Talking
one day of Chinese waggons, which were made so light as to sail over
mountains, "Z---nds," said Peter, "where's the wonder of that? By
G---, I saw a large house of lime and stone travel over sea and land
(granting that it stopped sometimes to bait) above two thousand
German leagues." {98c} And that which was the good of it, he would
swear desperately all the while that he never told a lie in his
life, and at every word: "By G---- gentlemen, I tell you nothing
but the truth, and the d---l broil them eternally that will not
believe me."
In short, Peter grew so scandalous that all the neighbourhood began
in plain words to say he was no better than a knave; and his two
brothers, long weary of his ill-usage, resolved at last to leave
him; but first they humbly desired a copy of their father's will,
which had now lain by neglected time out of mind. Instead of
granting this request, he called them rogues, traitors, and the rest
of the vile names he could muster up. However, while he was abroad
one day upon his projects, the two youngsters watched their
opportunity, made a shift to come at the will, and took a copia vera
{99a}, by which they presently saw how grossly they had been abused,
their father having left them equal heirs, and strictly commanded
that whatever they got should lie in common among them all.
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