of his horrible committed murder So the Queene mother and he resolued to kepe it secret bicause they would not the Asse should haue anye hurt knowing hee was a good honest playne foolishe beast In the next morning betimes the Queene mother went to the Court to see the Kinge hir sonne and finding him perplexed and in heauy case she sayd vnto him What aylest thou my sonne that I see thee thus troubled and that these many dayes I sawe thee not mery If it be for any thinge thou hast lost assure thy selfe that neyther sighes nor sobbes will once restore it thee agayne This inwarde griefe doth vexe thy minde feebleth thy bodie and tormenteth thee much I see But yet giue it not waye so farre as thou canst not call it backe againe Impart at least thy deepe conceyued griefe vnto thy mother and familier friends such as best doe lyke thee If any helpe at all there bee wee all will put to our helping handes But if still thou doste burst out thus in teares and sighes thou wilt rather showe thy selfe a woman than a man For so doe women vse for euerye trifle when they liste to bring forth a teare Perhappes it grieues thee thou hast slaine Chiarino Out of doubt I can assure thee thou defiledst thy selfe in innocent bloude for without any crime faulte or liuing offence to thee thou laydest thy handes vpon him His mothers wordes at length drue these from him It is an olde saying and I haue heard it oft Thinges lost can neuer bee recouered and this thing goeth to the heart of me Naye see mother if I haue cause to sorrowe that since his death and before I neuer hard so much as an yll worde of my faithfull Chiarino Sure if he had ment yll to me it could not haue bene but I shoulde haue smelt it out and it woulde haue come to mine eares one waye or other And therefore to thee mother alone I confesse my faulte and I maye tell it thee the only worker of his mischiefe was his cruell enimie the Moyle which with practises inuentions and deuises hath supplanted me and killed him moouing mee to wrath Ah my sonne nowe I must needes tell thee agayne thou hast bene betrayed and deceyued both and this a trustie friende hath tolde me The Lyon would faine haue knowne of whom but the Queene mother would by no meanes at that time tell him ought But this she did assure him that there was no newe inuention nor alteration in hys Realme that shoulde offende him in worde or deede and bade him seeke well and in short time he should knowe all So the King since he coulde at that time get no more of his Mother determined to assemble all the beastes of his Realme and to call them to Parliament to consult vppon this matter and so he did WHen this generall Counsell was called where all the great Lordes of his Realme and the wysest of the Commons with all the souldiours were assembled he also sent for his Mother Shée looking all the beastes in the face that were present missing the Moyle caused him streight to be sent for So he came forthwith But when he was come to the Pallace and saw the Parliament house furnished with all the Colledge of beastes then he knewe the Princes indignation when looking vpon him earnestly he saw his colour chaunge and that his conscience gnawed him for the death of the Bull. Now the Moyle knowing himselfe guiltie began to whet his wittes and drawing néere to certaine of the great Lordes that stoode rounde about the Quéene mother hée sayde vnto them Lorde what ayleth our noble King what is the cause of this conuention here how commeth it he is thus malencholy What is there any sodeine or straunge accident happened in the Court that we may knowe the cause the Counsell hath bene called very sodainly The Quéene mother aunswered streight Thou néedest not marueyle ywis at the Kings heauinesse For thou knowest well ynough hauing giuen him the cause his sadnesse which with thy swéete sugred wordes hast giuen him bitter gall Tell me I pray thée canst thou tell who was cause of the death of the most noble and worthie knight of our Court Was it thou perhaps But the Moyle as stoute as Golyas without any blushing aunswered streight NOw I know the saying which our olde auncient beastes vsed in times past is true and I am out of doubt of it That let one doe as much good as he can his rewarde I warrant yee shall be little ynough and that God onely is hee who rewardeth and giueth recompence for anye benefite or seruice done O what a marueilous matter is it that he that liueth well in this worlde cannot continue to liue well but is compelled to daunce after euery mans pipe to holde with the Hare and runne with the Hounde The true heart I haue alwayes borne to the Kinge thy sonne and sounde counsell which God I take to recorde I haue euer giuen him doe not deserue such rewarde For it is knowne well ynough that the Moyle his seruaunt hath deliuered him from many daungers and present death also and refused no traueyle for his safetie and that I make his Lordship iudge off Well I onely craue of his Grace but that hee will inquire of my life and doings For I knowe my proceedings will appeere better to him than is thought for and I woulde my troth and honestie were openlye knowen to the world And for my part if the least part of that were true that is spoken of me and that I were any maner of way to be touched his Maiestie may be assured I woulde not tarie an houre in the Court and much lesse haue come before these great Lords And besides that I woulde not thinke my selfe sure in any place of the worlde wheresoeuer I were if I had but once receyued suche a thought in mee and much lesse if I had commited the deede Therefore I pray thee noble Ladie lende not thy eares to the wordes of enuious persons nor suffer his Maiestie to laye handes on my innocencie For if that seeme a straunge thing to you this a fortiore were a wicked fact a fact without reason iustice and anye maner of equitie I doe not care to be counted wicked in that case if all the Court doe count me so For God himselfe knoweth well the troth in whome I only hope and am sure he will deliuer me from this suspition and daunger THis Moyle in his wordes séemed to be the best beast of the world and those that lyke straungers heard him and knew not his Moylish nature a vile traitour Moile a whoreson cankred Moyle that let a man kéepe him in the stable .xxv. yeares and make neuer so much of him in the end for a farewell and that on a sodeine when a man thinketh not of it he will yerke out behinde and put him in daunger of his life were very sorie for his trouble and did pitie his
sharpe bitter wether of the mountaines he brought them into the playnes againe and deliuered vp his account of them all shewinge in steade of the heighfare his cassock made of hir skinne declaring hir death and the Bulles departure Saying that the Bull beinge in loue with hir and in his chiefe pride ranne his waye and strayed so farre that hee went quite out of sight and coulde neuer be set eye on agayne so that the owner amazed with that tale quieted himselfe This poore Chiarino lefte all alone and sickely limping went feeding vp and downe and steppe by steppe halting on passing thorowe many mountaines and hilles in many dayes he hapned to come into a solitarie but fertile country inhabited with infinit number of wilde beastes and meeting there with good pasture better ayre in time he waxed whole and sounde as euer he was sauinge that age had stollen vppon him by meanes whereof he had quite forgot Incoronata ▪ to weete the crowned heighfare Yet continuing thus without any Make of his kinde he rored and yelled amiddest that valley caues whose lowing ecco rebounding backe with terrible sounde impressed a merueylous feare in all the herde of wilde and sauadge beastes The Lyon that was kinge of all the rest hearing the hollow and fearefull noyse of this mighty Bull not acquainted before with the like noyse notwithstanding his hardinesse yet was hee sore afrayde and amazed both and durst not once for shame saye I am afrayde In the ende parplexed thus he resolued to sende a spye and calling to him secretely the wylde Bore hee sent him straight to see what newe and straunge thing that was This wilde Bore running through thickets thornes bryers and hedges at length came neere to the Bull. And when he sawe so goodly a beaste wyth his sharpe hornes so pointing out and with his parted hide halfe black halfe white and blased starre in the foreheade so well shaped with all hee stoode in a maze as one ouercome with feare and so much the more bicause at that instant the Bull put forth three or foure terrible lowes So that the poore wylde Bore was driuen for feare to hide him selfe in mudde all saue his head onely Now when he espied his time he retourned to the Lyon and tolde him the qualitie and condition of thys most terrible beaste I doe not tell you now what feare this Lyon had that princelyke kept his denne as Kinge in deede of all the reast and that was a Pallace for the counsayle a chamber of presence for his Gentlemen wherein they gaue themselues to disport But of this kingly feare was ware a sauadge Asse of longe appointed eares and priuie to the same also a Moyle brother to the Asse which both determined to vnderstande the cause The shee Asse Aunt to the Moyle and Mother of the Asse chaunced sodeinly to heare certaine whisperings amongst them and one softly to say to the other It is no marueyle that the Kinge commeth not oute of hys denne It is no marueyle neither that he goeth not a hunting hawking fyshing tournieng and iusting other whyle as hee was wont to doe The other aunswered It is certayne that he is afrayde of that great and mightie Beefe and that hee suspecteth his Kingdome should be taken from him Doest not thou marke hys crosse aunsweres howe wyde from the matter hee is so full of choller that he wyll speake to no mā neyther suffer any to speake to him so as hee is not to be delt withall by any The shee Asse vnderstanding the effect of their talke by dyscretion stepping in betweene them both she would needes make the thirde and saye hir minde too He that is well cannot keepe him so The Lyon taketh you both for hys friendes therefore seeke not I praye you that that pertayneth not to you What a goodyere haue you to do to meddle in his matters are yee out of your wittes or wearye of your liues be what wil be attende you on Gods name to your busynesse For hee that is busye in that he knoweth not nor toucheth him not and that concerneth not his Arte if any mischaunce lighteth on him he hath but that he hath iustly deserued As I will tell you hereafter a tale of an Ape and what hapned to hym bicause he would needes meddle with a craft he had no skill off But before I beginne to tell you I will make a little digression with two wordes IT hath bene an olde and true opinion that for the seruant to search his maisters doings it is both naught and vncomly too but to desire to know the Princes causes or affaires is of all other yet most daungerous And naturally who so is giuen to be a searcher out of other mens doings he can neuer be reckened good nor honest Now giue eare vnto the tale A tale of an Ape medling in that he had no skill IT is not good therefore I tell you plaine for you to deale in Princes matters to searche out their meanings intents If néedes yée will marke well my wordes and saye I tolde it you Vpon my lyfe yée both in the ende shall feele the smart and payne thereof The Asse perswaded by his Mothers wordes left off his enterprise but the prowde Moyle sayde I intende to know them and therfore I will get mée to the court And I will you knowe deare Mother that manuell craft is one exercise and to knowe to behaue themselues in Court is an other Arte. Thy wordes in part are good to cause them refrayne from doing things they can not bring to passe But to me that must remaine in Princes Court I maye not go so plainlye and simply to woorke but must vse euery one with Arte féeding still their humor to deale in others matters with deceyt and in mine owne to haue a subtill witte deuising still all I may to be chiefe about the Prince And that that now I haue tolde you I haue long since determined to doe In Princes Courts he that procéedeth not stowtely in his matters besides that he is thought a Coward they take him for a foole What knowe not you that fortune fauoureth still the prowde and stowte thinke ye my stowtenesse will not fauour me accompanied with the malice of vnderstandinge and with the pride of reputing my selfe of noble bloud which preheminences obtaine happie state in Court And he that hath the name to bée wise subtile sharpe of wit and with that to be of noble house hath made him already a Cloke for sinne and a garment for his naughtinesse That that I haue sayde I speake with iudgement and for proofe therof I can alledge you infinit examples The Pecocke though his faire tayle couer his fowle féete yet it is not saide that he scrapeth in dunghill at all but he is reputed the fairest Fowle of two féete The fleshe of the Torteise that is so good and holesome for man is not readily solde but rather lotheth many bicause of his vglye
of my person Although many Princes and Lordes in such case thinke themselues yll serued yet is it méete and right that the good bée rather ledde by vertuous instinct then caried away from the right through displeasure receyued I sée thou willest mée good am sure that the loue thou bearest me maketh thee ielous of the maintenance of mine honor and estate Yet it hardly entreth into mée and me thinketh it straunge saue that thou tellest it me I could hardly thinke it much lesse beléeue it that such wicked thoughts should bréede in the Bulles brest to me since by proofe I knowe him in many things both good faithfull and honest in his seruice and hée knoweth besides my goodnesse to him howe I receyued him courteously into my Court and that he may saye hée is made Lorde in maner of my kingdome Sacred Prince sayd the Moyle I beléeue in déede that the Bull thinketh himselfe well intreated of your Maiestie and good cause he hath so to doe and that hée meaneth no hurt to your royall person for any displeasure he hath receyued of you or for any conceyued hate he hath towards you And I thinke sure he taketh not vppon him so fowle an enterprise to other ende but bicause prouinder pricketh him maketh him lustie to fling and play the wanton and for that he is well he cannot sée it and that maketh him to deuise some mischiefe wéening to haue all in his hands saue the very title of the King and that this little hauing all the rest which is also the most is easie for him to obtaine I suppose your Highnesse hath vnderstoode me nowe take what way you list I knowe well ynough that an Asse loden with golde may sléepe more safely amongst théeues than a King that trusteth trayterous officers and gouernours appointed for the state And let your Maiestie bée sure of this that that which the Bull can not compasse nor reach vnto by his owne force and others he will certainly practise by deceyt vsing such meanes to bring him to it as the Flea did to bring the Lowse to that passe he brought him to and that he had long pursued as followeth A tale of the Flea and the Lowse and how the Flea was reuenged of the Lowse WHy what shall wée doe then if the case stande as thou settest it forth what way shall we take I will heare thée willingly and follow thy counsell with this condicion though that in this interim my Realme and person be not touched or that I sustaine perill or losse INuincible Lorde to haue any member festered and rankle and plainely to see that if it be not cut off it will corrupt and infect the whole bodie and in cutting it off the bodie remayneth safe and free from infection what is he so madde that will not cut it off The shepeherde findinge in his flocke I speake more resolutely a scabbie and infected sheepe doth not only cut off his legge but riddeth him out of the waye bicause he shall not infect the flocke SVre this sodeine matter maketh me much muse sayde the Lion. For one way draweth me to loue him and that is the credit I repose in him the long experience of his good gouernement his vertues and wisedome and bicause I neuer founde cause in him to detect him any way The other thing that presseth me much is feare which is a great burthen I would faine therefore finde a waye betwéene both that shoulde be betwixt loue and hate or betwixt feare and trust and this it is To call if thou thinke good the Bull and to examine him well and streightly And if I finde him any thing at all blotted with this humor I will chastise him with banishment but neuer imbrue my handes in his bloud procéeding lyke a great and noble Prince This determination lyked not the Moyle as he that was sure to liue like a wretched beast and that his malice by this deuise should appéere and streight he aunswered the king Your Maiestie hath euen lighted right on the most stranglingst morsell and the hardest Nutte to cracke if you meane to follow that you haue propounded For he careth not to throwe at his enimie that beléeueth he is not seene but standeth to beholde if it light right But if he beware once he is seene then for shame he sticketh to his tackle and followeth on his blowe least he shoulde be counted a foole and Coward both in his doings And by such like meanes I haue oft times séene a little sparckle kindle a great fire O my Lorde he that fayneth he hath not bene offended maye at his ease and leysure be reuenged Contrarie to those that neuer bring any thing to passe that they would when they spit that out with their tongue that they thinke in their heart Therefore I am determined if your Maiestie will like my opinion to worke another and peraduenture a better way I will home to his house and as a friend I will féele him to the bottome and grope his minde and he as my verie friende also and that assuredly trusteth me will laye himselfe open to mée I am sure of it Such passioned mindes will easilye breake out at the first and they cannot kéepe it in but out it must They are besides that great boasters and vaunters For they thinke they stande in déede in that degrée and termes of reputation and honor that they imagine themselues to be in and they make large promises and builde Castels in the aire and at euery worde they saye they will make thée great and bring thée into fauor and when time serueth thou shalt sée what I will say and doe both It will not be long to it Well well I know what I say So that with such lyke Phrases and deuises it shall procéede rightly And thus in these traines appéere yet tokens euident inough and very notable If he haue not capacitie and iudgement to conceyue mée and that he euen crosse not my meaning I that haue an ynckling of the thing already I will be with him in euery corner I will not misse him an ynch If he rayse men what order he hath giuen and whether his house be armed or no yea and I will drawe out the matter ye shall sée finely out of his naughtie fantasticall head And if he go so priuily to worke that I cannot sée him where he goes nor know what he doth as I am sure I know perfitely all his practises I will bring him to your Highnesse and when hée shall appéere before you you shall easilye finde him For his heade is not without feare and his sight very dull and he will not come to you with that chéerefull countenaunce he was woont to looke on you before He will be verie suspicious and not continue in a tale and I know your Grace shall perceyue his malicious and spitefull practise by many tokens euident ynough And what knoweth your Grace whether the penne of his hart will
at his feete hee asked him forgiuenesse for Gods sake and put himselfe into his handes promising he woulde restore him his yron agayne and make him amendes for all his losses And thus hee came by his sonne agayne which otherwyse hee should neuer haue heard of THere was a faire woman in loue with a Pothecarie and shee coulde neuer haue leysure bicause hir husband kept hir streightly once to speake with him or with any others to let hym knowe it One night hir husband euen sodeinly being verye sicke was compelled for present remedie to send his wyfe in haste to the Pothecaries So thither she ranne with al speede and in steade of returning quickly with the medicines shee whipped at a trise vp into the Pothecaries chamber to conferre with him of secret matters you know what and as shee was running vp shee cast hir handkircher with hir money downe on the shoppe bourde to the Boy and bade him make ready the medicine in the meane whyle The Boye that had an eluish witte vndidde hir handkircher and toke out hir money and pretily tied it vp againe hauing filled hir handkircher with the dust of the streete of purpose to mock hir to let hir vnderstand that they that came in haste for sicke folks did not vse to sport them at leysure on that fashion and so laid downe hir handkircher againe on the bourd where he found it When this woman had well paide the Collector vpon hir receit and that she saw shee had bene somewhat to long in hir account she came down from the Pothecarie snatched vp hir handkircher and ran home as she had bene scared with some yll thing But finding hir husband sleping the extremitie of the paine hauing left him she sate downe softlye by the beddes syde and opening hir handkircher founde hir money turned into verye earth and dust And euen at that instant hir husband awaked who bicause he knew not how long he had slept he could not tell whether his wife came quickly againe or taried long and casting his eyes on the dust and earth which shee was looking on as shee that knew she was mocked he asked hir What dust and baggage is that thou hast there what are ointments and medicines made of that fashion his wife streight found his malice and aunswered foolishly I running hastilye from certayne that were fighting in the streetes my money slipt out of my hande and being very darke I sought to take it vp and so with my handes I tooke all that I coulde finde thinking with my selfe in taking vp the dust to get vp my money too but wo is me it is sure all gone and with that burst out in teares The husbande simply beleeued hir and giuing hir other money sent hir thither againe and so with this second commoditie she fully accomplished hir desyre and swetely payde the hire of hir pleasure WHy then doest thou thinke with other new and straunge deuises yet to occupie the Kings heade I besech God he may once pay thée home But I would aduise thée looke well to thy selfe For thou shalt finde great difference betwéene such a beast as he is and another foolish little beast that will easily beléeue thee Vnlesse thou wouldest saye to me that bicause thou hast done the most thou shalt haue the least To this I replie That one paye payeth all And a little theft hangeth vp the théefe for many a great robbery I haue sayde to thée for this time and now farewell The fourth part of Morall Philosophie QVEL CHE MI MOLESTAVA ACCENDO ET ARDO Anno. 1570. The fourth part of Morall Philosophie shewing the ende of the treasons and miseries of the Court of this Worlde ALthough yee fynde many good reasones spoken vnder the shadow and colour of beastes without reason yet ye are not to maruell a whit for we also that represent reasonable beastes do oftentimes things with out reason and discretion both And thys is excellent to to see beasts liue and worke as men But howe brutishe a thing is it to see men lyue and gouerne themselues like brute beastes Ye must also note in this Treatise one thing that like as men sometime say thou or you worshipful Honorable Noble or Lordship and so forth and doe in deede many times mysse to giue to eche man his right title dignitie as they ought and is fit for eche mans calling and vocation euen so these beastes also for in the ende ye knowe them to be but beasts do erre many times speaking false Latine saying thou for you and maister where they shoulde say seruaunt Therefore you may not recken of such scapes nor loke after them though ye see them â—traye a little out of the waye and take a Goslinge for a Goose and a Crabbe for a Whale For it is an olde rule that both men and beasts will fault in many things THe Lyon therefore did amisse to kill the Bull suffering him selfe and his iudgement to be abused and ouertaken by the deuilish and subtill practises of the trayterous Moyle In somuch as when his choler was ouer and that he had wreaked his anger of him cruelly putting the guiltlesse beast to death he then to late looked backe on his bloudie déede and repented him of his rage knowing he had not done well to kill so wyse a subiect and so graue a counseller His conscience griped him at the hart to thinke he had no lawfull cause to vse such crueltie to him Such inwarde thoughtes drawe déepe and touche the quicke and can hardly be holden in and kept secrete So that the Kinges heart burning thus out he burst a fewe wordes which made the Moyles eares glowe as that péece of wicked flesh that alwayes gaue attentiue eare and looked to be payde home So that vpon a sodeine to take awaye these thoughtes from the King and that he should not thinke to much vppon them besides that to continue him still in his errour he ranne to the Court and downe he fell on his knées before the Kinge and with all humilitie he sayd Most mightie and noble Prince thou hast brought thy desires now to an ende The Gods that day did blesse thee in which they gaue thée honorable victorie when thou ouercamest so great and stronge an enimie The worlde victorious Prince woondereth that thou hauing I meane cause to reioyce art so sadde and full of pensiuenesse Oh sayde the Lyon when I thinke of the cruell and violent death of Chiarino without cause I am ready to eate my fingers for sorrow And continually I thinke of the great wit he had of his graue and prudent counsell indowed besides with many noble gifts and maners And to conclude I must tell thée plainely I cannot comfort my selfe nor be in quiet when I examine the cause of his death For many things runnes in my heade to perswade me that things were otherwise than I tooke them and that he had wrong But nowe I knowe that that my father sayde so
oft is â—â—…ue That a thing oft thought vpon can seldome misse but it falleth out true YOur Lordshippe sayde this wicked Moyle shoulde not thus sorow and bewayle the losse of him which made thee lyue in continuall feare and torment For wyse Princes oft times doe both punishe and cut off many worthie persones and those whom they dearely loue and esteeme and why all for their owne safetie and the preseruation their Realme And Sir of two euils they choose the least to kill one rather than to make a thousand die Lo here is an example Doe ye not see my Lord when one is bitten with a venimous serpent that streight he cutteth off the member that is bitten not suffering it to infect and poyson the whole bodye by meanes whereof hee saueth his life which else hee should lose The Kinge seemed to graunt him and the Moyle thought these wordes had cleared the Lions hart and he craftily made much of the worshipfull Moyle and like a brother intreated him The Moyle sate him downe on a forme in the Chamber of presence a whyle and began of himselfe to thinke vpon the miserie of Princes of light credit and of the malice of these vile tale bearers which set stryfe and contention betwixt partie and partie of their tyrannie of their opinions and fonde fantasies in thys maner LArge great wonderfull and infinite are the wayes to offende and innumerable are the snares and deuises that one wicked and naughtie disposed person may deuise and spread abrode to ketch a good and true meaning man to ouerthrow him quite And there is not so straight a friendship but is easie to be broken with the hand of naughty procéeding As I haue proued it If I coulde but write all the things that haue happened the tales that haue bene tolde and the long wouen cloth I should teache Princes howe they shoulde doe in all their matters and woulde make them sée the discretion that many haue lost and what waye they should take not to fall into these Courtly flatterers Those that beare office and haue charge ouer others ought diligently to searche out the troth of thinges and not to goe as Flies without heades and lightly to turne and chaunge as the wauering weather Cock with euery winde Truely it is a fowle fault in meane men to giue easie eare to flatterers but in great persons it is a farre greater fault in Princes chiefly a thing of most detect and slaunder and of extréeme crueltie Nowe I come to knowe plainlye what a great burden is layde on the peoples backes that are gouerned by a Prince of small consideration and iudgement and in what daunger their persons are besides the griefe their conscience giueth them for their state O poore people how many thousands of ye recommended vnder the scepter of such iustice Ought not Princes to be like vnto God and if God will take account of all things at his will be they neuer so little why should not the Kynge among his subiectes also doe the lyke The wickednesse of Ministers and officers if so it were woulde not then runne on so farre as it doth vnpunished O little faith to Gods lawes O little labor for a man to knowe himselfe Where we thinke goodnesse only harboreth thence procéedeth all vice and wickednesse and where we beléeue troth is lodged there sléepeth deceyt Who would not haue beléeued that in this Court vertue had remayned but alas here is the only Court of vice In outwarde lookes euerie one séemeth to carie troth but in the inwarde brests is hid all dissimulation and vntroth Thrée things there are which are vnite togithers and should neuer be out of the Princes minde To wit. To loue God his neighbour and to gouerne himselfe And thrée other things also there are for the subiects to obserue vnto their Prince Loue fayth and obedience But euery one I sée hath forgotten them from high to lowe This world then being so full of daungers and deceytes as it is what man is he alyue so wyse can keepe himselfe from them THe Lyon returned into the Chamber where the Moyle was hee lycensed him to depart and the Moyle with due reuerence tooke his leaue of the king Now the King left all alone beganne agayne to lament and to repent him a thousande tymes that hee was thus ouertaken with the Moyles perswasion and it grieued him so muche more bicause he remembred the Bulles wyse counsels wonderfull behauior and noble conuersation And to banishe this inwarde conceyued griefe that gryped him at the heart he lyked to be amongst hys Lordes and familiers whom diuersly hee entertained And amongst this rowte was the Lybberd one of the noblest of bloud of all his kynne and him the King trusted with many secrete thinges of hys lyfe This Lybbarde one daye going out of the pallace to walke passed bichaunce by the house of the Moyle and Asse and hearde the Asse crying out vppon the Moyle and bitterlye reproouing him for that vyle treason he vsed to the Bull and so hee hearde from poynt to poynt euery act and dede he did With these wordes the Lybbard felt a thing touch his heart as one had spoken to him and bade him marke well what Gods iustice will doe So that he saw certainly the Moyle could not long scape the Kings wrath and that he should dearely buye the Princes griefe falling into that snare he had layde for many others Nowe as all curious searchers doe that desire to heare other mens doings hee layde hys eare to the doore and hearde the Asse his brother speake these very words vnto him O thou wouldest needes follow thine owne fantasie I coulde not rule thee All is well that endeth well saye I. Marke the ende Thou reiectedst my counsell it skilleth no matter I say naught but mum If any mischiefe light on thee at thy perill be it if the King doe punishe thee thou hast but well deserued it and God is iust if hee poure it on thee O goodly act of thine to betraye an innocent creature and thy faithfull friende Brother mine sayde the Moyle no mo wordes I praye thee that that is done cannot be vndone And it is easier to reprooue than to amende When the Steede is stollen it is to late to shut the stable dore I knowe Chiarino is slayne and that guiltlesse and I confesse I was cause of his death But let vs leaue off this vayne talke and deuyse some waye to driue out the suspition the Kinge hath taken in his heade that he thinketh there hath bene some trechery vsed towards him The Libbard hauing hearde ynough and as much as serued his turne departed his way and hied him to the Pallace of the Queene mother whither the King had sent him for other affaires of his After hee had done his message from the King hir sonne he tolde the Queene mother al the circumstaunce of that he had hearde and of the rebukes of the Asse to the Moyle and
case He that by nature was borne subtill and craftie perceiuing a little parcialitie amongst them and that he had reasonable audience went about streight to intricate the house and so began a tale Coram populo like vnto this still drawing water to his Myll A tale of the Ioyners wife and the Painter THere was sometime in the countrie of Catalogna a Ioyner of Tharsia and hee had a verye faire woman to his wife as any that came into that citie a thousand yeares before hir Thys faire woman became in loue with a Painter and bicause the neighbours shoulde not be priuie of his accesse vnto hir she prayed the Painter to make him a garment to bee knowne from others So that by hir eye and feelinge if there were no light she might yet streight wayes know him This deuise and request pleased the Painter well wherevpon hee made him a white garment paynted with Pecocks eies and wrought vpon it and so with this robe in the night hee went to hir without calling to any or knocking at the doore hee went to a place appointed where he founde hir hidden and there he swetely sollaced him selfe to his great contentation At this compact betweene them for their meeting one of hir seruauntes had closely put himselfe into a corner and hearde all that was sayde and done who cunningly dissembled that hee knewe ought where his Mystresse hid hir This Painter with his white robe continued his haunt vnto hir a great while before the seruaunt coulde come to beare halfe of his labor It hapned yet on a night as fortune woulde that this Painter had occasion to goe oute of the towne for certaine businesse he had abrode the seruant when he knew it hied him immediatly vnto the Painters house and bade his wyfe deliuer hym hir husbandes white robe And when he had it he put it on his back and so went to his Mistresse with all who when she sawe it and knew it and beleeued it had bene the Painter perhaps too shee lyked to be deceiued begā to pursue Venus sport togithers His errand delyuered hee went and rendered thys robe agayne vnto the Paynters wyfe who good soule knewe not what hir husbande ment to weare that robe euery night Anone after midnight as the Deuill would haue it the Painter came home agayne whether the sprite mooued hym that he must needes goe coniure the Deuill or that his busynesse framed not that hee went for or what it was I cannot tell ye it is ynough home he came and putting on his white robe on his backe he flong out of the doores agayne in haste and to the Ioyners wyfe hee trudged But when he came there he founde all fast shut vppe and no noyse at all so that hee was driuen to daunce attendaunce without doores and blowe hys nailes as the Phisitions Moile that waiteth for his maister and still chaweth on the bridle Howbeit the next night hee returned and at pleasure discouered the countrie And being hastie in his iourney what man quoth she remember your self you rode farre yesternight and you are not yet at your iourneyes ende I perceyue you haue yet a Coltes tooth in your heade Well wanton well you will tyer your horse and with such lyke harlottrie louing wordes she entertained hir friende the Painter The Painter hearing these wordes beganne to smell a Ratte and thought streyght shee had taken in more horses into hir stable than two So he tooke his leaue and home he went and when he came home examining the matter his wife tolde him there came one in his name for his robe Then were they both at an afterdeale and woorse than euer they were for none of them knewe nor could gesse what hee should be insomuch as after he had well fauouredly ribbe rosted his poore innocent wife he threwe his robe into the fire And so shee sielye woman bare the blame that made no fault The King therefore shoulde not so lightly beleeue it before hee be iustly informed that anothers fault bee not punished by my innocencie My Lords and beasts think not I pray you that I speake this for feare of death but to purge my selfe of that ye haue hearde For death is common to all and I knowe I cannot shunne it therefore I feare it not But this I feare that dying falsely accused my name and house should for euer be defamed and to this I take great heede The mother of the Lion that was the very daughter of impacience coulde not abyde to heare anye more fables but cast vp hir head and turned hir about at those words and halfe in a rage and in choler sayde thus to the Moyle IF thy déedes were as good as thy wordes my sonne shoulde not be thus grieued nor offended nor the poore Bull had bene nowe deade But thy double dealings and prittle prattle who did but giue eare vnto thée and beléeued thée not knowing thée are ynough to turne the Court topsie turuie As thou diddest heretofore to Pannonia who come home thou madest him beléeue bicause his wife woulde not graunt thy vnhonest desire that she was naught so that vpon thy wordes he fell vppon hir with his féete and pashed hir to death Then to late repenting his fault he heaped one yll on another for he made all his Concubines to bée burnt And all this came of thy cursed wordes Therefore it is best for euerye man not to haue thy friendship With that he lifted vp his eares and with open mouth thus aunswered IT becommeth not Madame the Kinges mother to heare the causes reasons contentions obiections and wronges of the subiect with two eares at once but with one alone For your iudgement ought to be vpright equall if affection or partialitie carie ye not away And if the matter be for Chiarino the Moyle will not for that forget that the King doth yet trust him and that he is a true seruant to his Maiestie And be yee assured Madame that to trouble my innocencie and to molest me that to all this Court is so true a slaue it is an offence to pitie Imagine how the Lionesse hart did rise marueylously against him bicause she knew the wickednesse of the Moyle and turning to hir sonne she said How thinkest thou of the boldnesse of this most cruel vncurbed traytor that as many as heare him think he hath reason See I praye yee how he playes the Foxe Beholde I beseech ye his lookes what kinde of iestures he makes Thinke ye hee cannot hit one on the knee at a pinch and neede be with his heeles Yes I warrant ye when ye looke not for it O subtill beast how he hangeth downe his heade O what a traytours looke see his false leering eyes Lorde how terribly he lookes on vs Dismember my sonne this cursed beast and henceforth neither for friends Courtiers nor kynsefolkes requestes euer keepe Moyles any more The Lion for al these words stirred not a whitte neyther once cast vp his
Kings Kitchin. Thou doest not remember the vyle and infinite naughtie signes that thou hast and the great defectes and deformities placed in thy body Thou thou art vyle slowe and rauening Thou art foule stinking filthie lothsome and a wretched thing borne of a Sowe and gotten of a Bore and not of a Mare and an Asse as I am Thou a vile deuourer of all thinges and a solemne supper of broth and swill Thou a little neck a vile visage with thy snowte forward a narrow forehead wide nostrels and short nosed so that the office thou hast is yll bestowed on thee For thou hast no part in thee that is profitable good honorable meete nor sightlye for any body but when thou art before them in the dish THe Hogge séeing himselfe thus well payde home in words againe was glad to holde his peace and after that neuer a one durst once speake a word any more Thus for that time there was nothing else determined but that the Moyle was caried againe to prison by a Beare who safely kept him and looked to him And now being the second time againe clapped into prison there came to the Court a great friend of the Asse his brothers who finding him deade came to aduertise the Moyle his brother being in prison and was verie sorie for the death of the Asse which the Moyle had not hearde of all this while till nowe and the Moyle tooke it so inwardly that it pierced his heart and néedes die he would So turning him to his friende which was a Foxe well stricken in yeares he sayde to him Brother I am determined to die and will make thée mine heyre And making him get Penne Inke and Paper he made his Will and bade him write and bequeathed him all he had which was a rich furniture A double Coller with thrée Basenets A Mosell netwise for his mouth with a bit to the same A coller of leather hungrie to hang ouer his necke with belles a broade Pattrell with diuers coloured fringes made of Girth-web and Canvas A Basse a great Crouper of wood a Sowser a Charger and mayling cordes A broade long Want a tying Coller a paire of Pastornes and a Tranell with other ciuill furnitures pertinent to his estate And then he confessed all and tolde him his wicked practises and treason and that he onely yea marrie was he was the cause of all this sturre The Foxe thanked him hartily and offered to helpe him with the King and to trauell for him the best he coulde bicause he was his chiefe Secretarie in Court and out of Court and so departed from him And he was no sooner out of his sight but bicause he was in déede made heyre of that he had he went to the Lyonesse and Lybbarde and there confirmed the testament hereditarie of the Moyle And to further his desire who desired to die he reuealed it and accused the Moyle So the traytor by another traytor was betrayed IN the morning betimes all the beasts met in the Parliament house the Lawyers Iudges Sergeantes Counsellers and Attorneyes and all the Kinges officers togithers and there appeared also the Lyonesse and Lybbarde The inditement drawne the witnesses sworne and deposed they caused the Moyle to be brought Coram testibus and the Iudges and the Clarke of the peace to read his inditement to his face Now think whether his eares did glow and his cheekes blush when he heard the Foxe the Woolfe and Libbard sworne as witnesses against him Hee stamped hee snuffed he cried in his Moylishe voyce he flong he yerked and tooke on like a furie of Hell. And when he was wearied with these stormes and passions downe he layd him and rored out amaine O I am killed I am killed I denie it It is nothing true that is spoken and therefore I warrant him it will come to that villaine the Foxe who to haue my goodes hath thus falsely accused mee accursed was I when I made him mine heyre which happened to him that brought vp three Popingeys or Parats IN the middest of Tartarie there was a great honest riche man that had the most true faithfull honest louing discretee and gentle wife in all that Realme So that hir doinges were wonderfull and she alone was inough to giue light to halfe the worlde This same Gentleman husbande to this wyfe had a strâ—â—…nger to his man proper of person and comely to beholde And this handsome seruing man became marueylouslye in loue with his fayre yong Mystresse so that night and daye he could thinke of nothing else but which waye to pursue his loue And when he had manye times by tarying at home assayde the ryuer to passe ouer there was no pollicie coulde serue hys turne to obteyne fauor but to bee enterteyned as a seruant still It fortuned him that one daye being a hunting he found a Parattes neast and in the neast three yong Parrattes so taking them vp he caried them home and familiarlye brought them vp and taught them to speake some things in his language the Indian tongue which in that Countrie where he dwelled no body vnderstoode One of them could piertly saye â–ª Our Mystresse maketh hir husbande a Cuccolde The other â–ª O what a shame is that The thirde sayd it is true it is true she is naught These toyes had the seruant deuised to be reuenged of hir for that he could not obteine his purpose and bicause she would not consent to his wickednesse Thus all the daye these blessed Parattes tampered on these verses only and sang them stil as they were taught And for that the tongue was straunge there was neuer none of the Countrie coulde vnderstande it There came one daye to the house of this honest man two Merchants kinsefolks to his wife which bicause they had trafficked India very well they had the tongue perfitely And being at the table they talked of many things and they fell at length into talke of Parattes So that the good man of the house caused his men to bring his three Parattes to him only to showe them vnto his kinsemen The little Parattes being made of beganne to sing their verses and to repeate it still apace Nowe thinke yee what thoughtes these Merchauntes had hearinge them speake so vile and slaunderous wordes And thus looking one at another turninge them to the Gentleman they demaunded of him Sir know ye what these harlotrie Birdes doe speake â–ª No not I God knoweth sayde the Gentleman that ought them but me thinketh it is a pastime to heare them â–ª Well let it not mislyke you to vnderstand what they say for it behoueth you to knowe it by any meanes And so they tolde him all the storie of the Parattes The Gentleman was all amazed and troubled in his minde to heare this exposition And then hee asked them againe but doe they sing nothing else all daye but this and still in one songe yea sure since we came no other tune nor songe had they but this With