nutshell

For men be now tratlers and tellers of tales;

What tidings at Totnam, what newis in Wales,

What ſhippis are ſailing to Scalis Malis?

And all is not worth a couple of nut ſhalis.

[A]t last the fishing-line stood straight out behind, and the stone weights jumped along the tops of the billows, while the seas - notwithstanding the guiding hand of the pilot sought to avoid them - broke over our little nutshell, and sent the spray high above mast and sail.