Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/94

 crawled out like drowned rats: while others have sunk to the bottom that never rose again to the top. They had a cold bed to lie in! Amongst many other misfortunes that are to be pitied, this is one. A couple of friends shooting on the Thames with birding pieces, it happened they struck a sea-pie or some other fowl. They both ran to fetch it. The one stumbled forward, his head slipped into a deep hole, and there he was drowned: the other in his haste slipped backward, and by that means saved his life.

A poor fellow likewise having heated his body with drink, thought belike to cool it on the water: but coming to walk on the ice, his head was too heavy for his heels; so that down he fell, and there presently died.

Coun. Let his fall give others warning how to stand. Your city cannot choose but to be much damnified [injured] by this strange congealing of the river.

Cit. Exceeding much, father. Strangers may guess at our harms: yet none can give the full number of them but we that are the inhabitants. For the City by this means is cut off from all commerce. Shop-keepers may sit and ask "What do you lack?" when the passengers [passers by] may very well reply "What do you lack yourselves?" They may sit and stare on men, but not sit and sell. It was, before, called "The dead term:" and now may we call this "The dead vacation," "The frozen vacation," "The cold vacation." If it be a gentleman's life to live idly and do nothing, how many poor artificers and tradesmen have been made gentlemen then by this frost? For a number of occupations—like the flakes of ice that lie in the Thames—are by this malice of WINTER, trod clean under foot, and will not yet be able to stir. Alas, poor watermen! you have had cold cheer at this banquet. You that live altogether upon water, can scarce get water to your hands. It is a hard thing now for you to earn your bread with the sweat of your brows.

Coun. This beating may make them wise. The want that this hard season drives them into, may teach them to play the ants; and in summer to make a provision against the wrath of winter. There is no mischief born alone, I know. Calamities commonly are, by birth, twins. Methinks, therefore, that this drying up of the waters should be a devourer up