Three Gentlemen playing together, a mad Bull ran into the Place where they were: So one hid himself under a Bed, another went into a Hogshead, and the third under an Asses Pack-saddle. Now as they told their Friends how they escaped, they all laugh’d at him who had hid himself under the Packsaddle; but one of them said: Truly he was in the right on’t, for he had a mind to die with his Cloaths on.
16
Trois Gentilhommes ètant à joüer ensemble, un Taureau en fureur entra dans le lieu oû ils ètoient: l’un se cacha sous un lit, l’autre se mit dans un Tonneau, & le troisieme sous le Bât d’un Ane. Comme ils racontoient à leurs Amis de quelle maniere ils ètoient èchappez, tous se mocquerent de celui qui s’ètoit caché sous le Bât; mais il y en eut un qui dit: Il avoit asseurément raison d’avoir voulu mourir avec son habit.
17
One ask’d an old Man what he had done to live to so great an Age; answer’d he, when I could sit I never stood, I married late, was soon a Widower, and never married again.
17
Un homme demandoit à un vieillard comment il avoit fait pour vivre si long tems: Il lui repondit, pouvant être assis, je ne me suis point tenu debout; je me suis marié fort tard, j’ai été bien tôt veuf, & je ne me suis point remarié.
18
A Fellow whom the Hangman whipt through a Town, walked so softly that one of the Spectators came near him and told him: Thou Wretch! thou goest so slowly, that thou wilt have many a lash to tell before thou comest to thy journies end: Go, mend thy pace, that thou may’st the sooner get out of this Torment and Ignominy. The Malefactor answer’d him: When thou art whipt, thou may’st go as thou thinkest fit, for my own part, I will go at my ease,
18