Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/356

 336 Hijiory of Domejiic Maimers The tavern was efpecially the haunt of gamblers, who were encouraged by the "tapfter," becaufe they brought him his moft profitable cuftomers. As I have faid before, when his cuftomers had no money, the taverner took their articles of drefs for payment, and in doing this he added the profits of the money-lender to thofe of the taverner. In the fabliau of "Gautier d'Aupais," the young prodigal Gautier, hungry and pennilefs, arrives towards evening at a tavern, where he finds a number of guefts enjoying themfelves. His horfe is taken to the flable, and he joins the guefts, but when the moment comes for paying, and the taverner demands three fols, he is induced in his defperation to try his luck at the dice. Inftead, however, of retrieving his fortunes, he lofes his horfe and his robe, and is obliged to return to his father's houfe on foot, and in his Ihirt— Si a perdu ja robe et fon cor ant deftrier ; En pure fa chemlfe Ven coni/'mt reperier. The ftory of Cortois d' Arras, in the fabliau in "Barbazan" (i. 3S^)' is fomewhat fimilar. Young Cortois, alfo a prodigal, obtains from his father a large fum of money as a compenfation for all his claims on the paternal property, and with this throws himfelf upon the world. As he proceeded, he heard the tavern-boy calling out from the door, " Here is good wine of Soiffons, acceptable to everybody ! here credit is given to everybody, and no pledges taken!" with much more in the fame ftyle. Cortois determined to ftop at the tavern. " Hoft," faid he, "how much do you fell your wine the feptier (a meafure of two gallons) ? and when was it tapped?" He was told that it had been freili tapped that morning, and that the price was { deniers. The hoft then goes on to difplay his accommodations. " Within are all forts of comforts ; painted chambers, and foft beds, raifed high with white ftraw, and made foft with feathers ; here within is hoftel for love afl^airs, and when bed-time comes you will have pillows of violets to hold your head more foftly ; and, finally, you will have eleftuaries and role-water, to walh your mouth and your face." Cortois orders a gallon of wine, and immediately after- wards a helle demoifelle makes her appearance, for fuch were in thefe times reckoned among the attraftions of the tavern. It is foon arranged between