r of falling. The wife minced a bit of meat, then crumbled
some bread on a trencher, and placed it before me. I made her a low bow,
took out my knife and fork, and fell to eat, which gave them exceeding
delight. The mistress sent her maid for a small dram cup, which held
about two gallons, and filled it with drink; I took up the vessel with
much difficulty in both hands, and in a most respectful manner drank to
her ladyship's health, expressing the words as loud as I could in
English, which made the company laugh so heartily, that I was almost
deafened with the noise. This liquor tasted like a small cider, and was
not unpleasant. Then the master made me a sign to come to his trencher
side; but as I walked on the table, being in great surprise all the time,
as the indulgent reader will easily conceive and excuse, I happened to
stumble against a crust, and fell flat on my face, but received no hurt.
I got up immediately, and observing the good people to be in much
concern, I took my hat (which I held under my arm out of good manners,)
and waving it over my head, made three huzzas, to show I had got no
mischief by my fall. But advancing forward towards my master (as I shall
henceforth call him,) his youngest son, who sat next to him, an arch boy
of about ten years old, took me up by the legs, and held me so high in
the air, that I trembled every limb: but his father snatched me from him,
and at the same time gave him such a box on the left ear, as would have
felled an European troop of horse to the earth, ordering him to be taken
from the table. But being afraid the boy might owe me a spite, and well
remembering how mischievous all children among us naturally are to
sparrows, rabbits, young kittens, and puppy dogs, I fell on my knees, and
pointing to the boy, made my master to understand, as well as I could,
that I desired his son might be pardoned. The father complied, and the
lad took his seat again, whereupon I went to him, and kissed his hand,
which my master took, and made him stroke me gently with it.

In the midst of dinner, my mistress's favourite cat leaped into her lap.
I heard a noise behind me like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work;
and turning my head, I found it proceeded from the purring of that
animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by
the view of her head, and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding
and stroking her. The fierceness of this creature's cou