It so happened that at the moment the stranger was passing, the owner of the house—­a squire of some sixty years of age, but hale and hearty—­was standing in front of his porch taking the evening air.  This fact the horseman did not fail to notice, and with a ready eye to the main chance, which showed its possessor to be a man of no ordinary apprehension, he glanced approvingly at the groined porch, the richly carved pinnacles above it, and at the quaint belfry beyond, exclaiming with great enthusiasm: 

“’Fore God, you have a goodly dwelling and a rich here.  I do envy thee thine house, sir.”

“Barren, barren, barren; beggars all, beggars all,” [8] was the reply, to which, after a pause, the squire added, “Marry, good air.”

[Footnote 8:  2 Henry IV, V. iii.]

“Ah, ’tis a good air up on these wolds,” replied the sportsman.  “But I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire; these high wild hills and rough, uneven ways draw out our miles and make them wearisome.[9] How far is it to Stratford?”

[Footnote 9:  King Richard II., II. iii.]

“Marry, ’tis nigh on forty mile, I warrant.  Thou’ll not see Stratford to-night, sir; thy horse is wappered[10] out, and that I plainly see.”

[Footnote 10:  Wappered = tired.  A Cotswold word.]

To him replied the stranger wearily: 

     Where is the horse that doth untread again
     His tedious measures with the unbated fire
     That he did pace them first?  All things that are,
     Are with more spirit chased than enjoyed.[11]

[Footnote 11:  Merchant of Venice, II. vi.]

“Hast been with the hounds to-day?” enquired the honest squire.

“Ah, sir, and that I have,” was the reply; “and never have I seen such sport before.  For seven long hours they made the welkin ring, and ran like swallows o’er the plain.” [12]

[Footnote 12:  Titus Andronicus, II. ii.]

“Please to step in; we be just a-settin’ down to supper—­a cold capon and a venison pasty.  I’ll tell my serving man to take thy nag to yonder yard, and make him comfortable for the night.”

“Thanks, sir, I’ll take him round myself, and give the honest beast a drench of barley broth,[13] and afterwards, to cheer him up a bit, a handful or two of dried peas.” [14]

[Footnote 13:  Henry V., III. v.]

[Footnote 14:  Midsummer Night’s Dream, IV. i.]

Whilst the hunter was seeing to his nag, the squire thus addressed his serving man: 

“Some pigeons, Davy, a couple of short-legged hens, a joint of mutton, and any pretty tiny kickshaws, tell William cook.” [15]

[Footnote 15:  2 Henry IV., V. i.]

DAVY:  “Doth the hunter stay all night, sir?”

SQUIRE:  “Yes, Davy.  I will use him well; good sportsmen are ever welcome on Cotswold.”