60 



desisted fro' further speech, sailing that he added that he had 

 allready meadled to much w th the world, and would hence 

 forward be more chary of his time, to spend it in study and 

 contemplation. 



The Duke, longing to hear what he would haue said, con- 

 sidering he made a periode of naming the King, embouldened 

 him to goe forward, and very familiarly assured him that what 

 breath was spent betweene the two should never receaue further 

 life or redound to his preiudice, but peradventure to more future 

 good then he could imagine, ffor the truth was, he p r tended to 

 make use of his great experience and faithfull advice, w ch as ha 

 saide, was the only occasion of p' curing his custody, from the 

 King, that he might finde his imprisonment like a sweete dwell- 

 ing of his owne, otherwise he might haue lighted into their e 

 hands, w th whome he should not have found soe great fauour. 



The Bishop right humbly thanked him, and so proceeded. 

 Truly, my lo r I desire not much to taulke of princes, as a thing 

 very dangerous, ffor although the com'unication may be without 

 fault, yet it is in the pleasure of the King to accept it well or 

 ill, w ch makes me reme'ber a tale, in Isope, concerning the lion's 

 proclamation, that on paine of death no horned beast should 

 p r sume to come into that woode, whereupon a certaine beast 

 having a knobby rising of flesh growing on his forhead, flead 

 apace, until the fox asked him why he made such haste, and 

 wheither he went. Surely, said he, it is no matter wheither, so 

 as I weare once out of these p r cicnts and danger of the p'clama- 

 tion against horned beasts. Why fool (q th the fox) the lion's mean- 

 ing extend not to thee for that w ch growes on thy forhead is noe 

 home : that is most true, replied the other ; but if he says it is a 

 home, where am I then ? The Duke by this time laughed 

 out right, and said, (my lo r ) I warrant neither the lion nor the 

 bore shall lay any imputation on these speeches, ffor they shall 

 neuer come soe much as to be whispered unto them. Surely, 

 replied the Bishop, if they did, and y fc w ch I was about to say 

 might happen into the mouth of a true reporter explaining my 

 meaning, as it is before God, it would deserue thanks, and yet 



