34 THE PLEASANT HISTORY OF CHAP.

extremely, groaning under the burden of
their strokes, of which Lanxferts were the
greatest and thundered most dreadfully; for
Dame Podge of Casport was his mother, and
his father was Marob the steeple-maker, a
passing stout man when he was alone. Bruzn
received of him many showers of stones till
Lanfert’s brother, rushing before the rest with
a staff, struck the bear in the head such a
blow, that he could neither hear nor see, so
that awaking from his astonishment the bear
leaped into the river adjoining, through a
cluster of wives there standing together, of
which he threw divers into the water, which
was large and deep, amongst whom the
parson’s wife was one; which the parson
seeing how she floated like a sea-mew, he
left striking the bear, and cried to the rest
of the company, ‘Help! oh help! Dame
Jullock is in the water; help, both men and
women, for whosoever saves her, I give free
pardon of all their sins and transgressions,
and remit all penance imposed whatsoever.’
This heard, every one left the bear to help
Dame /ullock, which as soon as the bear
saw, he cut the stream and swam away as
fast as he could, but the priest with a great