CHAP. I.] THE FIRST DA Y. 227 



PISCATOR. Believe me, no : and such as are intimately 

 acquainted with that gentleman know him to be a man who will 

 not endure to be treated like a stranger. So that his acceptation 

 of my poor entertainments has ever been a pure effect of his own 

 humility and good-nature, and nothing else. But, Sir, we are now 

 going down the Spittle hill into the town ; * and therefore let me 

 importune you suddenly to resolve, and most earnestly not to 

 deny me. 



VIATOR. In truth, Sir, I am so overcome by your bounty, 

 that I find I cannot, but must render myself wholly to be disposed 

 by you. 



PISCATOR. Why, that's heartily and kindly spoken, and I as 

 heartily thank you. And, being you have abandoned yourself to 

 my conduct, we will only call and drink a glass on horseback at 

 the Talbot, and away. 



VIATOR. I attend you. But what pretty river is this that 

 runs under this stone bridge ? has it a name ? 



PISCATOR. Yes, it is called Henmore ; t and has in it both 

 Trout and Grayling : but you will meet with one or two better anon. 

 And so soon as we are past through the town, I will endeavour, 

 by such discourse as best likes you, to pass away the time till you 

 come to your ill quarters. 



VIATOR. We can talk of nothing with which I shall be more 

 delighted than of rivers and angling. 



PISCATOR. Let those be the subjects then. But we are now 

 come to the Talbot : J what will you drink, Sir? ale or wine ? 



VIATOR. Nay, I am for the country liquor, Derbyshire ale, if 

 you please ; for a man should not, methinks, come from London 

 to drink wine in the Peak. 



PISCATOR. You are in the right : and yet, let me tell you, 

 you may drink worse French wine in many taverns in London 

 than they have sometimes at this house. What ho ! bring us a 

 flagon of your best ale. And now, Sir, my service to you : a 

 good health to the honest gentleman you know of, and you are 

 welcome into the Peak. 



* The old road, to the left of the turnpike, before the traveller enters Ashbourn. 



t At that time it was commonly so called, because it flowed through Hen Moor ; but 

 its proper name is Schop Brook. See a singular contest regarding the right of fishing in 

 this brook, as reported in Burrows, 2279. Richard Hayne, Esq. of Ashbourn, v. Uriah 

 Corden, Esq. of Clifton. 



t This inn stood in the market-place, and till about sixty years since was the first inn 

 at Ashbourn. About that period a wing was divided off for a private dwelling ; and the 

 far-famed Talbot was reduced to an inferior pothouse, and continued thus degraded 

 until the year 1786, when it was totally demolished by Mr Langdale, then a builder in 

 that town, who erected a very handsome structure on its site. Mr Langdale is now (1815) 

 a bookseller in the town, and acts as clerk to the magistrates of the hundred. 



