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
life in going about to maintaine the place and credite I haue about the Prince If the loue thou bearest me be true I praye thée doe but giue me a watch worde how I may saue my selfe and helpe me with thy counsell in this distresse for I promise thée I cannot counsell my selfe And for any other to counsell me in so harde a case I cannot sée any light at all bicause me thinkes I sée some beastly part playde me and I am ready to burst for sorrowe and the woorst of all that I sée no ende to bring mée to any sure hauen So that I praye thée helpe to saue me and this thing I craue of thée bicause it is fitte for euerye bodie to séeke for his helth Thou hast sayd better than a Crabbe that hath two mouthes sayd the Moyle and surely to séeke for thy health it is but reason and a lawfull excuse For he that cannot saue his life by force is to be borne withall if he worke for his life by subtiltie or malice Howbeit aboue all thinges euery little enimie is greatly to be thought on and looked vnto now iudge thou then howe much the great is to be feared And hée that will not estéeme this and beléeue that I saye it shoulde happen to him that happened to the Male and female Linnet in making their neast A man hath no greater enimie than himselfe ALongest the sea syde in a fewe rocks and clyffes full of wylde Herbes certaine Linnets were wont to lay and breede and breeding time beinge come to laye their egges the Cocke began to make his neast there In so much as the Henne sayd to the Cocke me thinks it were better fore vs to go seeke some other place to hatch our yong ones bicause this is not certayne and besides that perillous as it is often seene that we might yet once bring vp our poore little fooles to some good What sayth the Cock doest thou mislyke of this seate and is it so daungerous as thou talkest off Here passe no people here it is hote no windes at all and an infinite sorts of Herbes doe growe here as thou seest so that wee shall haue meate at all times at will. O my good swéete Honie husband quoth the Henne it is not fitte for vs God knoweth For in such like seats is euer great daunger vppon any rage of the seas to lose them all that it is therefore I pray thee let vs auoyde that daunger Wilt thou doe as the Pigeon that being asked of a Pie why she returned to the Douehouse to laye hir egges where all hir yong ones were still taken away aunswered my simplicitie is the cause and euer hath bene of my griefe Thou that hast great experience and hast pyssed in so many snowes wilt thou not take it yll to bee handled like a Coddes head in thy olde dayes and that it shoulde bee tolde thee he knewe it and would not knowe it he beleeued it not he did it not and so forth but the foolyshe husbande hauing no capacitie to conceyue his wyues words went his way and slue vp to the top of the tree and the more shee spake the worse heade had he to vnderstande hir So he stoode still in his owne conceyte thinking hee had bene handled like a tame foole if he had followed his wyues fantasie O how noble a foole O what a cockes combe All is one she might say what she would but he would doe as hee listed and follow his owne fantasy And so he dwelled still in his opinion and made his neast and shee layde hir egges and hatched them A man hath no greater enimye than himselfe and that beast specially that knowing he did amisse did rather continue his obstinacie to his hurt than for his profit once to accept the counsell of hir wyfe or friende And last of all she tolde him a tale by protestation IN the fishings of the Sophie there was a worlde of Fowles that kept about it to feede of those fishes and amongst them was a Torteise of the water that had streight friendship with two great and fat Fowles who diuing vnder water droue the fishe all about and they no sooner appéered almost aboue water but at a choppe they had them in their mouthes The Lake was full of cliftes I cannot tell howe but by certayne earthquakes and by little and little it beganne to waxe drie so that they were faine to voyde out the water to take out the great number of fishe that were in it that they should not die in that drougth but rather eate them vp The fishes therefore of that Lake meaning to depart out of that countrie came one morning to breake their fast togithers and to take their leaue of the Torteise their friend The which when she saw them forsake hir she wept bitterly pitifully lamenting she sayd Alas what shall I doe here alone But what thing can come worse to mée than to lose the water and my friendes at one instant O poore Torteise that I am wretched creature I whither should I go to séeke out water that am so slowe to go I like not to tarie longer in this countrie O good brethren helpe me I pray you forsake me not in my distresse Ah vnhappie was I borne in this worlde that I must carie my house with me and can put no vittayles into it In others houses alacke there is place ynough for their necessaries but in mine I can scant hyde my selfe A woe woe is me howe shall I doe if ye haue any pitie on me my brethren if ye haue taken me for your friend helpe me for Gods sake Leaue me not here to burst for thirst I woulde gladly go with you and that you woulde put me in some Lake and I woulde followe mine olde trade as I haue done therfore deare Fowles helpe me These woordes did penetrate the heartes of these great water Fowles and taking no lesse pitie on hir than looking to their owne profite they sayde vnto hir Deare Mother Torteise we coulde not doe better than satisfie thy desire but alas what meanes haue we to carie thee hence into any Lake yet there is an easie way to bring it to passe so that thy hart will serue thée to take vpon thée to holde a péece of wood fast in thy téeth a good while And then we the one on the one side of thée and the other on the other side will with our bylles take the ende of the sticke in our mouthes also and so carye thée trimlye into some Lake and there we woulde leade our liues and fare delicately But in any case thou must beware thou open not thy mouth at any time bicause the other birdes that flie vp and downe will gladly play with thée and laugh to sée thée flie in the ayre thou that art vsed to tarie on the earth and vnder the water Therefore they will tell thée marueylous wonders and will be verie busie with thée and peraduenture
daungerous pathe Euen so it may be sayde of him which followeth his owne appetite and lyking gouerning himselfe thereby and not as he ought with reason and good order leaning to these worldlye experiences which euer desireth that that is profitable but follow alwayes in déede things that are hurtfull A man of such life and gouernement we may compare to him that knoweth good meates light of digestion and the grosse ill and heauie yet ouercome with desire taketh that that is most hurtfull and so being hurt himselfe alone is the cause of all his yll EVen such a man is he whome affection subdueth He vnderstandeth and is learned and able to decerne troth from falshoode and yet will not put in proofe the true profit nor once follow and desire knowledge and wisedome We might bring this man in thexample of him that hauing his sight good and perfite shutting his eyes would needes be ledde by a blinde man so that both they falling into a diche were drowned and miserably died Euery man will condemne him for a foole and worse than mad that hauing his sight good and without blemishe that might haue seene the daunger and scaped it and of mere foolishnesse would not Therefore euerie wise and discrete person must continually labour to reade and to vnderstande that he readeth and must then teache it to as many as desire to knowe it and to doe the good workes of the knowledge he teacheth that euery way he may showe the wonderfull profit of his doctrine for in this case he may not be like vnto a Well or Spring which without any profit to it selfe quencheth the thirst of all beastes The wise man is afterwardes bounde when he is growne to the perfection of learning to teach and instruct those that knowe not Prouided euer that he can master himselfe and subdue his affections For to a wise man three things are pertinent to wit Knowledge Richesse and Mercie And of all things a man must chiefly beware of reprouing his neighbour of that fault he himselfe is guiltie off That he be not likened to him which hauing a Perle in his eie found fault with the element that it was alway clowdie not considering the blemish of his eie Yet greater doubtlesse is our offence when with our neighbours hurt or detriment we winne commoditie to our selues As falleth out many times which this example following sheweth vs. The deceyt lighteth on the deceyuers necke TWoo friends hauing a great mount of corne in a Garner vndeuided they fel to parting it leauing to eche his portion a part howbeit both in one Garner still so that they could not erre to choose eyther heape But bicause in déede the one heape was greater than the other hée which had the lesser thought to steale the bigger and so by deceit to be reuenged of Fortune that had allotted him the least part Vpon this he went to the Garner determining to steale it that night and bicause he would not misse of his purpose in taking the one for the other he cast his cloke ouer his fellowes heape being the greater that he might the easilier knowe his owne in the darke being vncouered Not long after came to the Garner also the other honest partener to looke to his heape to see his deuided part and when he sawe the loue of his partener to him supposing simply he had couered his heape of corne for good will he bare him that it should receyue no dust as one that would not be thought vnthankfull nor come behinde his fellow in curtesie thus he sayde to himselfe Oh this man is to kinde to mée that to couer mine leaueth his owne heape bare And so taking the Cloke off his heape cast it on the others and couered it as his was requiting his curtesie with like good will little suspecting the intended deceyte but rather reputed his friende ciuile and full of humanitie At night his false friende counselled with a théefe and tolde him his intent saying if thou wilt goe with mée this night I will bring thée to a place where we shall haue a good bootie of Corne as much as we can both carie away with vs And thus agréed togithers thervpon they went both to the Garner where these two heaps of Corne laye and this partener the théefe groping in the darke to finde the heape his Cloke laye on laying handes on his Cloke supposing he had met with his fellowes heape hée gaue it in praye to the théefe hée had brought with him labouringe both to loade themselues and so betwéene them they conueyed the whole heape and wéening they had stollen from the other honest man founde at length he was théefe to himselfe The next morning very earely the two companions accordinge to appointment went togithers to the Garner to carie away eche other his portion as it was deuided betwéene them And he that had done this feate séeing his parteners part whole and vntouched and his owne gone like a man halfe deade for sorrow he heauily departed thence to his house and not a worde he spake bewayling and lamenting his wretched pretenced craft not daring once to open the theft to his friende who so much did trust him NO man therefore should deale so foolishly in thinges that haue no certaine ende and that are hard to bring to passe least that wearied with superfluous labor he cannot afterwardes exercise himselfe in thinges certaine and needefull All our workes and deedes ought rather to tende to profit vs in time to come then to serue the time present For if we abandon and forsake the insatiable and infinite desire we haue of this wretched worlde doubtlesse in the other worlde to come we shall feele no paine For who that serueth God deuoutly and with pure conscience and that desireth riches onely to supplie necessitie and to doe good workes him God doth prosper and guide in all his wayes And let no man dispaire though he be visited with ill hap sometime doing well notwithstanding For God manye times sendeth his blessing and increase vnwares to man and in an houre vnlooked for which he neuer thought would happen And heare in what maner The good and vertuous should neuer dispaire in aduersitie THere dwelled in a certaine Citie a man of a godly life and disposition who fallen into extréeme pouertie being ashamed to aske for Gods sake determined to prooue his friends and so he did And bewraying his miserie looking for reliefe and pittie founde nothing but hardnesse neither was there anye that once woulde looke vpon the necessitie of that honest conditioned man And thus repleate with griefe vexed in his minde he sorrowfullye repaireth to hys poore mansion And being layde at night in his bedde to take his rest the anguishe of his minde togither with famine woulde not suffer him to rest but kept him waking And bychaunce hearing a noyse about the house lystening diligently what it shoulde be hée knewe straight it was some Théefe hoping of a great
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
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