1645.] OF THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER. 107 



as commonly he used to do, after dinner. His Lordship 

 had the book of John Gower* lying before him on the 

 table ; the King, casting his eye upon the book, told 

 the Marquis that he had never seen it before. 



&quot; Oh,&quot; said the Marquis, &quot; it is a book of books, 

 which if your Majesty had been well versed in, it 

 would have made you a King of Kings.&quot; 



&quot; Why so, my Lord ?&quot; said the King. 



&quot;Why,&quot; said the Marquis, &quot;here is set down how 

 Aristotle brought up and instructed Alexander the Great 

 in all his rudiments, and the principles belonging to a 

 prince.&quot; 



u And under the persons of Alexander and Aristotle, 

 he read the King such a lesson, that all the standers by 

 were amazed at his boldness ; and the King, supposing 

 that he had gone further than his text would have 

 given him leave, asked the Marquis whether he had 

 his lesson by heart, or whether he spoke out of the 

 book. 



&quot; Sir,&quot; the Marquis replied, &quot; if you could read my 

 heart, it may be you might find it there ; or if your 

 Majesty please to get it by heart, I will lend you my 

 book.&quot; 



u Which latter proffer the King accepted, and did 

 borrow it. 



&quot;Nay,&quot; said the Marquis, &quot;I will lend it you upon 

 these conditions : 1. That you read it; and 2. That you 

 make use of it.&quot; 



&quot; But perceiving how some of the new made Lords 

 fretted and bit their thumbs at certain passages in the 

 Marquis s discourse, he thought a little to please his 

 Majesty, though he displeased them, the men who were 

 so much displeased already, protesting unto his Majesty 



Gower, the poet. 



