Citt. To increase which, I pray good Father, tell me what of your selfe you know, or haue heard from others touching the effects of this wenderfull Snow, in those Countries Northward, through which you haue trauelled?

Nor. My Countrie affaires (sometimes vsing Grasing, sometimes following other profitable courses, as the seasons and aduantages of times lead me) haue made me or my Seruants, continuall traders and trauellers into all the North parts of England: And vpon mine owne knowledge I can assure you, that at other times, when Winter hath but shewen his ordinarie tyrannie, the Countries of Cumberland, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and all those adioyning, haue been so hid in Snow, that a man would haue thought, there was no more possibly to be found in the world.

Citt. So then you must conclude, that the heapes of Snow in those former times, being this yeare doubled and trebled, the miserie that falles with it, must by consequence, be multiplyed.

Nor. Multiplyed! I haue met with some that haue come from the Peake in Darbyshire, others (since my comming to Towne) that haue been in Nottingham, Cambridge-shire, and the Ile of Ely; who verily beleeue (vpon the daily cryes of poore people, not onely there, but in many other Countries besides) that neuer any Calamitie did happen to them so full of terrour, and so sodainely to vndoe them, their Wiues and Children, as this Snow.

Citt. It is lamentable.

Nor. Mine Eyes are witnesses (bad though they be) that some Countries which stand high, shew for all the world, like the Alpyne Hilles parting France and Italie: (I thanke God, in younger dayes I haue trauelled that way, and therefore know what I speake) for the heads of those Hilles are couerd with these white Winter-lockes in the hottest dayes of Sommer. And it is to be feared, that in some of our farre Countries, Sommer will haue made his progresse a good way into our Land, before the Earth will disgest these cold Pellets off from her stomacke.

Citt. It is to be feared indeed: the more is the pitty.

Nor. Why I will tell you Sir, if you saw some places by which I haue passed but within these three weeks, you would verily thinke, Freezeland come from beyond Sea. that Freezland were come ouer Sea, swimming on a cake of Ice, and that it was lodged in England. Nay you would, if you dwelt as coldly and miserably, as some poore people of our owne Nation doe, you would almost sweare, that those partes of England lay vnder the Frozen Zone, and scarce remember there were a Sunne in Heauen, so seldome doe his fyres cast any heate vpon them.

Citt. But I pray Sir. What are the greatest hurtes and miseries, that people with you (so farre from vs) complaine of? And what kind of world is it with you in the Countrie?

Nor. The world with vs of the Country runns vpon the old retten wheeles; The world no changeling. for all the Northern Cloth that is wouen in our Country, will scarce make a Gowne to keepe Charitie warme, shee goes so a-cold: Those that are Rich, had neuer more Money; and Couetousnesse had neuer lesse pittie. There was neuer in any Age, more Money stirring, Money keepes her bed and is not stirring. (if Curmundgions would let it come foorth,) nor euer in any Age more stirre to get Money. Farmers now are slaues to racking prodigall Landlords; and those Landlords are more seruile slaues to their owne Riots and Luxurie. But these are the common Diseases of euery Kingdome, Old diseases hardly cured and therfore but common newes. But your desire Sir, is to know how wee spend the dayes of our frosty and snowy-lock’d Age in the Countrie.

Citt. That I would heare indeed, Father.

Nor. Beleeue me Sir, as wickedly (you must thinke) as you can heere in the Cittie: It goes as hard with vs, as it does with you, The poore Countrymans misery. if not harder. The same cold hand of Winter is thrust into our bosomes, the same sharpe and bitter Ayre strikes woundes into our bodyes: the same Snowy flakes and flockes of Heauen fall on our Heades, and couer our Houses: the same Sunne shines vpon vs, but the same Sunne scarce heates vs so much as it does you. The poore Plough-mans children sit crying and blowing their Nayles as lamentably, His wife and children. as the Children & Seruants of your poore Artificers: Hunger pincheth their Cheekes as deepe into the Flesh, as it doth into yours heere. You cry out, you are vndone by the extreame prices of Foode and Fuell; and wee complaine wee are ready to die for want both of Uictualles and Wood. All your care is to prouide for your Wiues, Children, and Seruants, in this time of sadnesse: but Wee goe beyonde you in cares; The countrymans care, aboue the Cittizen. not onely our Wiues, our Children, and household Seruants, are vnto vs a cause of sorrow, but wee grieue asmuch to beholde the miserie of our poore Cattell (in this frozen-hearted season) as it doth to looke vpon our owne Affliction. Our Beastes are our faythfull Seruants, and doe their labours truely when wee set them to it: they are our Nurses that giue vs Milke; Kine. they are our Guides in our Iornies; they are our Partners, and helpe to inrich our State: yea, they are the very Upholders of a poore Farmers Lands and Liuings.

Alas then! what Maister (that loues his Seruant as hee ought) but would almost breake his owne heartstringes with sighing, to see those pine and mourne, as they doe. Nay, Sheepe. to see Flockes of Sheepe lustie and liuely to day, and to morrow, lying in heapes strangled in the Snow.

The Ground is bare, and not worth a poore handfull of Grasse. The Earth seemes barren, and beares nothing; or if shee doth, most vnnaturally shee killes it presently, or suffers it (through cold) to perish. By which meanes, the lustie Horse abates his flesh, Horses, Oxen, LambesFaded ink; missing letter obvious from context. and hanges the head, feeling his strength goe from him: the Oxe standes bellowing, the ragged Sheepe bleating, the poore Lambe shiuering and staruing to death.

The poore Cottager that hath but a Cow to liue vpon, must feed vpon hungry meales (God knowes) when the Beast her selfe hath but a bare Commons; nay, in searching to fill her belly with those hungry Meales, is perhaps on a sodaine, drowned in a ditch.

Hee that is not able to bid all his Cattell home, and to feast them with Fodder out of his Barnes, shall scarce haue Cattell at the end of Sommer to fetch in his Haruest: which charge of feeding so many Mouthes, is able to eate a Country-mans estate, it by prouidence hee cannot preuent such stormes. Adde vnto these Mischiefes, these following Miseries, Hay sold at extreame rates. that Hay (to feed Cattell) is not onely excessiue deare, but so scant, that none almost is to be had: the like of Straw, which is raysed to an exceeding price: Then the spoyling of whole Warrens, the rotting of our Pastures and Meddowes: And last of all, the vndooing of poore Carriers, they being not able, (by reason of deepe Waters, Carriers vndone. deepe Snowes, and dangerous Wayes) either to transport commodities and benefites from vs to your Cittie, or from your Cittie to vs. And thus haue I to satisfie your desire, giuen you in a few wordes a description of an ample, and our lamentable countrie Miserie, happening vnto vs, by reason of this cold and vncomfortable Weather.

Cit. The Story you haue told (albeit, it yet makes my heart bleed, to thinke vpon the calamity of my poore Countreymen;) was vttered with so graue a iudgement, and in a time so well befitting your age, that I kept mine eares open, and my lippes lockt vppe, for I was loath to interupt you till all was told. But I pray Sir, besides this generall hurtes (of which, the whole Kingdome hath a smarting share,) what particuler accidents can you report, worthy to be remembred for the strangenesse of them?

Nor. There is no mischeefe borne alone (you know:) Calamities commonly are (by birth) Twinnes; I will therefore (like one of your London Traders,) giue ouer selling these sadde and bad Commodities in grosse and whole-saile, and fall to put them away by retaile.

Cit. As I haue been your Customer for the one, so I will pay you ready thankes (as my best payment) for the other.

Nor. I wish no better; neyther doe I promise to put these Wares into your hands for the best that are, but in such sort as they came to me; so I hope you will receiue them.

Cit. Gladly.

Nor. Because then you are a Cittizen your selfe, I will tell you what was truely reported to mee of a mischaunce happening to a couple of Londoners now since Christmas.

Citt. I hearken to you Sir.

Nor. They two hauing great occasion to ride into the North, it fortuned that in passing ouer a great Heath or Commons, on either side of which, were Woods; and beeing not aboue two Miles (to their thinking) from the next towne; yet night approching, and the Snow (which then coldly and thickly fell) being by the winde so sharply driuen, and beating in their faces, that they could not looke vp to obserue the way; they were thereby forced to muffle themselues in their Cloakes ouer head and cares, and to trust to the poore Beastes vnder them, to guide them to the Towne, which they knew was not farre off.

Citt. So sir.

Nor. But their Horses, hauing libertie of Reynes giuen them, sought to receiue as little of the blustering Stormes as their Maisters did, and turning their heads as much as they could out of it, left the beaten Path (all hidden in Snow,) and forsaking the direct way to the Towne, had gotten on a suddaine into one of the Woods as least foure or fiue Miles: By which time, the two Londoners wondring they were not yet at the Towne; and being halfe dead with cold, looked vp, & found themselues not onely out of their way, but that the Sky was so darke, that they had no hope to come into the right way againe: Trees they saw on euery side, and thicke Groues, but not so much as the glimpse of a Candle a farre off in any house, (which is as a Loadstarre to a discomforted Traueller in the night,) no neither (for all their listning) could they heare the voyce either of Man or Beast, to assure them that people were not farre off from them.

Citt. Most lamentable.

Nor. To stay there still was dangerous; to goe forward (they knew not whither) more dangerous: of two euils, they made choyce of the least; and that was, to trust to the merry of Almighty God, Good  and a bad Inne. to preserue them in that place till morning. Their Horses they tyed vp, to a cold Maunger, and to worse Prouander: their Maisters had as bad an Inne, as the Seruants: Meate had they none, Fire had they none, no Bedde but the Earth, no Light but the Starres of Heauen.

Citt. You make Water euen stand in mine Eyes at the report.

Nor. In this dolefull estate chearing vp one another the best that they could; and walking vp and downe to keepe their numbed bodyes in heate, behold, one of the two, what with cold, and what with conceite of so vnfortunate an accident, fell sodainely sicke. What comfort was neere him? none, but his friend, that stood at the same doore of mercie with him.

Citt. Alacke, alacke.

Nor. That dangerous cold Feauer more and more shaking him; One of them dyes. the last fitte that held him, ended both his sicknesse, and his life.

Citt. Dyed hee there?

Nor. There, in the Armes of his Friend, and his mother (the Earth) hee dyed.

Citt. What a terrour was this to his dessolate Companion?

Nor. How could it be otherwise? Yet God suffering one to liue, least the Fowles of the Ayre, should haue deuowred both, and so their deaths not haue bin knowne. Hee, so soone as euer any light from heauen shewen-foorth, tooke his way and leaue of his dead Friend, to finde out some Towne; and did so: where, to some of the dwellers relating the sadde storie of himselfe and Friend, pittie (as it could unot otherwise choose) so stirred in their bosomes, that along they went with him to the dolefull place and spectacle; which taking vp, and hauing bestowed due rites of Buriall vpon it; the other Friend, ouer grieuing at the losse of his Companion, and at so rare and vnheard-of a Calamitie, fell likewise extreamely sicke in the same Towne: And whether he did recouer or not, I haue not heard.

Citt. I haue not heard of a Newes that so deepely hath strucke sorrow into mee.

Nor. I beleeue you: Let blacke Cloudes fly togeather; heere be more of the same sadde coloure, which I report not for certaine truthes, but as flying Newes; and these they are. I heard, that a company of Horse-men riding togeather, Other strangeInking error. Missing letters obvious from context.euents. spyed another Horseman ryding singly by himselfe, some quarter of a Mile before them in plaine view, and on a sodaine was vanished cleane out of sight; at which they all much wondring, considering the planenesse of the way; and misdoubting the worst, noted the place (so neere as they could) where they lost a sight of him: And putting Spurres to their Horse, came, and found both Man and Horse into a Pitte of Snow, strugling and striuing for life. Whereupon, leaping from their Horses, with much adoe they saued both Horse and Man, and drew them foorth. In labouring to doe which, not farre from him, lay three or foure men more, and their Horses vnder them, buried in the same Pitte of Snow.

Citt. To second this report of youres: A Customer of mine, no longer agone then yesterday, told mee heere in my Shoppe, that vpon New-market Heath in Cambridge shire, three men in seuerall places, were found dead in the same manner.

Nor. Not vnlikly. And in many other Countries, many more, both Men, Women, and Children, haue perished, that neuer will come within reach of our knowledge.

Cit. It is to be feared.

Nor. Amongst so much sowre meate, I should do you wrong, if I did not set one pleasing Dish before you; I will therefore tell you a merry Tale of a Collier, that happened since this great Snow.

Cit. I shall be glad to heare it.

Nor. I call it merry, in respect of the sodaine accident attending on it, albeit it fell out sadly enough for the poore Collier: And thus it was.

Citt. Come on Sir.

Nor. In my approching neere London, I ouertooke a Collier, A Tale of a Collier. and his Teame loaden, walking as stately as if they scornd to carry Coales; for their pace was iust like that of Malt-mens Horses when they march to London with full Sackes on their backes. I asked honest Grimme, Why hee made no more haste, to put heate into his Horses and him selfe, seeing the Weather so cold? Not so (cryed hee) no more haste then good; Soft Fire makes sweete Malt: Let mee trotte to day, that I may amble more easily tomorrow. If I should put my Horses into a chafe, they may hap put me into such a cold sweate, as the last day a Brother of mine (a Coale-carrier too) fell into, which strucke him so to the heart, that fiue loade of Coales cannot yet warme him.

Cit. Belike then, hee tooke an extraordinary cold.

Nor. You shall heare. I prayde my black-facde Gentleman to tell the Newes out: And so (his whissle lying still) he reported, That a Collier going to London with a load of Coales, hee himselfe ryding by, on a little sorrie Nagge, it fortuned that a Gentleman discharging his Birding-peece at Fowle, some of the small Shott flying through a Hedge, happened to tickle my fellow Colliers Nagge: The Colliers Horse will stand on no ground. which hotte showre put more courage into him, then euer the Whip was able to giue him, insomuch that he ran away with the Collier as fast, as if hee had been ryding to Hell, to serue their Fornaces there with Fyring: the whole Teame spying their Maister in his vn-vsuall post-gallop, and frighted with the noyse of the Peece, left the High-way (their ordinarie beaten path,) and as if the Diuell had daunc’d in one of the Sackes, The blacke Tragedie. after the Collier they ran, who cryed, Hey, and Hoe, and Ree, and Gee; but none of his carterly Rethoricke was able to stay them, vntill Cart & Coales were ouerthrowne, and with the fall, the Axletree broken. By which time, albeit the Colliers Nagge were halfe come to his wittes, yet the Collier himselfe began to be starke mad.

Cit. By my fayth hee had reason.

Nor. And in that furie (quoth the other Collier) hee fell a cursing of Gunnes, The Collier tickle-it for Satyre bade a Pox of all Powder; cryed out, It was a shame, that poore harmelesse Birds could not be suffered in such pittifull cold weather, to saue them-selues vnder a Bush, wheun euery lowsie Beggar had the same libertie, but that euery paltrie Peter-gunner, must fart Fire and Brimstone at them. But, Hinc illae Lacrimae. the wofull spectacle of his Great Coale, turude and grinded into Small, by the iogging and ioulting: And his Horses beeing in such a durtie pickle, made him giue ouer cursing: So that taking his Teame out of the Cart, and tying the Fore-horse to a Hedge, backe gallops my fellow Goose-stealer, to the next Towne for a new Axeltree. In whose vnhappie blacke absence, the former Bird-killer making another shoote, the whole Teame (now madder then before, as beeing not vsed to such Musicke, brake from the Hedge; and beeing out of their Croydon Caronto, Madd horse play. vp Hill, and downe Dale, they flye, as if Wild-fire had been tyed to their tayles; vntill at last, happening into a narrow Lane, deepely filled vp with Snow, on they rushe: the first (like ill Companie on a Shroue-tuesday) drawing on the second, and so hee the third; and then not beeing able to turne backe, but strugling and beating way in that cold passing, where none was to be had: In the ende beeing tyred with striuing, downe the poore Beastes fell, and there were styffled in the Snow. Thus was the Colliers Tale to mee; but what the lamentations of the other Collier were at his comming backe, I thinke you may guesse.

Cit. Such, that I warrant you, he wept more warme water, then euer he had at any countrie Barbers to wash his smutty Face on a Satterday night.