Page 33 - Charnock alchemical letter

The Oxford Man

Marry Master Charnock you cannot please me no better for it is my chief
coming, and I had lever [allow] you would feed me with this your talk,
rather than any other delicate dish, therefore I pray you let me hear this
tale.

Master Charnock

In the year of our Lord God 1553 and one over
I took my passage, at the pier of Dover
for to got to Calais, and thither I fared
now there met I a kinsman, of queens the guard
whom glad I was to see, and he me again
but what joy was made, betwixt us twain
at our meeting, I leave out for this time
and to the best inn we went, to drink the wine
and therefore to laugh, and make good cheer
for that who had not some, in many a year
we had our chamber, appointed anon
there for to sup in quiet alone
but is so chanced, or the cloth was laid
In came our host, and to my kinsman said
Master Charnock pleaseth you to understand
that here be two yeomen, new come out of England
who would be glad, here to have our company
my kinsman said, with countenance merrily
I pray you mine host, let them come near
good fellows fellowship, is greatly my desire
and when they were come in, I thought them lusty Greeks
that past not whether the world went by days or by weeks
and at the board they set them down, with good avail
in their hats were more feathers, than in a peacocks tail
and smelled rammishingly [like a ram], whatsoever they were
of oils, salts, and sulphurs, and other mad gear
then said my kinsman, with a bold speech
I think the one of you is an apothecary, the other a leech
we are none of them sir, whom you do name,
but we are two philosophers, if you understand the same
what no by God’s mother, said my kinsman though
if I understand no better, to handle my bow

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