登陆注册
15313700000072

第72章 CARDINAL WOLSEY(8)

Addressing himself to a stout-built yeoman of the guard, who was standing within the doorway, Nicholas Clamp demanded admittance to the kitchen, and the man having detained them for a few moments, during which he regarded Mabel with a very offensive stare, ushered them into a small hall, and from thence into a narrow passage connected with it.Lighted by narrow loopholes pierced through the walls, which were of immense thickness, this passage described the outer side of the whole upper quadrangle, and communicated with many other lateral passages and winding stairs leading to the chambers allotted to the household or to the state apartments.Tracking it for some time, Nicholas Clamp at length turned off on the right, and, crossing a sort of ante-room, led the way into a large chamber with stone walls and a coved and groined roof, lighted by a great window at the lower end.This was the royal kitchen, and in it yawned no fewer than seven huge arched fireplaces, in which fires were burning, and before which various goodly joints were being roasted, while a number of cooks and scullions were congregated round them.At a large table in the centre of the kitchen were seated some half-dozen yeomen of the guard, together with the clerk of the kitchen, the chief bargeman, and the royal cutler, or bladesmith, as he was termed.

These worthies were doing ample justice to a chine of beef, a wild-boar pie, a couple of fat capons, a peacock pasty, a mess of pickled lobsters, and other excellent and inviting dishes with which the board was loaded.Neither did they neglect to wash down the viands with copious draughts of ale and mead from great pots and flagons placed beside them.Behind this party stood Giovanni Joungevello, an Italian minstrel, much in favour with Anne Boleyn, and Domingo Lamellino, or Lamelyn--as he was familiarly termed--a Lombard, who pretended to some knowledge of chirurgery, astrology, and alchemy, and who was a constant attendant on Henry.At the head of the bench, on the right of the table, sat Will Sommers.The jester was not partaking of the repast, but was chatting with Simon Quanden, the chief cook, a good-humoured personage, round-bellied as a tun, and blessed with a spouse, yclept Deborah, as fond of good cheer, as fat, and as good-humoured as himself.Behind the cook stood the cellarman, known by the appellation of Jack of the Bottles, and at his feet were two playful little turnspits, with long backs, and short forelegs, as crooked almost as sickles.

On seeing Mabel, Will Sommers immediately arose, and advancing towards her with a mincing step, bowed with an air of mock ceremony,and said in an affected tone," Welcome, fair mistress, to the king's kitchen.We are all right glad to see you; are we not, mates?""Ay, that we are!" replied a chorus of voices.

"By my troth, the wench is wondrously beautiful!" said Kit Coo, one of the yeomen of the guard.

"No wonder the king is smitten with her," said Launcelot Rutter, the bladesmith; "her eyes shine like a dagger's point.""And she carries herself like a wafter on the river," said the bargeman.

"Her complexion is as good as if I had given her some of my sovereign balsam of beauty," said Domingo Lamelyn.

"Much better," observed Joungevello, the minstrel; "I shall write a canzonet in her praise, and sing it before the king.""And get flouted for thy pains by the Lady Anne," said Kit Coo.

"The damsel is not so comely as I expected to find her," observed Amice Lovekyn, one of the serving-women, to Hector Cutbeard, the clerk of the kitchen.

"Why, if you come to that, she is not to be compared to you, pretty Amice," said Cutbeard, who was a red-nosed, red-faced fellow, with a twinkling merry eye.

"Nay, I meant not that," replied Amice, retreating.

"Excuse my getting up to receive you, fair mistress," cried Simon Quanden, who seemed fixed to his chair; "I have been bustling about all day, and am sore fatigued--sore fatigued.But will you not take something? A sugared cate, and a glass of hypocras jelly, or a slice of capon? Go to the damsel, dame, and prevail on her to eat."That will I," replied Deborah."What shall it be,sweetheart? We have a well-stored larder here.You have only to ask and have.""I thank you, but Jam in want of nothing," replied Mabel.

"Nay, that is against all rule, sweetheart," said Deborah; no one enters the king's kitchen without tasting his royal cheer.""I am sorry I must prove an exception, then," returned Mabel, smiling;"for I have no appetite."

"Well, well, I will not force you to eat against your will," replied the good dame "But a cup of wine will do you good after your walk.""I will wait upon her," said the Duke of Shoreditch.' who vied with Paddington and Nick Clamp in attention to the damsel.

"Let me pray you to cast your eyes upon these two dogs, fair Mabel,"said Will Sommers, pointing to the two turn-spits, "they are special favourites of the king's highness.They are much attached to the cook, their master; but their chief love is towards each other, and nothing can keep them apart.""Will Sommers speaks the truth," rejoined Simon Quanden."Hob and Nob, for so they are named, are fast friends.When Hob gets into the box to turn the spit, Nob will watch beside it till his brother is tired, and then he will take his place.They always eat out of the same platter, and drink out of the same cup.I once separated them for a few hours to see what would happen, but they howled so piteously, that I was forced to bring them together again.It would have done your heart good to witness their meeting, and to see how they leaped and rolled with delight.Here, Hob," he added, taking a cake from his apron pocket, "divide this with thy brother."Placing his paws upon his master's knees, the nearest turnspit took the cake in his mouth, and proceeding towards Nob, broke it into two pieces, and pushed the larger portion towards him.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 魔武邪皇

    魔武邪皇

    天若弃我,天亦可欺。世若遗我,当世戮灭——没有了灯红酒绿,没有了川流不息。在这个实力为尊,弱肉强食的世界,充满了绚丽多彩的魔法,霸气威武的斗气......一条满是荆棘坎坷,却又潇洒,随心的异世逆天之路就此开启!
  • 一剑凌尘

    一剑凌尘

    九州内乱,道魔相争,一时间枯骨遍地,哀鸿遍野。妖族兴起,欲霍乱九州。主角身世成谜,当最疼爱他的兄长离他而去,他只得自己背起家仇国怨。看这萧沐如何经历经历爱恨交织的人生,用一把剑荡除妖魔鬼魁!
  • 无解城市

    无解城市

    偶遇都市传说,却遇上世界新纪元的开始,游戏扩展到现实世界,然而刘宇又如何在关乎生死的游戏中从菜鸟晋升到另一个都市传说,血月之下,是一场残酷的战争
  • 记忆中,我们走过的时光

    记忆中,我们走过的时光

    青春不再,你是否还记得在你年少时那些陪你笑、陪你哭的人,那时候,我们吵过,痛过,好过。沉槿媛、沈铭,他们是青梅竹马,都以为他们会在一起,但,竹马是个gay…初三时沈铭喜欢上了给他补习的男老师,初三最后一次补习,沈铭强吻了他。老师的告白:沈铭,我有病,但你是我的药,只有你能治疗我。林绾,蕾丝,初三喜欢上的女生,现在在一起没有情侣间的温暖与爱,大多是社会上的舆论,厌恶…………错的不是我们,而是这个世界。“校园、社会哪里才是我们的容身之处…”关于同性恋我们究竟该是个什么态度!正常向,同性恋,有虐有甜。本文讲述了三对情侣从高中到大学的青春故事,以及他们的感情之路!
  • 星光守护神

    星光守护神

    浩瀚的星空,广袤而神秘。那黑暗中,仿佛存在一双邪恶的眼睛,它高高在上,俯视着渺小而卑微的人类。在那未知的深空中,在那被黑暗统治的恐惧中,一个少年应运而生,他在灾难与苦祸中崛起,将早已破乱不堪的“上古战场”恢复昔日的荣光。他有很多名字,每一个都足以震慑邪魔!银面独侠?沉睡的GODYE?死神?……大多数的人习惯叫我“星光守护神”,这些其实都是虚名,其实我更喜欢修建学校。Ihaveadream(我有一个梦想),oneday(有一天)……每个孩子都能有书可以读。
  • 嗜酒皇妃

    嗜酒皇妃

    追逐……躲藏……这岂是爱情的轨道?他愿一心待她,为何她却推开了他的爱慕?她愿与他厮守,为何他却亲手残害她腹中的孩儿?回首往事,谁也不曾错,只是,曾经沧海难为水,除却巫山不是云!
  • 上清元始变化宝真上经

    上清元始变化宝真上经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 给经理人每天看的心理学

    给经理人每天看的心理学

    本书通俗简练的语言,结合实例,从现实生活的各个方面——情绪心理学、成功心理学、目标心理学、社交心理学、管理心理学等,指出常见的心理困惑并提供防治建议,总结性地阐述了现代人常见不良心理、心理障碍及防治策略。
  • 天朝有些俠

    天朝有些俠

    從今以後,這個家又名『天地觀』,在這裏,你將會獲得重要的同伴們,與他們一起修習劍術俠義,收集香火油錢,在這天朝洛陽城洛龍縣太玄村裏好好生活下去,透過各種任務磨勵意志,為黎民百姓解憂解困,打響名號,成為頂天立地的大俠……
  • 怪盗基德的美漫之旅

    怪盗基德的美漫之旅

    怪盗在美漫中调戏超级英雄与反派完成成神大业的故事