"Going on two year," she faintly answered. "But, oh! it keeps him quiet when I've nought else to gi' him, and he'll get a bit of sleep lying there, if he's getten [14] nought beside. We han done our best to gi' the childer [15] food, howe'er we pinched ourselves."
| Footnote 14: |
"For he had geten him yet no
benefice."—Prologue to Canterbury Tales. [(Return)] |
| Footnote 15: |
Wicklife uses "childre" in his Apology, page 26.
[(Return)] |
"Han [16] ye had no money fra th' town?"
| Footnote 16: |
"What concord han light and
dark."—Spenser. [(Return)] |
"No; my master is Buckinghamshire born; and he's feared the town would send him back to his parish, if he went to th' board; so we've just borne on in hope o' better times. But I think they'll never come in my day;" and the poor woman began her weak high-pitched cry again.
"Here, sup [17] this drop o' gruel, and then try and get a bit o' sleep. John and I'll watch by your master to-night."
| Footnote 17: |
"And thay soupe the brothe
thereof."—Sir J. Mandeville.
[(Return)] |
"God's blessing be on you!"
She finished the gruel, and fell into a deep sleep. Wilson covered her with his coat as well as he could, and tried to move lightly for fear of disturbing her; but there need have been no such dread, for her sleep was profound and heavy with exhaustion. Once only she roused to pull the coat round her little child.