to the value of their services rendered to mankind; which is left for decision to those "prudente juges the egle and the lyon." The horse details his chronicled history, his martial and other achievements, and that

"Chau cer remembreth the swerde rynge and glas Presented were vpon a stede of bras."

He also urges his usefulness in husbandry and labour,

that

"Auguste is a season mery and gladde

Whan euery tree with newe fruyte is lade
With draught of horse ye. sheues ben home ladde,
That moneth passed, the leues gan to fade
Whiche made in somer a plesaunte lusty shade
What done horse than to speke in wordes playne
The second croppe they carye home of rewayne.
By draught of horse fro ryuers and welles
Bouges be brought to brewers for good ale
Lede, stone, tymbers, caryage of belles
We brynge to chyrches in trouthe this is no tale.
We lede clothe, sackes, and many a large male
And gladly summers be sente to forne

With gardeuyandes, how my horse be forborne."

The enjoyment of two elements is described as a matter of superiority by the Goose; also the 'medicinal virtues of the body, and that

"Fethers of gees, whan they fall or moute,

To gather them vp herdes them delyte,

To sell to fletchers the graye with the whyte.
Men plucke stalkes out of my wynges tweyne,
Some to portray, some to note, or wryte;
Whan rethoryens haue do theyr besy payne,
Fresshe epystles, lettres to endyte,

Without wrytynge auayleth not a myte;
For yf pennes and wrytynge were awaye,
Of remembraunce then were loste the keye."

While a dead horse is but carrion, the fat goose

in

not once the property of De Worde's master, Caxton, it must be supposed a loan from his contemporary, Pinson, as De Worde is not known to have printed that work, and both the others did.

a dysshe of golde," is a morsell "serued vpon a kynges table;" and, says our monk,

"Swymmynge alyue in water crystalyne,

Tenderly rosted requyreth to haue wyne."

The value of the bearded arrow in war and the preservation of Rome from the cackling of a goose, is succeeded by a relation of legendary origin:

"In the booke named of cheualrye destyne,
Thestorye telleth, as in sentemente,

There were chyldren borne of the ryall lyne,
Borne with chaynes, & whan they were of rente
They tourne to swannes by enchauntement
Toke theyr flyght; the trouthe is full clere,
And as swannes they swamme in the reuere.
This storye is full autentyke and olde,
In Frenche compyled, oft red and sene;
Of thylke cheyne was made a cuppe of golde
Whiche is yet kepte, as some folkes seyne,
And by descent it longeth in certeyne,
To the herfordes; ye shall fynde in dede,
Ceryouly, who so lyste the storye to rede.
And, semblably not longe here to forne,
I tell this tale as for my partye,
There was a man in Lumbardy borne,
To a goos ytourned by crafte of sorserye,
And so be abode seuen yere, my lyste not to lye,
His wryte fell of, then stode he vp a man
And abode in seruyce with the duke of Melan.

And, for he was a man of hygh degree,
Borne of good blood, and notable in sustaunce,
His kynred gyued a goos for theyr leuere,
The sayd meruayle to put in remembraunce........

...

The simplicity of the sheep brought the sturdy ram forward as an advocate. Scriptural history of the Paschal lamb is first given. The wool forms the riches of "Beates Albyon," and

"Of the shepe cometh pellet, and cke fell,
Gadred in this londe for grete marchaundyse;
Caryed ouer the se where may it sell;
The wull skynnes causen men to ryse
In to grete rychesse; in many sondry wyse

The

The shep tourneth to grete prouffyte,
To helpe of man bereth furre black and whyte,
There is also made of the shepes skynne
Pylches and gloues, to dryue away the colde;
Therof also is made good parchemyne

To wryte of bokes and quayres many folde......
Of the shepe is caste a waye no thynge
His horne for nockes, to haftes go his bone;
To londe grete prouffyte dooth his tyrtelynge;
His talowe serueth for playsters many one;
For harpe strynges his ropes serue echone;
Of whoos hede boyled, with wull and all,
There cometh a gely and an oyntement ryal."

The horse and goose reply. The copy from which the above was transcribed is in possession of Mr. Haworth, and unfortunately wants the last leaf, which contains the decision of the judges.

J. H.

A Sermon preached ye fourth Sudaye in Lente before the Kynges Maiestie and his honorable Counsell, by Thomas Leauer. Anno Domini 1550. [Colophon.] Imprynted at London by Iohn Day, dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth Saint Martyns. And are to be sold at his shop by the litle conduit in Chepesyde at the sygne of the Resurrection. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per septennium. E 4 8°.

"And when as by the same mouth of the true preacher, theyr venemous tounges be rebuked, the they spare not to say, that the preacher hath learned his lesson in lack an apes court."

The preacher addresses his Majesty in a style of peculiar boldness in the following extract.

"Euen as V thousandes in wildernes folowed Christ and his apostles, so manye thousandes in Englande, past all other hope and refuge, folowe your gracious maiestye and honourable counsel. For theyr parsons, whiche should lyke shepheards feede them, doo lyke theues, robbe, murther and spoyle them. And theyr landlordes which shuld defend them, be

moste

worthie renoume, and verteues wel nigh of al sortes, suche as may challeng and claim your deserued crowne of immortalitie. Amonge whiche what shall I recompt your rare sobryctie, greate lenytie, passyng familiaritie, commendable policie, gentle grauitie, pregnant wisdome, deepe discrecion, large liberalitie, paynefaines to plesour all honest persones, ample hospitalitie, to the admiration and well nigh astonnyeng of all that see such rare gyftes so plentifullye placed in your owne person, with an infinite nomber wel nigh of vertues besides, in the lest of whiche resteth trew woorshyppe. . . . . (Subscribed) your Worship's depe dettour. Nicolas Havvard."

The volume is divided into three books; the first contains fifteen chapters, upon the nature, extent and pleasure of applying benent; the second thirty-five chapters, of secrecy and promptness in the application, without being solicited, and of gratitude in the receiver, and the third book, thirty three chapters of ingratitude or forgetfulnes, and benefits received from inferiors. The whole is interspersed with apposite relations from history, and forms an amusing and instructive collection. As a specimen of the language is selected the chapter to prove

Symple thynges gyuen with a good wil more acceptable then rich giftes with grutchyng.

"For yf it were so that benefites consisted in the thynges whyche are geuen, and not in the mind of him who geueth the same, then should it also follow, that lok how much greatter in valewe the thynge is that is geuen, so muche greiter shoulde the benefit be to be accompted of. But that is vntrew. For somewhiles wee are more beholdyng, and to thinke ourselues depelyer bounde to hym that geueth vs thynges but of small valew, whose good will notwithstandynge ought to be more deere to vs and bygher in estimation then any the greate abundance and ryches of Princes. For admitte that his gift was but simple, his hart yet was magnificent and liberall, in that he regarded not hys owne pouertie, he was so glad be had to serue my greate want presentlye. Wherein he declared hymself not onely to meane well to me-warde, but also to haue an earnest zele and desier in himself to declare and accomplish the same. In which his weldoing, he seemeth to take delight, bestowing those his benefits as one not loking or hoping after any recompence, more then if he had given me no whyt at all. But of his owne accord seeketh to find and take occasion to proffit and plesour me. On thother syde (as

I haue sayde before) these thinges are neyther plesant nor acceptable whiche though of themselues they seeme to be of great view and pryce, yet they are not without great entreaty, and importunate seute and request obtained at the hands of the grauters, or els whiche by chaunce and vnaduisedlye escape them. But farre more thankefully is the litle simple gift to be receiued, geuen with assured good will and franckly, then is plenty and athue ce geven with grutching and repining. For why, in suche case thus may I saye. Truthe it is: that whiche this man hath geven me is but a small thing, but wayeng his abilitie, he is muche to be commended, for he gaue it me with a uery good wil: and besides, his welthe coulde not extend to giue me any thing of gretter valew. Againe, the present of that other, I confesse, was very muche and of great pryce, but with what distrust did he it and longe delaye, and how muche did he repent him after he had done it? He dyd it for vaine glory onely, and to thend he might triu phe ouer me, and reporte to others how much he had plesoured, and in what necessity I stode of his help. So that good cause I haue to perswade myself that he dyd it not for good will, and earnest loue, or affection he bare to me, but to blase abrode his own name and take occasion so to doo at my necessitie. Who that to this end bestoweth his benefytes, I saye he doth not onely deserue notes to be accompted liberall, but rather an euill natured niggard."

**

The Clergy in their Colours; or a brief character of them. Written from a hearty desire of their Reformation, and great Zeal for my Countreymen, that they may no longer be deceived by such as call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel, but are not. By John Fry, a Miember of the Parliament of England, &c. &c. &c. London: Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Blacke Spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls. 1650. pp. 68. 18mo.

The author of this curious tract was one of the judges of Charles Ist., but did not sign the warrant for the Monarch's decapitation. Wood styles him "a man of more than ordinary parts," Noble; "this gentleman had great

abilities."