment at all.

Bertulphe.

¶ Nowe it is a sore matter I tell you to call for ought there al this while: when it is farre night and they looke for no more guestes at that time, then commeth forthe an olde stager of the house, with a gray beard, a polled hed, a frowning coũtenaunce, clad in il fauored