The Book of Cats. 179 



that she took a Cat and christened it, etc., and that 

 in the night following, the said Cat was conveyed 

 into the middest of the sea by all these witches 

 sayling in their riddles, or cives, so left the said 

 Cat right before the towne of Leith, in Scotland. 

 This done, there did arise such a tempest at sea, 

 as a greater hath not been seen since. Againe it 

 is confessed that the said christened Cat was the 

 cause of the Kinge's majestie's shippe, at his 

 coming forthe of Denmark, had a contrarie winde 

 to the rest of the shippes then being in his com- 

 panie, which thing was most straunge and true, as 

 the Kinge's Majestic acknowledgeth, for when the 

 rest of the shippes had a fair and good winde, then 

 was the winde contrarie, and altogether against his 

 Majestic," etc. 



All sorts of Cats, according to Huddesford, 

 lamented the death of his favourite, whom he calls 

 " premier Cat upon the catalogue," and who, pre- 

 ferring sprats to all other fish — 



" Had swallow'd down a score, without remorse, 

 And three fat mice slew for a second course ; 

 But, while the third his grinders dyed with gore, 

 Sudden those grinders clos'd — to grind no more ! 

 And, dire to tell ! commission'd by old Nick, 

 A catalepsy made an end of Dick. 



