However, a deep drink all round soon restored the spirits of the
mourners.
'Have any other of our friends fared hardly?' asked Hobbs.
'Some- yes. Particularly new-comers- such as small husbandmen
turned shiftless and hungry upon the world because their farms were
taken from them to be changed to sheep-ranges. They begged, and were
whipped at the cart's tail, naked from the girdle up, till the blood
ran; then set in the stocks to be pelted; they begged again, were
whipped again, and deprived of an ear; they begged a third time-
poor devils, what else could they do?- and were branded on the cheek
with a red-hot iron, then sold for slaves; they ran away, were
hunted down, and hanged. 'Tis a brief tale, and quickly told. Others
of us have fared less hardly. Stand forth, Yokel, Burns, and Hodge-
show your adornments!'
These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing
their backs, crisscrossed with ropy old welts left by the lash; one
turned up his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once
been; another showed a brand upon his shoulder- the letter V and a
mutilated ear; the third said:
'I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and
kids- now am I somewhat different in estate and calling; and the
wife and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in- in the
other place- but the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in
England! My good old blameless mother strove to earn bread by
nursing the sick; one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my
mother was burned for a witch, whilst my babes looked on and wailed.
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