Changes

Ploughboy. Master, I have to work far too much; I go out at dawn, driving the oxen to the field, and I yoke them to the plough ; I dare not in the severest weather lie hid at home, for fear of my lord ; and when I have yoked the oxen together, and fastened the ploughshare to the plough, I have to plough a whole acre every day, or more.  

 Ploughboy. I have a boy who threatens the oxen with a goad, and he is also hoarse with the cold and his shouting.  

 PlougliboyPloughboy. Certainly I do more besides that. I have to supply the mangers of the oxen with hay, and give them water, and carry their dung outside.  

Ploughboy. Yes, it is a great labour that I have to fulfil, for I am not free.  Master. What do you say, Shepherd, have you any work ?    A COLLOQUY 185  Shepherd. Indeed, I have. In early morning I drive my sheep to the pastures, and I stand by them, in heat and cold, with dogs, lest the wolves should devour them, and I bring them back to their folds, and milk them twice a day, and I move their folds besides. I also make butter and cheese, and I am faithful to my lord.

 Oxherd. Master, I labour much. When the ploughman unyokes the oxen, I lead them to the pastures, and all night I stand by them watching against thieves, and then, early in the morning, I give them over to the ploughman, well fed and watered.  

 Master. In what way do you practise your art ?  Huntsman. I make myself nets, and set them in a fitting spot, and I urge on my dogs, to chase the wild animals, till unawares they get into the nets, and so they are entangled, and I cut their throats when in the nets.  

 Huntsman. I hunt the wild animals with swift    186 AN ANGLO-SAXON ABBOT  dogs. I take stags, and boars, and fallow deer, and goats, and sometimes hares.  

 Huntsman. I was not, because it is the Lord's Day, but yesterday I was hunting.  

 Huntsman. I took the stags in nets, and I cut the throat of the boar.  Master. How was it that you were daring enough to cut the throat of the boar ?  Huntsman. The dogs drove him towards me, and I, standing towards him, suddenly cut his throat.  

 Huntsman. A huntsman must not be fearful, for a number of various beasts haunt the woods.  Master. How do you dispose of what you have caught ?  Huntsman. I give whatever I catch to the King, as I am his huntsman.  

 Huntsman. He clothes and feeds me well, and sometimes he gives me a horse, or a bracelet, that I may the more willingly practise my art. [Anglo- Saxon men were fond of wearing bracelets.]

 Fisherman. I get into a boat, and place my nets in the river, and I throw in a hook, and baskets, and whatever they catch I take.  

   A COLLOQUY 187  Fisherman. I throw the unclean away, and take the clean ones for food.  

 Fisherman. The citizens. I cannot catch as many as I could sell.  

 Fisherman. Eels and pike, minnows and joltheads, trout and lampreys, and any fish that swim in the river.  

 Fisherman. I do sometimes, but it is a long way to the sea, so I seldom go thither.  

 Fisherman. Herrings and salmon, dolphins and sturgeons, oysters and crabs, mussels and winkles, cockles, plaice, soles and lobsters, and the like.  

 Fisherman. Because catching a whale is a dangerous business. I prefer to go on the river in my own boat rather than to accompany a number of boats for hunting a whale.  

Fisherman. Because I like better to catch a fish that I can kill, than a fish that by one blow can drown or put to death both myself and my com- panions.  Master. Yet there are many, who catch whales, and escape the dangers and make great gain thereby.    188 AN ANGLO-SAXON ABBOT  Fisherman. You speak the truth, but I dare not, for my mind is slothful.  Master. Fowler, what have you to say ? How do you deceive the birds ?  Fowler. I have many ways of deceiving the birds ; sometimes by nets, sometimes by snares, sometimes by lime, sometimes by whistling, sometimes by a hawk, sometimes by a trap.  

 Fowler. Yes, I know how. What use would they be to ine, unless I knew how to tame them ?  

 Fowler. Willingly, if you will give me in return a swift dog. What sort of hawk do you want, a large one, or of the smaller kind ?  

 FishermanFispherman. They feed themselves, and me in the winter, and in the spring I let them fly away to the wood, and I catch young ones in the autumn and tame them.  Master. And why do you allow those whom you have tamed to fly away from you ?  Foider. Because I do not like feeding them in the summer, for they eat too much.  Master. Yet many persons keep the hawks which they have tamed through the summer, that they may have them ready again.  Fowler. Yes, they do, but I am not inclined to bestow so much labour on them, as I know how to catch others, and many of them.    A COLLOQUY 189

 Merchant. I maintain that I am useful to the King, and to the nobles, and to the wealthy, and to the whole people.  

 Merchant. I go on board ship, with my merchandise. I sail to regions beyond the sea, and sell my goods, and buy valuable produce that is not made in this country, and I bring it you here. I face great dangers in crossing the ocean and sometimes I suffer shipwreck, with the loss of all my goods, hardly escaping with my life.  

 Merchant. Purple and silk, precious stones and gold, various sorts of clothing, pigments, wine and oil, ivory, copper, brass and tin, sulphur and glass, and the like.  Master. Are you willing to sell your things just as you bought them there ?  Merchant. By no means. If I did so, what good would my labour be to me ? I wish to sell dearer here, than I bought there, that I may gain some profit, to keep myself, and my wife and son.

 Shoemaker. My craft is indeed very useful and necessary for you.  

 Shoemaker. I buy skins and hides, and prepare them, and make various kinds of sandals, slippers, shoes, and high boots, besides bridles, harness, and other horse trappings, halters and spurs ; and also leather bottles, flasks, purses, and bags. 1  1 (The order of some of these names has been transposed in the vereb)