THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
and determined to sit still. "But," quoth he, "let us rather tell tales in turn, so that three may smoke while one recounts, and 'tis odd if we four Silurians are not able to furnish each other with entertainment till the clock strike dinner-time. Placetne vobis, domini?" "We might do worse," said Master Leonard, "and your entertainment may serve our occasions; but it is but just that as Spigot Clerk will have stories told, Spigot Clerk should make a beginning of telling stories, wherefore hold ye your peace, most gentle Knights, and hearken to the fat products of Ambrosius his brain." "Not so," cried Phil, "but rather we will recount by lot, and leave the judgment to our sweet lady Chance who still deals kindly with us." "Your lady Chance is no Christian, she hath not been sanctified" said the Rubrican, "but is a mere Pagan, and a slut to boot; yet we will use her for this turn, since it is a trivial. But what manner of lot shall we employ?" "Why this" I answered: "Let him whose pipe first goeth out tell the first tale, and have likewise the power to name his successor, and so on, till we have all devised some history. And the deviser shall for his turn sit in the chair by the window, the which was made after the conceit of one of our house that was a great bard, and it is alleged that this seat maketh him who sitteth thereon to be fertile and mightily productive." "How precious a chair is this," quoth Dick Leonard, "and in what esteem would I hold such an one if such were in my possession. Truly I believe there are a few households in Gwent that would find
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