| Share page |
|
RAMBLES ABOUT BURWASH 27
Stubbins was one of his cronies ; he was a jolly fat doctor, and a very good house-keeper. As Dr. Corbet and he were riding in Lob Lane in wet weather ('tis an extraordinary deepe dirty lane), the coache fell, and Corbet said that Dr. S. was up to his elbows in mud, and he was up to the elbows in Stubbins."
Now that is an excellent jest. Prince Hal might have said that about the massive proportions of Falstaff!
Aubrey continues :
" A.D., 1628, he was made Bishop of Oxford ; and I have heard that he had an admirable grave and venerable aspect. One time as he was confirming, the country people, pressing in to see the ceremonie, said he, ' Beare off there, or I'll confirm ye with my staffe.' Another time, being to lay his hand on the head of a man very bald, he turns to his chaplaine, and said, ' Some dust, Lushington,' to keepe his hand from slipping. ' There was a man with a great venerable beard'; said the bishop. ' You, behind the beard.' "
That is quite in the London motor driver's caustic style when a venerable old gentleman wanders aimlessly in front of his five-ton lorry— " Here, you with the whiskers ! Out of it! "
Aubrey ends with the following jovial picture :
" His chaplaine, Dr. Lushington, was a very learned and ingenious man, and they loved one another. The |
||