Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain, Volume II (of 2) by Philip Thicknesse
page 77 of 136 (56%)
even that of _Rheims_, and well worthy of the notice of strangers; it is
said to have been built by the English: With the relicks and
_custodiums_ of the host, are shewn the sacerdotal habits, in which
Archbishop _Becket_ (who resided there many years) said mass, for it was
his head-quarters, when he _left_ Britain, as well as _Julius Cæsar_'s
before he went there. The silver hasps, and some of the ornaments of
these garments, are still perfect, though it has undergone so many
darnings, as to be little else.

_Becket_ was a very tall man; for though it has many tucks in it, yet it
is generally too long for the tallest priest in the town, who
constantly says mass in it on _St. Thomas_'s day.

How times and men are changed! This town, which resisted the arms of
_Cæsar_ for a considerable time, was put in the utmost consternation by
_Dr. Smollett_'s causing his travelling blunderbuss to be only fired in
the air, a circumstance "which greatly terrified all the _petit monde!_"
It is very singular, that the Doctor should have frightened a French
nobleman of _Burgundy_, by shaking his cane at him, and even made him
assist in the most servile offices; and in the next town, terrify all
the common people, by only firing a blunderbuss in the air!

I would not willingly arraign a dead man with telling two fibbs so close
upon the back of each other; but I am sure there was but that single
French nobleman, in this mighty kingdom, who would have submitted to
such insults as the Doctor _says_ he treated him with; nor any other
town but _Sens_, where the firing of a gun would have so terrified the
inhabitants; for, drums, guns, and noise of every sort, seem to afford
the common French people infinite pleasure.

DigitalOcean Referral Badge