“Friend, either pay that thou owest, or all that thou hast will be seized on.”
Amazed, I made answer: “Good sir, yet awhile have thou patience,
And I will pay all, Heaven helping! We now are sustained
Alone on bark bread!”
Again they turned into the house, no answer vouchsafing,
Then hastily stripped from the walls our poor store of household utensils,
Seized all that remained of our clothing, and carried them off to their sledge.
Weeping, my wife lay, my excellent wife, on her straw bed,
Watching in silence the men, and all the while soothing the baby,
Which lay on her bosom new-born, and kept up a wailing of sorrow.