Bobbe-up-and-doun

We are here in Bobbe-up-and-doun, a city close to Canterbury. I am very pleased that we are resting here. The people in this city are very friendly to us, and told us that many pilgrims stop here to rest on their voyage to Canterbury.

In this city is a leaper hospital, the Hospital of St. Nicholas. Patients from the hospital support themselves by displaying a slipper that St. Thomas a Becket wore. I highly doubt that they actually had St. Thomas a Becket’s slipper, however, I felt the need to take pity on the inmates, so I donated a shilling. I also had a chat with the leapers, and they are seemingly more intelligent than half the pilgrims I am traveling with to the shrine. I am stating this because people tend to stereotype the leapers and I want it known that they are people too.

We are so very far from home, and I worry that I will never catch up on my reading. I think my social skills have improved over the course of this trip, and I am rather proud of our group’s progress, both in miles and mentally. Speaking of miles, this town has very poor roads, and I dread continuing on tomorrow. In spite of that, I am very anxious to be so close to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket! Unfortunately, I must be going now, as the Wife of Bath is calling.