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A Dream of John Ball
A Dream of John Ball

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Dream of John Ball
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.
A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.
That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.
The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.
On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Dream of John Ball

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.
Line 2
A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.
Line 3
That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.
Line 4
The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.
Line 5
On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.”

All words in this reading · 113

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

about

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

above

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

all

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

an

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

array

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

as

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

astonishment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

at

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

beautiful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

benches

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

board

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

boards

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

bowls

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

bright

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

brightly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

but

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

by

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

carved

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

chair

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

chimney

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

chimney-corner

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

colours

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

company

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

did

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

dim-eyed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

dishes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

done

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

door

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

earthen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

enough

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

entered

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

ESSEX

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

except

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

eyes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

feet

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

filled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

first

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

floor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

freely

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

FROM

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

furniture

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

great

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

had

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

held

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

hood

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

huge

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

I

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

interior

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

it

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

its

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

MAN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

me

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

my

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

oak

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

old

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

on

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

painted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

panelled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

parlour

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

pattern

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

pewter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

plaster

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

pothouse

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

pots

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

proper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the hood of the great chimney a huge rose was wrought in the plaster and brightly painted in its proper colours.

quaintly-carved

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

room

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

rose

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

rough

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

roughly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

round

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

running

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

sat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

seem

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

seemed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

side

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

six

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

skill

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

so

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

spirit

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

started

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

stem

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

stools

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

stout

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

strange

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

table

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

That

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading That, except the rough stools and benches on which the company sat, was all the furniture.

THE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

this

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

though

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

three

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

to

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

unused

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

very

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

walls

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

went

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

were

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

which

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

white-bearded

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

woke

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE MAN FROM ESSEX I entered the door and started at first with my old astonishment, with which I had woke up, so strange and beautiful did this interior seem to me, though it was but a pothouse parlour.

wonderful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

wooden

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A quaintly-carved side board held an array of bright pewter pots and dishes and wooden and earthen bowls; a stout oak table went up and down the room, and a carved oak chair stood by the chimney-corner, now filled by a very old man dim-eyed and white-bearded.

wrought

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The walls were panelled roughly enough with oak boards to about six feet from the floor, and about three feet of plaster above that was wrought in a pattern of a rose stem running all round the room, freely and roughly done, but with (as it seemed to my unused eyes) wonderful skill and spirit.

Chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball by William Morris holds 57 sentences, grouped into 12 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball contain?

Chapter 2 holds 57 sentences of A Dream of John Ball, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball by William Morris exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 57 sentences, grouped into 12 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of A Dream of John Ball?

Work through the 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 12 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Dream of John Ball

Common questions about reading A Dream of John Ball by William Morris on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Dream of John Ball?

Yes. All 829 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #357 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Dream of John Ball is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #357, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Dream of John Ball take to read?

About 69 minutes of reading across 166 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Dream of John Ball section by section

How to work through A Dream of John Ball section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of A Dream of John Ball to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Dream of John Ball

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Dream of John Ball, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sometimes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Dream of John Ball; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rewarded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Dream of John Ball; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fretting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Dream of John Ball; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Myself
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Dream of John Ball; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.