Page:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.djvu/858

732 bring his lute with him. In Queen Elizabeth's time a lute was one of the necessary bits of furniture of a barber's shop.

The man arrived, and Peele entreated him of his courtesy to leave the lute with him, that he might amuse himself with it in the evening. The barber consented, and departed. George was now left alone with two of his comrades, and he bade them clear out of the house speedily. Then going down into the court he looked at the clouds, and complained of the weather. He was inclined for a stroll. Thereupon the hostess fetched her husband's best holiday cloak. George thanked her for the loan, called for a cup of sack, tossed it off to success to the "Three Pigeons," and walked away—to the river where his comrades were awaiting him, and they rowed down to London, where they all met, and sold the horse and the mare, the gown and the lute. Anthony Nit, the barber, was not satisfied to lose his lute, made inquiries, and found out who had cheated him of it; and pursued George Peele to Town and lighted on him in an alehouse in Seacoal Lane. Peele was shabbily dressed in a worn green jerkin, and had on his head a Spanish platter-fashioned hat, and was then engaged on a peck of oysters. George was not a little abashed at the sight of the barber, but showed no signs of being disconcerted. On the contrary he at once said, "My honest barber, welcome to London. I partly know your business; you come for your lute, do you not?" "Indeed, sir," quoth Anthony Nit, "that is the purpose of my coming." "And believe me," said Peele, "you shall not lose your labour; I pray you fall to and eat an oyster, and I will go with you presently; for a gentleman in the city, a man of great worship, borrowed it of me for the