The Copybook

Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.

373

© HoppyH, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Translated from the Lattin Sir Nicholas L’Estrange

When William Shakespeare agreed to be godfather to Ben Jonson’s baby boy, he forgot that he would have to think of a gift for his christening.

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374

By John Linnell (1792–1882), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public Domain.

Balaam and His Ass Clay Lane

A prophet-for-hire agreed to help Balak, King of Moab, try to do something about the flood of Israelites pouring into his kingdom.

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375

By the Euphiletos Painter, via the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Run for Glory St Bede of Jarrow

In a sermon for the Feast of All Saints, eighth-century Northumbrian monk St Bede explains why it is worth going for the spiritual burn.

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376

By the Hattatt Painter, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Fight the Good Fight St Bede of Jarrow

Eighth-century Northumbrian monk St Bede urged Christians to think of heaven, and then fight our way there for all we are worth.

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377

By Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), via the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain image.

Surrey vs Hampshire Sporting Magazine

‘Rain stopped play’ but it did not stop the ladies of Surrey and Hampshire from finishing their epic struggle at the Newington ground.

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378

Jean-Baptiste van Loo (1684–1745), via the Heritage Museum (St Petersburg) and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

A Patriot, Sir! Sir Robert Walpole

Sir Robert Walpole wasn’t impressed with kind of politician who pursues his own ambitions in the name of serving the country.

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