Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/105

 Cit. Amongst many other things upon the frozen Thames that will, in times to follow, look to be remembered, this is one. That there were two barber's shops—in the fashion of booths, with signs and other properties of that trade belonging to them—fixed on the ice: to which many numbers of people resorted: and, albeit they wanted no shaving, yet would they here be trimmed, because [in order that] another day they might report that they lost their hair between Bank Side and London. Both these shops were still so full that the workmen thought every day had been a Saturday. Never had they more barberous doings for the time. There was both old polling and cold polling. And albeit the foundation of their houses stood altogether upon a watery ground, yet they that were doctors of the barber's chair feared no danger: for it was a hard matter almost now for a man to find water to drown himself, if he had been so desperate.

Then had they other games of "nine holes" and "pigeon holes" in great numbers. And this, father, did I observe as worthy to be remembered, that when the watermen, who had cold doings for a long time, had by main labour cut down with axes and such like instruments a lane and open passage between Queenhithe and the further bank [in Southwark], so that boats went surely to and fro, yet were people in great multitudes running, walking, sliding, and playing at games and exercises as boldly as if they had been on firm land, the Thames running mainly [powerfully] between them; and taking boats at Queenhithe or any other stairs, they would as fiercely leap upon the very brim of the caked ice as if it had been a strong wharf or the ground itself.

And thus much, father, touching the great frost here about our city. Unto which, upon my conference with some merchants my friends here in London, and upon view of letters from several factors out of other countries beyond the seas, I add this further report: that this frost hath not only continued in this extremity here in England; but all, or the greatest part of all, the kingdoms in Christendom have been pinched by the same. Amongst which those countries northward, as Russia, Moscovia, &c., which at these times of the year are commonly subject to sharp, bitter, and violent frosts, were now, this winter, more extremely and more extraordinarily afflicted than usually they have been in many